newbie with new engine loose drive gear?

[sactownie]

hi all, In purchased my 1st engine kit and upon looking it over I noticed the drive gear makes an audible clunk when I pick up the engine or move the gear, its like it has play in it then it goes away when I gently push the clutch in with my thumb. I was going to pull the clutch cover on the other side to have a look and I found something else, one of the bolt screw holes is stripped! I never removed the cover cause the paint has sealed it good and don't know if I need to RMA this thing yet.

Anyway my main concern is the drive gear/shaft play, is this just need an adjustment? The stripped threads on the cover I'm thinking I can wrap some Teflon tape for that?

 

[crassius]

that clunking noise is pretty common with these, I doubt you'll find a way to eliminate it

the stripped thread can be a problem tho, as the clutch arm needs that cover to be tight in order to push the clutch rod thru to the other side - if it is the long screw, you might just put a nut on the other end, but the other two would need heli-coil or tapping to a larger size

 

[sactownie]

I pulled the cover that you are talking about, the one with the clutch rod and yes that one bolt with the nut on the other side was also way over tightened and I think the threads were damaged on it but like you said I could put a bolt on the other side.
So the clunking with that drive sprocket under that cover is pretty common for that to be loose? Note that I hear the clunking when I pick up the motor off the bench,or I lightly shake, it has not been installed yet. I'm trying to access whether I should pay return shipping to rma it.

 

[sactownie]

Well I believe the noise is the gears have a little bit slop on the clutch cover side. I think Ill just live with it. all the parts in these HT engines are replaceable and cheap?

 

[crassius]

most parts are pretty cheap - if you can't put them in yourself, then the price of labor is the big problem