QuestionQUESTION: I have a 6.0 horsepower Tecumseh Power Sport Engine With Ac adapter. I run this engine on a Mini-Bike I have built. The engine is only 9 months old and has only been used for 3 of those months and then went into storage for the rest of the time because of winter season. I have just taken it out of storage 3 weeks ago and it ran perfect when I started it and then 6 days later when I went to start it for the first time ever the recoil start pulls back on my arm when I try to start it and now its to the point that its so bad that when I try I have to go slow because It gets stuck and lifts the whole bike up about 12 inches in the air. My friend sprained 3 fingers and his wrist trying to start it and I pulled a musle and sprained a finger in my right arm. Im not sure what to do. My friends dad that took motercycle mechenics 20 years ago is telling me I probably have high commpression or bad valves. Could you tell me what to do to troubleshoot this or get it cheaked out if its something that has to be done by a professional. I see you have 34 Years with tecumseh engines so Maybe you can help me out. Thanks for any help you can give me.
ANSWER: I have 2 questions. After you pulled a muscle and sprained a finger what did you have to do to convince your friend to pull the rope? Why does a motorcycle mechanic think he's so wise?
3 possible problems. Hydro lock or a sheared flywheel key. The sprained limbs are due to "kickback" and there are very few things that cause this.
If the carb is leaking over, That sounds like the problem to me. you can't compress the fuel leaking out of the carb and that is causing the "kickback"
A sheared flywheel key causes the engine to be out of time. It sparks to soon and drives the piston down at the wrong time.
The third possibility is you and your friend are girlie men. Sorry, even the best expert can't solve that last problem.
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QUESTION: My friend thought that I was weak so I told him to try it and he hurt himself. I laughed at him and then I said yeah your the weak one now. I did not understand the carb possibility but I did understand the part about a sheared flywheel key. Could you tell me what I can do about those to find out which one it is or what I could do to fix them. And the girlie men part im sure thats not it. Iv been in the army for 6 years and plus 6 years for cadets before the army. People in the army are not girlie men and Plus I was always able to start it before
ANSWER: Pull out the spark plug and pull the rope. If fuel sprays out it's the carb.
If no spray check the flywheel key.
I was a tank commander for 7 years. Tank driver for 5.
Believe me there are "Girlie Men" in the military. You probably know at least 1 or 2.
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QUESTION: Iv alreaddy tryed the part of pulling out the spark plug and looking for fuel and nothing came out. I tryed that twice so far because I had the problem before on a diffrent engine. I Dont know anything about a flywheel key so im not sure what to do. Is there anything you could tell me to do. And I know that there are girlie men in the milirary. I know 3.
ANSWER: The flywheel key is what "times" this engine. The key aligns the crank in the proper position to cause spark at the right time.
When a key shears it throws off the timing. To replace the key you must remove the flywheel.
Sheared keys on this application are caused by problems on the other side of the crank. In your case the clutch. If the clutch is not secured tightly enough it causes sort of a rebound effect which shears the key.
Something you might get your friend to try is to slowly pull the rope until you feel compression. Allow the starter rope to return fully and then give it a yank. It's possible you do not have enough static weight on the crank to get through compression.
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QUESTION: Okay Hi again. So I don't know anything about the flywheel key at this point but I did try this. I did the part about pulling the rope slowly till I feel compression and then allowing it to fully return and then when I pulled it up the moter started on first pull like it used to. And I tryed this 6 times waitng a hour between each time and it starts great as long as I do that. Now I got a question for you. How can I fix this problem of not having enough static weight on the crank. Is there any information you can give me on fixing this. or what to do. And can this cause the "KickBack" Im getting
ANSWER: If this suggestion worked your flywheel key is ok.
This really not a problem. Have you ever started a dirt bike. You always kick the starter slowly until you reach compression. Then you kick the crap out of it and off she goes. The only real repair would be to go in and adjust the valves,maybe. Why bother. Right now you are at peak compression and it will run great.
Also if someone steals your ride you know you just need to look for the guy with the jacked up shoulder.
The only way to add static weight would be to go to a bigger clutch. This probably is not available.
To get a heavier clutch you would need to go to a go-kart shop and tell them you need a clutch for a 9hp engine. I'm guessing that if you just bought a clutch to fit the crank it probably is for a 3.5-5 hp engine. Most engines as big as yours would use a clutch and a torque converter connected by a belt. The kart shop can fix you up with this if you need it. If your chain goes straight from the crankshaft to the drive sprocket you really need a torque converter.
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QUESTION: My chain is connected to a clutch on the crankshaft and then straight to the drive sprocket without a torque converter. Im really having alot of trouble starting this bike unless I do what you said so im probably going to bring it to the local small engine repair depot near my area and get them to look at it because they only work with tecumseh engines so they will no what to do.
ANSWER: You don't really have a torque converter. You have a centrifugal clutch.
A torque convertor is a two pulley system. One pulley is connected to your crank. The other pulley is connected to a jackshaft with a pulley on 1 side and a sprocket on the other side. The engine pulley and the sprocket pulley are connected by a belt. Both pulleys are spring loaded. The crank pulley is spread apart at rest the sprocket pulley is closed at rest. When the engine revs up the crank pulley closes as it closes the sprocket pulley opens. The advantage to this system is that the 2 pulleys in combination work just like the sprockets on 12 speed bikes.
You will have far more bottom end torque and a much higher top end with a gradual increase in gearing.
I still think your problem would be better handled at a kart shop.
This really isn't a Tecumseh problem it is more of a go-kart mini-bike problem.
Go to this site and read up. It will give you some great info. You basically have built a bike like the ones you rode as a kid. But you have watched to many episodes of "Tool Time" starring Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor. And you thought MORE POWER ugh ugh ugh. If you want to run a manly cart instead of one Al Borlund would ride this site will have the advise you need.
Good luck. WEAR A HELMET!!!!!
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QUESTION: I have DOT Helmets. I also go dirt bikeing and the bike is really for my son but I mostly ride it because he cannot start it anymore because he gets all jacked up and I think hes getting scared of the police now that there watching him. We live in Canada and the cops over here in this city really watch out for stuff. I have a comet cluth but really as it should be said its a centrifual clutch. I still think its a tecumseh problem because its the engine causeing the kickback. And I never heard of tool time. Im ussualy to busy working around the house, doing stuff for the army or watching my kid at cadets because I work with his core and hes almost chief so I dont have much time to Watch T.V. But soon I will because Im almost done my 25 YEARS. Thanks for your help.
AnswerTool Time is a segment on a popular US show called Home Improvement. The hole premise is that Tim the Tool Time Taylor tries to do everything with "more power" IE chain saw with a Harley motor, Lawn mower with a turbine engine. It's the ultimate testosterone show. It's also a great family show that YOU CAN DEFINETLY WATCH WITH YOUR KIDS. Try to find a clip on web. It will be worth the search. Better yet buy the first season DVD. You will laugh your $#@%%@$@ off.
I still haven't got use to the whole global thing. I live in Missouri, about 4 miles from Kansas.
