How would you fix my bike?

sparky

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I've got a few problems with the folding bike I received from http://www.fiveflagsmotorbikes.com

I will post pictures soon, but for now... the [many] problems are:

(1) the plastic gas cap leaks from the threads & also thru a pinhole in the middle of the cap; a guy from the auto parts store said that silicone won't work with gas, but cork would... I bought the cork and some kind of adhesive that said it would work on gas cans, but I'm unsure how much I'd like to seal it due to Large's problems with an air tight tank & esp. considering my tank is plastic while most people have problems with the metal ones.

(2) the killswitch doesn't work (even a replacement killswitch didn't work); either the switches are for looks or perhaps the wires to the engine aren't connected properly... what are they supposed to go to?

(3) also, when I cut the choke off, the engine keeps running now (didn't do that for the first coupla days)... is this from idling too high? and since the only way for me to cut the engine off is to take off the spark plug wire... will this harm my engine?

(4) the air filter inside this engine is a joke; i'll prolly need to post pics so you guys can see what I really need... but is there some kind of quality flat cloth to use for custom air filters?

(5) the front pedal sprocket is wayyy too small. I will need at least 44t instead of 36t. I could even stand some more teeth (up to a 50t) if they made 'em; my real problem with this is that a guy at my bike shop said I couldn't put a regular 3-piece sprocket on my current crank because the current sprocket is riveted onto the crank. I'll prolly end up buying a whole new 44t 3-piece crank, but I found a rare 45t sprocket I really wanted to use for numerous reasons & the bike guy said it wouldn't work even if I bought another crank. I don't see why not.

(6) plastic twist grip throttle blows; i at least know how to fix this, by buying a left-hand BMX brake lever & cutting a bit off the end, then putting it on the right front side of the handlebars to be used as a thumb throttle lever.
 
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Large hammer? Just kidding, what about contacting five flags with your problems and seeing if they won't help iron out what should be there problem. My $0.02
 
Large hammer? Just kidding, what about contacting five flags with your problems and seeing if they won't help iron out what should be there problem. My $0.02
Hah... I complained to them about 10 min after I opened their box. The FedEx guy asked me if I still wanted this package because it had a huge hole (almost 1ft x 1ft). I accepted because all I could see at the time was a scratched, plastic tank.

Upon calling the owner, I said I thought the bike was used because of a couple things that I'm not worried about now (either way, he called me a "son of a b****" because I accused him of shipping a used bike), most of them prolly were due to FedEx... but these problems above have nothing to do with FedEx. After talking to the owner about my troubles, he sent me another tank & the plastic throttle mount with the killswitch... the back half of throttle mount didn't fit the front that was on the bike, so I had to make due with a razorblade, and he sent me a metal tank that comes with most happy time kits when mine is plastic. The guy is no help, but I will complain like I do to every owner who's doing a shoddy job.

I could beat it with a hammer, but I'd much rather fix it and tell everybody else I built it, 'cause really.... I am. If it weren't for the double freewheeled hub, I would have sent this piece back already.
 
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sorry this is happening

personally if i were you i would send it back and start over...how long have you had it? Plastic tank? OMG! i once had to return an e-bay deal i reacted hastily, i was able to return it tho and buy something else...if he showed his colors by calling you names then he is no good...i paid too much for my return, be careful and keep us posted...good luck on your endeavors...
 
Your gas cap: You'd probably be best off finding another cap. You might try a Lawn and Garden store. The pin hole in the center is to let air in. There should be some kind of baffle so gas doesn't leak out.

The Kill switch. 1 wire? Or 2? If it's 1 wire the frame is ground. Try baring a spot on the wire and touching it to the frame. That should kill the engine. If it's 2 wires, try barring spots on each, and touch them together. That should kill the engine. If either of those things work, your problem is in the switch.

The choke. Either you have an air leak at the choke itself, or between the carb and the cylinder. Can you put your hand over the front of the carb? If that kills the engine, your leak is around the choke. If it keeps running, your leak is between the carb and cylinder.

Hope this helps.
 
Hope this helps.
You bet it does!! Thanks a bunch, Van!

So, I guess the only thing I really need to know now is if pulling the spark plug wire off the plug is going to harm anything??

I'm imagining it's better than running outta fuel, but this leads me to another question. Does it matter if I let the engine run out of fuel... or should I cut it off when I'm close to empty?? And running outta gas should be the only time I need to prime the engine, right?
 
Pulling the plug wire won't hurt the engine (it could be tough on the wire/boot). If the motor is 4-cycle, there's no problem with letting it run out of gas. Not so with a 2-cycle (the gas is also the lubricant). I've heard that it's not good to let a 2-cycle run out (though I do it annually with the motor on my skiff).
The 2-cycle TLE 43 on my Trek has to be primed every morning (evaporation I presume). I usually prime it every time I start it though I'm not sure it's necessary.
 
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um just send it back
five flags good god a poor chose man
Once again... I feel as tho I'm getting a good deal even tho I'm going to have to pay an extra $75 or so on upgrades.

The double freewheel design lets me coast a good distance & I can pedal with only the minimal amount of resistance possible with chains. The quiet 33cc engine gets me close to 25mph even with just 20" wheels, and I get excellent gas milage. The engine is mounted on a metal plate with a handle that makes it easy to carry the bike upstairs & would be easy to tote the engine across a garage even if you just hopped off it. I like the tires & the way it folds.

It's hard for me to justify the $40 cost of shipping it back when most of the problems I'm having aren't unique to fiveflags, but to Chinese engines/components in general. No matter what you build or buy, most of us will always want to change something on our motored bike(s), whether it be related to form or function.
 
If the motor is 4-cycle, there's no problem with letting it run out of gas. Not so with a 2-cycle (the gas is also the lubricant). I've heard that it's not good to let a 2-cycle run out (though I do it annually with the motor on my skiff).
This is what I assumed, and yes... it's a 2-cycle.

The 2-cycle TLE 43 on my Trek has to be primed every morning (evaporation I presume). I usually prime it every time I start it though I'm not sure it's necessary.
Interesting, it takes me a good number of cranks to start it in the morning. I'd assumed it was from being flooded out, but mine might need to be primed, too. Dunno... I hear priming the carb won't flood it out, so there's prolly no good reason to avoid priming in the mornings.

Thanks for the insight again, Van!
 
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