Hi Everyone,
Just want to update the importance of replacing lifters on all NE motors. After many calls recently about jetting, lifter clearance, starting problems, etc., it has come to my attention that many of the problems can be traced directly to defective lifters. When the NE motor was first introduced I contacted Whizzer USA about some really bad engineering, poor quality control, and lack of testing on the new motor. It was clear the new motor wasn't tested because in less than 100 miles the lifters were cutting the camshaft lobes and causing major damage. Instead of replacing the lifters with my suggested "mushroom" style lifters, they decided to "soften" the stock lifters with a torch [see picture]. Their fix wasn't a fix at all, but rather a temporary "band-aid" to try to save money and hope no one would have problems until the warranty expired. I sent them a set of special "mushroom" lifters and explained the problem in detail, but the fix wasn't implemented until late 2007, and even then they managed to alter my design and produced a very poor quality lifter. I called them and told them of the total lack of quality control, and went into detail about the major issues with their lifters, including the oversized base, exessive weight, the base ground at an angle, and even differences in the lifter O.D.
In order to keep the cost at a minimum I purchased a large quanity of their lifters, spent many hours on my lathe, and modified them to work correctly. This required drilling the center to reduce the exessive weight, reducing the base height, and cutting the base to be level. During this process I also discovered the lifters were not as hard as I thought they should be.
It soon became clear to me that another solution was needed, therefore we [EZ Motorbike Company] started shopping American companies for a quality solution at a fair price. In order to make this happen we had to agree to have the shop make the lifters in between normal work loads. Because of this it took a long time before we received the special lifters. Of course we under estimated the demand, and soon found the demand might out pace our production. After contacting our supplier for future orders, it was brought to our attention that the cost was kept at a minimum because of a gap in thier work schedule, and chances are it will be a long time before they can produce the mushroom lifters at the reduced price anytime soon.
The following comments from Kep1a will detail what effect the lifters can have on the motor.
"I just wanted to share some of my findings/problems.
I am at about 2300 ft and my whizzer seemed to need the 92 main to idle.
I could not make a smaller jet work at all no mater what. My performance was poor and it would not go over 3000 rpm it seemed to bog from 2000 up. The idle mixture screw was 1/4 or less turned out and any more than that and it would die at less than 1500 rpm. My engine ran worse with every time I made a change to a smaller jet size. It idled better with a 95 but blew heavy black smoke above 1500 RPM. I put in an 88 closed the mixture screw set it at 1200RPM and rode it to work. I could have sworn that I could here popping in the carb under load. On my lunch break at work I re-jetted back to 92 to go home with no improvement in how it ran. I had close to 300 miles and yes I had adjusted the valves at 50 & 100 miles as recommended.
I finally figured out that I had the #30 or #32 idle jet and not the #35 I should have had by trying a known good running carb on mine then putting that idle jet in my carb proving that it was a wrong unmarked jet (possibly a 30 or 32). I ordered the correct #35 idle jet and put it in.
Now I was doing fine or so I thought. I started to do the jetting procedures and by the time I got down to the 84 jet and had put the c-clip at the top I was getting a slight popping noise under load again but louder. Going back up in jet size did not help to return it back to how it was running before the last jet change. I got it fully warmed up again however and it seemed to quit popping through the carb and the idle was perfect @ 1-1/2 turns out with a smooth 1100 RPM.
Off to work I went but by the time I got to work it was popping through the carb and would not go over 2000 rpm. I was sure it must be fuel starvation. I checked everything but there was nothing anywhere in the fuel system wrong. I was told to check the cam gear to see if it had slipped but it was fine. I was lost. I rode it to work again thinking that I would diagnose it on the fly. It is 14 miles one way but after about 12 miles it would just bog, slow down and stall. Sitting for 10 minutes was the only way it would start and run again but not very well. I made it to work and was more puzzled than ever now. It felt like a fuel problem but there was nothing wrong with the fuel system at all.
Time to make the trip back home but now it would not start. It had little or no change in pedal resistance now with the compression release on or off. Was it a slipping one way clutch bearing? NO. Slipping belt? NO. I pulled the spark plug and found little or no air coming out as I pedaled. Now out of desperation I pulled the breather cover expecting to find the valves not lifting because the cam was not turning. To my surprise the exhaust valve gap looked to be almost .50 and the intake valve was close to .20 or more.
I adjusted the valves but found that the washer for the compression release would not allow the breather cover to go on without lifting the exhaust valve up to clear it so it would fit on. Baffled now I Called my wife to come get me in the truck. The next day I found the lifters had been hammered into a v shape at the base and were much shorter than they were when new. After a very long delivery delay I got my mushroom lifters and sent them to Quenton for reworking. I cleaned all the silver colored metal sludge out of the bottom of the engine case and put the mushroom lifters in. I am now a happy camper as far as how it runs now that is. I'm still working the other bugs out and finalizing the jetting. I was at a #84 jet with the needle clip at the top but still had a dark brown plug. Now I'm down to a #82 and the needle in the middle but have yet to test it at that setting. I have almost 600 miles on it now and can honestly say the motor runs very well.
My point in posting this is to demonstrate that a cut and dry lean engine symptom of popping back through the carburetor under load may in fact be the exhaust valve not opening due to lifter wear because the lifter failed to get hardening treatment when manufactured. So folks be sure to get your mushroom lifters and put them in ASAP. Put in those lifters first and be sure everything is properly adjusted before you begin jetting your carburetor or making any final adjustments. Do not trust that your parts just because they are new are correct size, application, fit etc.
Kep1a"
It is also important to note the "mushroom" lifters help all new edition Whizzer motors including the WC-1, the WC-1 with the NE cylinder kit installed, NE, NE5, SE [Ambassador], and NE-r, and a must if installing a high lift camshaft.
We still have a small quanity of mushroom lifters in stock, but when they are gone, it will be a long time before more will be available. I suggest contacting any EZ Motorbike dealer if you need a set.
Have fun,
