My piston has locked.

[havemurci]

Hey guys,

You might remember me from my intro a month or two ago.

Since building, I've put about 237 miles on my bike. However, recently the screws that attached the carb to the engine rattles loose, and one fell off. Well, I tightened the remaining one and put a different replacement on the other side, but that must have been disconnected because today when I was riding it felt quite lean. Then, about half a mile from my house on a dirt road, my piston locked. Rear tire seized up at ~20 mph, I was able to get the clutch in to avoid a crash.

The clutch simply acted as the opposite of a brake as I petalled the rest of the way home.

My question: Have I killed it? Is there *anything* to do to fix it, or should I just live with my memories?

Thanks for your help. I enjoyed this forum and used it quite a few times when I was having trouble.

--Mark

 

[Chris Crew]

Take off your head, exhaust mani and intake manifold

and have a look inside. I bet a bolt, nut or washer is jammed between your piston and cylinder.

Ask me how I know.

 

[Al.Fisherman]

I'd start by disconnecting the clutch, and removing the spark plug. Try to turn the engine over using the back wheel. If that is a no go then remove the exhaust, carb, head and jug to take a close look.

 

[GearNut]

At least these chinese engines are cheap to fix.

 

[andynogo]

lean=hot=seized piston in barrel.

You could try to get the barrel off and check it out-sometimes they can be saved....you never know. Or buy another barrel/piston kit.

Also depends how bad the bearings were affected...

 

[linnix13]

i think that the bolt may have fallen into the piston, i would take the 4 bolts of the top of the engine and pull the head off, if it looks normal and nothing is jammed between the piston and cylinder then pull the cylinder off, if its scored and scratched you will need a new cylinder and rings, maybe even a piston, if its a bolt try to get it out, it will have probably caused some damage to the piston,rings, and cylinder, you can take the bolt out and try to drive it but it wont run very good, all in all its a $40 fix, go to zoombicycles,com to get some parts,

 

[nadroj]

make sure you take the cylinder off before you order the parts. Mine locked up and i thought it was a seized piston also but it turns out my crank was jammed