4 stroke hasn't started in over a year

artmaker

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Ok, since my previous threads are so old, will start all over.
I have a Huasheng 4 stroke (improvement over my old 2 stroke) that has given me fits since I got the thing.
I'll post a list of all I did so far below,
short question first.... I THINK I narrowed down the issue to a bad kill switch. Actually I have two of them.
One on the hand grip gave out a year before the thing quit starting, and I've been using the little red button on the side of the motor.
The last time this bike ran, (summer before last) it was running like crap. Nowhere near the power it once had, hard to start... then on Memorial day, first time I started the bike that year, it was a royal pain just to get started. Ran real rough, very short trip, basically just rode a few blocks around my house, and even harder to restart later.... then tried for a late night ride and it simply would NOT start at all.
A friend helped me sort this out using a spark plug tester, and told me that yes, if the kill switch is going bad, it could have been causing all the crappy engine running issues until it just flat out fried. After we disconnected it and tried, at least now the motor sounds like it's trying to fire... (next thing to do is replace the two year old gas and try again.)
So... snooping around online... where the blazes does one find a new kill switch? Also could my having two of them, one on the motor and one on the hand grip have been a problem? I would rather lose the one on the motor and keep the one easier to grab if I have a choice. Or does that even matter.
So any advice on this would be appreciated....


Now for all those interested, the history of my nightmare with this motor.

First, the guy I bought it from sold me his own hand made clutch cover.... which was a hugely bad idea. Piece of cheap tin that awkwardly attached over the clutch, and did NOT seal it.... so every manner of grit and oily crud got right into the clutch, not even one year into this I had to buy a new, closed clutch box, also put in a heavy duty clutch, all of which needed a new chain, different gear ratio. Big pain.

Good for one season, the next started with the hard to start and running kinda rough issues.
First order of business was cleaning the carb. Did that twice, nothing. Replaced it. Also put in a better spark plug... nope.
Someone said adjust the valves, learned about that, bought the gauge, got er done. Got it running BUT....
I must have just got lucky, did not know about finding top dead center. But that got me a season.
Next year was the last time it ran at all. And this time I did not get lucky, read up on finding top dead center, and I STILL can't quite get that one.
Stick a straw into the spark plug hole, turn the engine over and the straw goes up down up down... great. It's a FOUR stroke. Up down up down. WHICH UP IS THE RIGHT UP???? That one I don't know.
Had a mechanic friend look, and HE set it to just the right spot.... (without actually showing me how he knew, and he vanished after this.) I did my adjustments, and still... nothing. Got frustrated and the bike sat ever since. (built another one instead.)

So now... another friend is the one who tried testing for spark and figured out it might just be this kill switch, the test light did light but just barely, then we removed the kill switch and it did light. Hence, it just might be that simple. Faulty kill switch. (again, still not starting but I have yet to flush out the old fuel. I will need some kind of kill switch, may as well get that first.)
And that's where I stand to date.

OH... Also... my exhaust pipe had to be bent to fit my frame, had a friend with a good vice and torch help bend it. That had to be done right away when I first got this motor and it's has run with it, but there is a point in the pipe that got just a bit crimped. I'm guessing here, but at one point the inside of the pipe may be 3/4 the diameter of the rest. I'm wondering if that might have clogged? Or even if just being slightly crimped if it may have over heated the motor and ruined it, and if so is there any way to open the motor up and see? What do you look for in an over heated motor? And if I have to replace the exhaust I think what I'll do is take the old one, and a new one to an exhaust shop and have THEM bend it. Just say match this shape but without the kink. Hope I can find a place that will work on such a skinny pipe. Shops might only have equipment to do car exhausts.

Anyway... kill switches, preferably hand grip only, where to find one.
thanks.

Bike4stroke.jpg

 
lol.. someone revived this, I kinda gave up on my 4 stroke. Totally at a loss. Probably just gonna buy a new motor but not till next year. Maybe tear into this one and try and figure out WTF? Or just chuck it in a pile of scrap parts.

MEANWHILE.... my only one year old 2 stroke wouldn't fire now either. BUT a friend came buy and we got it started!!!!!!! Electrical parts, seems it was running real lean. He knows old school carb tuning and told me after it started that the smoke is too white. To clean the exhaust pipe, take it out and run it for 15 min or so, let it cool then stick my finger in the pipe and see what color crud comes out. White is too lean, black too rich, slate gray is the sweet spot. Adjust accordingly.
now this might explain why the magneto had burn marks on it, and what I just changed was the coil. Probably fried that too. Still have some stuff to do to that one but at least it will start. (now that summer is more than half over... sigh.)

On a side note, rather than buy a new 4 stroke, this 60 + year old fart finally went after one of my bucket list items and bought a full set of drums. yup, drums. Slowly learning that. what a hoot!
 
Rather than scrap it, check the magneto gap. That's important to getting a good spark. You want about .020 between the coil and the flywheel. A business card makes a good gauge for that. Line up the magnet with the coil, slide the card in, loosen the coil, jam it down on the card, tighten the bolts, remove card. Bam, done.

You might be getting a visible spark with the plug removed, but conditions inside the cylinder are different from that. Your "good" spark may not be good enough to light it off.

Always make sure your sparks are in order before dicking with the carb.
 
This ethanol gas is getting terrible. Fortunately with the RS35 the carburetor are getting really cheap. They're also very easy to change out too. So now I'm carrying an extra carb with me. I've also got some rebuild kits as well.
 
I haven't read this whole thread, but after sitting a year some motors
are difficult to start, to get the carb going. I do this and it never fails:
Spray ether into the carb and pull the recoil starter immediately.
Never fails to start.
 
Well damn it all NO END! My two stroke that wasn't starting either, my friend got fired. We wired up a new coil, so fine. Today I actually attached the new coil and tried to fire it? NOTHING. Harder than all get out to pull. (Got a pull starter.) NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING. I don't know what to do now? Same with the 4 stroke that has sat for a few years now. TWO bikes so ONE at least would be running and I'm missing out on the entire season because me and motors don't get along. And I cannot find a single SOUL around me willing to come take a look. I wish I had a CLUE what to do next. How do you fix something when I can't find the problem?
 
Well damn it all NO END! My two stroke that wasn't starting either, my friend got fired. We wired up a new coil, so fine. Today I actually attached the new coil and tried to fire it? NOTHING. Harder than all get out to pull. (Got a pull starter.) NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING. I don't know what to do now? Same with the 4 stroke that has sat for a few years now. TWO bikes so ONE at least would be running and I'm missing out on the entire season because me and motors don't get along. And I cannot find a single SOUL around me willing to come take a look. I wish I had a CLUE what to do next. How do you fix something when I can't find the problem?
Black to black and blue to blue we hope.
 
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