Throttle Cable wont stay seated

[dcruhoff]

I've tried to search this and haven't found it. My throttle cable end likes to ride above or outside the cap where it goes into the carb. Is this a concern...it seems to run fine. Tried to duct tape it but it came loose.

Better described the metal end of the cable is up and away from where it is supposed to seat in the cap on top of the carb...can actually see the inner cable itself in the gap.

Like I say it runs like a champ. Takes nicely to full throttle and powers right up to max of 30-34 MPH but it just doesn't seem right. It's a grubee skyhawk 80.

I'm a horrible novice in mechanics but trying to learn. Or should I say having to learn. Bought this already built thinking I'd just ride. These things need maintained I'm finding out big time. But having fun learning.

Also noticed my plastic chain tension roller is starting to get grooved...is there a better alternative?

 

[TheJimGuy]

Start with the chain tensioner: If you are wearing a groove and it is relatively new, the tensioner wheel is not moving as fast as the chain. This is either that you do not have a bearing tensioner (replace it with one), you dont have the spacer behind the bearing and the tensioner wheel mount, or the chain is WAY too tight (1/4"-1/2" flex). Please check these areas.
Throttle cable shield coming out of the carb: Sounds like the slide inside the carb is not sliding freely. You quickly ease up on the gas creating slack on the cable, the spring cannot push the slide as quickly down, cable shielding rises out of the carb housing.

My two cents.

 

[TomONaBike]

The throttle cable, like all the engine cables and all bike cables need the thick sleave to be fixed between the start and stop points to work. It is most likely that the wire is not seated properly inside the throttle handle or carb causing the slack. Normally there are adjusting screws or threaded metal sleeves you can screw out to remove the slack and force the wire into its seat. Try that first. I am extremely surprised that your throttle works despite the wire rising out of the carb, I had to restring mine into the throttle when that happened to me switching bikes.

 

[Steve1990]

x2 on the adjusting sleeves on the throttle, and at the carb. Screw these out until the slack is removed. Had to do this several times in the last few days as I keep pulling the carb apart trying to get it to run right again.

Where the cable goes into the 90* bend out of the throttle lever, there is a hex nut and jam nut (assuming you have the same standard throttle and NT carb as mine), back out the hex nut until most of the slack is gone, then tighten the jam nut to keep it there. Then remove the rest of the slack with the adjuster on the top of the carb where the cable attaches there. Careful not to tighten the cable so much that it holds the throttle open. Been there, done that.

 

[dcruhoff]

Thanks for the input. The tensioner was a bit sluggish, it was rubbing on the bracket a bit but i dont know that was the problem as the wear marks were indented in pattern of chain perfectly around the pulley. Don't know what relatively low miles are...my speedometer keeps falling off from vibration so i dont use it much...best guess would be around 5 to 6 hundred miles. I do tend to like a tighter chain I dont know why...but loosened it some as the wear marks made me think that may be the problem.

The real fun came when i couldn't get the nut off of the tensioner pulley cause it it just kept spinning. I tried to cut a groove for a screwdriver on metal back plate of pulley with my dremel to hold it still and found out a dremmel cutting wheel will cut through a spoke in about .5 seconds (OUCH!). Anyhow that didn"t work so ended up just cutting the bolt off on the tensioner which then began a long search for any kind of pulley similar to tensioner. Finally ended up buying new bearing for tensioner and rounding up bolt and bushings to fit it but there is contact on the set up and the bearing is not spinning freely. It rolls over a bit so it has some wear left in it but bottom line is I need a new tension pulley set up. If any one has a link for one to purchase on hand I'd appreciate it.

On the throttle cable like I said it runs fine as is, I was just wondering if it could be causing an air leak or letting dust and dirt in where it shouldn't be. I took out all slack I could on elbow as u mentioned steve but still isn't seated. It has always been that way and it isn't just out sometimes but always. Did not look to close at what I could do at carb. At a glance i don't see how i'd adjust there...guess I'll have to if it is necessary to fix.

 

[dcruhoff]

Oh and just a btw (so I feel like im adding something A broomstick in a bench vice works very well keeping my bike in the air so I can work on it. Just lift it up on so it's supported at frame joint just under the seat. I suppose its probably well covered here somewhere as it was the first problem i encountered fixing a flat. Was a bit frustrating before that not being able to upside down it for dumping the fuel.

And another by the way I was about drove crazy with flat tires. Broke down and got kevlar belted armadillos at about $50 a tire but (knock on wood) no flats yet and by FAR the longest I've gone without one so far. I really hope to make this my daily driver and It's really no more than a tune up or a few oil changes for my truck so if it does the trick I think it's worth it. Seems most anything can be fixed for $100 or most often way less with these set ups and just saying hello to a mechanic for my truck costs about that.

I do hope it will settle down some as i go though...been lots of wrenching to time riding so far.

 

[Greg58]

I had the same problem on my grubee also, the cable that came with mine was apparently for a nt. Mine like most 2010 engines came with the cns2, I later tried my back up nt carb and te cable adjusted correctly. If your carb has two screws holding the top on and a handle bar choke it is a cns, if the top the carb looks like a bottle cap its probably a nt. You can shorten the cable if you are good with a torch, if not go do as I did make a spacer to go in the adjuster at the 90' elbow. I used a cable repair end that had a split down the side, it worked like it belonged there.

 

[dcruhoff]

Thanks for clarification on nt and cns2 Greg. I have 2009 grubee and carb has screw on bottle cap type (nt). But still cable dont seat. Like the mod u described....have seen the spacer u are talking about but not sure where I'd find one...Bike shop maybe I guess but what do I ask for. I suppose I should fix it as it is not normal..even though bike runs quite well.

Argonne cycle has shown quite a willingness to work on all bicycle aspects of my motorized here in Spokane btw for any from here looking....they have been in business since my graandma was young and are a pretty homey place.

Another note...I was using cheapest tech universal somethin or other 2 cycle oil from wall mart but ran out of gas and forgot my oil other day. On a whim bought some lucas partial synthentic from auto parts store at close to double the cost....but wow!...what a difference...lots more power and smoother engine...still debating cost verse gains but it was an undoubted improvement.

 

[Greg58]

I got the spacer at walmart I think, seems like it came in a cable replacement kit that had all the cables for a multi-speed bike. The Lucas semi-synthetic is what I run in my bikes, and anything else that is 2cycle.