A little concerned about newish PK80 Wildcat kit

[markjs]

IDK if it was my imagination or an actual issue developing, but it seemed like the engine lost a bit of power, is having a harder time getting to higher RPM? I may have lost some top speed, can't say 100% for sure, but it seemed like it may have.

This was after going over everything and tightening things up that had gotten loose. It doesn't seem like it's running much different, just more like it did when I first put it together. I did look at the plug, a little black around the outside, but a healthy chocolate brown.

I will say at times it can be really hard to tell about slight hills around here. What seems flat, can be a slight upgrade or downgrade. There are even several of those places where the horizon gives the optical illusion of going uphill both ways, in some places around here.

Like I said, hard to tell if it's my imagination or an actual issue with the engine. I only went on fairly short rides, maybe 15-20 min, but it was like 85 or higher outside both times.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

If you truly want to know what your engine is actually doing get these very affordable items: tachometer, wired bicycle computer with a gradient meter, small engine heat sensor. Here's the bicycle computer I use

SIGMA BC 14.16 Bicycle Computer, Wired | Altitude Functions - Slope, Gradient | Full Text Display, Auto Start/Stop, Automatic Bike Recognition & Pairing | IPX8 Water Resistant | Tool Free Mounting https://a.co/d/bo68ATD

Then you'll be better able to diagnose issues with your engine.

 

[markjs]

If you truly want to know what your engine is actually doing get these very affordable items: tachometer, wired bicycle computer with a gradient meter, small engine heat sensor. Here's the bicycle computer I use

SIGMA BC 14.16 Bicycle Computer, Wired | Altitude Functions - Slope, Gradient | Full Text Display, Auto Start/Stop, Automatic Bike Recognition & Pairing | IPX8 Water Resistant | Tool Free Mounting https://a.co/d/bo68ATD

Then you'll be better able to diagnose issues with your engine.

Not things I can afford now.

 

[markjs]

Well, I was wrong at least somewhat. I thought maybe it could benefit from a bit leaner setting on the carb needle. On moving the clip up a notch and the needle down, the leaner mixture was even more anemic.

So I bumped it to the next to last lowest clip position, making the mixture richer than originally and it definitely likes that more. I did notice a slight bit longer period of minor four stroking, as the rpms develop at wot, but it definitely had a bit more power richer, so I guess that's what it wanted. Possibly even more fuel, but for now, we'll just see how this goes.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

Not things I can afford now.

Several here, myself included are on fixed incomes. We may not be able to get all we want at once. What we do is learn to manage our resources so that we can save a small amount every month. Then we buy an item at a time until we have what we need.

In this case the 3 items I mentioned the bicycle computer is the most expensive part. All 3 together would be a total cost less than $85.

 

[Street Ryderz]

The so called pk80, PK stands for power king that was put out by runwell using the wildcat name these companies have not been in business for well over a decade, and since they are no longer produced cdh has some how taken over the names, these late model so called pk's are nothing like the original and really are nothing more than a typical china doll! The true pk 80's had 40mm stroke non marked rod cranks and thicker flywheels, tight case (slightly less volume) for improved ccr, 6mm mounting studs and narrow mount radius, better castings along with some other small things.

 

[Whitewill1412]

The so called pk80, PK stands for power king that was put out by runwell using the wildcat name these companies have not been in business for well over a decade, and since they are no longer produced cdh has some how taken over the names, these late model so called pk's are nothing like the original and really are nothing more than a typical china doll! The true pk 80's had 40mm stroke non marked rod cranks and thicker flywheels, tight case (slightly less volume) for improved ccr, 6mm mounting studs and narrow mount radius, better castings along with some other small things.

I have a Runwell PK80. It has the thicker flywheels and nothing on the con rod, but it also has 8mm studs.

 

[markjs]

Turned out the clutch needed an adjustment. I may burn through clutch pads quickly, IDK? I'm a heavier guy, over 200#, and it was JUST a little, like it would just fail to turn fully to start. You really couldn't notice slippage, beyond when trying to start it, but it could have been subtle, as the horsepower of these engines is so low. After adjustment, it's about like before.

On the flat it probably tops out around 30, but on a few good downhills after warmup, it would easily reach near 35mph, and be able to hold some of that RPM on the flat. It still chugs up hills at 12-15MPH

 

[cloakedvillain]

Turned out the clutch needed an adjustment. I may burn through clutch pads quickly, IDK? I'm a heavier guy, over 200#, and it was JUST a little, like it would just fail to turn fully to start. You really couldn't notice slippage, beyond when trying to start it, but it could have been subtle, as the horsepower of these engines is so low. After adjustment, it's about like before.

On the flat it probably tops out around 30, but on a few good downhills after warmup, it would easily reach near 35mph, and be able to hold some of that RPM on the flat. It still chugs up hills at 12-15MPH

That may be a gearing issue or clear up after break in.