GEBE major failure...please help

shawnshank

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For about the last 5 or 6 times I've been on my bike I heard what sounded like a piece of metal bouncing around somewhere while the bike was running...I couldn't find the source so I thought it was inside the muffler (kind of like a clanging sound). The motor worked fine and the bike ran great so I didn't pay it much mind. Finally the other day the metal sound got really loud all of a sudden, made an aweful grinding sound and then the bike just wouldn't go. The engine stayed running but when I'd give it throttle, the engine just revved, the drive gear wasn't spinning and the bike wasn't moving. Whatever it was that is on the inside of the engine that transfers the power of the engine to the drive gear must have snapped. When I shut it off and spun the gear with my finger I could hear the metal claning around inside. Does anyone know what this could be an how extensive / difficult a repair it will be to fix?
 
If you hear metal clang it's "breakdown/checkout" time of engine and drive.1st, have you removed the drive from the engine, 2nd if so does the drive removed from the engine make the sound/turn at all?If you haven't separated the engine from drive my first guesses would be 1-broken clutch springs, 2-clutch shoe retaining bolt has backed out, 3-broken shoe.
 
If you hear metal clang it's "breakdown/checkout" time of engine and drive.1st, have you removed the drive from the engine, 2nd if so does the drive removed from the engine make the sound/turn at all?If you haven't separated the engine from drive my first guesses would be 1-broken clutch springs, 2-clutch shoe retaining bolt has backed out, 3-broken shoe.

Thanks for the reply. In answer to your question...no I haven't done anything yet. I didn't want to risk taking it apart if it was something I could not fix.
 
Well I can't guarantee it, but I'd say you're in minor repair mode, not major failure.Remove the engine from the drive, I'm guessing you'll find the shoes flopping around in there, or a bolt backed against the bell.My F/D with the harbor-freight 52cc would break springs regularly, it looks easier to remove the engine on the GEBE setup but I could be wrong (got a used GEBE on the way so I'll soon know).
Depending on your engine you have the 2 shoes with one spring or 3 shoes 3 springs, if you can't source the the parts you can always fashion your own spring, find close to the right coils per inch/diameter steel/diameter hole, and get to cutting/bending, as long as it doesn't rub the bell it should work.
 
Well I can't guarantee it, but I'd say you're in minor repair mode, not major failure.Remove the engine from the drive, I'm guessing you'll find the shoes flopping around in there, or a bolt backed against the bell.My F/D with the harbor-freight 52cc would break springs regularly, it looks easier to remove the engine on the GEBE setup but I could be wrong (got a used GEBE on the way so I'll soon know).
Depending on your engine you have the 2 shoes with one spring or 3 shoes 3 springs, if you can't source the the parts you can always fashion your own spring, find close to the right coils per inch/diameter steel/diameter hole, and get to cutting/bending, as long as it doesn't rub the bell it should work.

I have the 40 cc tanaka GEBE kit and I love it. This sounds like a good project to work on if I can find the time. I have been taking the kit apart at least once a year for some issue or another (all small things really) so I guess it's that time of year again.
 
Remove the engine, it is held on by 4 allen head bolts. You will find something in the clutch has broken. GEBE or Tanaka should have the parts you need. I would guess a clutch spring had broken when you first heard noise. If you had taken it apart at that time, a simple spring replacement would have fixed it. Now I'm afraid you will need complete clutch innards(springs and shoes) and, if the clutch drum is bent out-of-round or badly scored, a new clutch drum as well. When you first hear unusual noises is the time to find out why.
 
Check all of your spokes and the drive ring also for anything loose or broken.
 
I also run a Tanaka 40cc on a friction drive & mine started making a similar noise. When I removed the engine, the clutch spring was fine, but noticed the wavy washers used to keep the clutch shoes spring loaded under the bolt head were gone. I think they disintegrated from usage (heat & vibration) & cause the clutch shoes to move around more than they are supposed to. I went to the local Ace hardware store & found some new wavy washers (spring washers). Remove the spark plug wire from the plug before removing the two clutch bolts, then remove the two bolts, put a dab of grease around the bolt where the wavy washers go & re-install the bolts. Be careful because there is a small washer under each clutch shoe. This seems to have fixed the problem...
-Lowracer-
 
I finally got around to taking it apart and found that the metal (bell housing??) surrounding the clutch has broken away from the drive shaft. I was told by Julia at GEBE that I would need a new clutch housing/bell assembly = $95.00
Is this something the average person should be able to replace on their own? I also need a new drive gear and belt. I've owned my kit for almomst 5 years so I'm due to replace them.

Remove the engine, it is held on by 4 allen head bolts. You will find something in the clutch has broken. GEBE or Tanaka should have the parts you need. I would guess a clutch spring had broken when you first heard noise. If you had taken it apart at that time, a simple spring replacement would have fixed it. Now I'm afraid you will need complete clutch innards(springs and shoes) and, if the clutch drum is bent out-of-round or badly scored, a new clutch drum as well. When you first hear unusual noises is the time to find out why.
 
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