1982 G1 rebuilt, ran once, now only backfires

JENNAKELLY5

Firstly, G'Day from Australia. This site has been my bible while playing with my new buggy.

I found a 1982 G1 that was going cheap so I brought it home and have been slowly working away restoring it. When I picked it up, the bloke told me he had replaced the fan side crank seal and had the clutch side seal there, but didn't want to buy a clutch puller so hadn't got around to fixing it.

So I pulled the clutch and removed the old seal and found the bearing was ruined and needed to be replaced. I thought while I have the engine apart to replace the bearings, i'll do a full rebuild. New cranks seals, new crank bearings, new gaskets, new rings. Get it all back together and notice that the ignition coil needs to be replaced. Jump on ebay, and a new coil arrives within a week. Fit the new coil, prime the fuel lines and hope for the best that it starts.

Cranks over for about 15 seconds with no fire, pull the chokes about half way then a few splutters and then i'm moving. I drive as far as i can in my backyard, then stop, put the cart in reverse and start cranking over. Nothing but a backfire about every 5 seconds.

Since then have pulled the carby apart and cleaned it, checked float, checked for good spark on the plug, checked for good fuel flow, but all i'm getting is the backfire every 5-10 seconds.

Does anybody have any ideas what to check next? I've looked around the forum but all i can find is generally carts are either not firing at all, or running poorly and backfiring. The most annoying thing is that it ran basically straight away after the rebuild and now it won't go. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers.

BGW

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JENNAKELLY5

So i kept playing with it over the weekend, and finally traced it back to the air filter.

Just for a trial, i removed the air filter and left the lid of the box slightly off and the motor ALMOST kicks over. The problem now, is that when the engine kicks in, the main clutch bolt of coming loose, so the starter/generator basically free-spools.

Does the clutch need to be bashed back onto the tapered crank or just have the bolt torqued tighter? I have even tried loctite, but it still it comes loose.

Axehandle

I am not certain on this (someone correct if I'm wrong) but on the G1 when you start it in reverse you are simply spinning the motor backwards. If that is true you are turning the clutch against the bolt torque and it is loosening off, so it sounds like you need more torque on the bolt. Try starting in forward and see if it still comes loose.

JENNAKELLY5

Thanks for the reply Axehandle. You are spot-on with the motor spinning in the different directions for forward and reverse, but to go forward, the wheels and clutch spin anti-clockwise and that's when the bolt is coming undone.

I've tried starting in reverse, but the timing must be out slightly as it will give the odd kick but won't actually start the motor.

So frustrating to have it so close to running.

1989Marathon

Pull the clutch bolt out and make sure it isn't too long, and bottoming out in the crankshaft.

JENNAKELLY5

Thanks 1989Marathon.

Is there a reference somewhere for the bolt length or should it be visible when removed?

1989Marathon

Pull the bolt out. Use a long screwdriver to see how far in the threads go. You should be able to feel the end of the crank, and the bottom of the threaded hole.

JENNAKELLY5

No worries i'll give that a go.

Failing that I may try to fabricate something joining the bolt head and the "locking knob" on the clutch housing.

cart around

I had to go look at rebuild kits to make sure this was a 2 stroke. Your symptoms sound like the piston is in backwards. There are ports in the side of the piston. Did you put them towards the intake side?

slonomo

There is an arrow on top of the piston that should point "forward" or "toward the exhaust side". Also, i agree with 1989marathon, you need to see if that bolt is too long. I'll see if I can measure the one I have, but if you have a dowel rod or long screwdriver you can measure it yourself and compare with your bolt. That clutch is a tapered fit, so it rely's on a good tight fit to hold it in place and stop it from spinning. You also might want to lap the crank to the clutch with some valve lapping compount to clean up the mating surfaces. If there are any burrs, nicks, or dirt/grease/oil on either surface it will not mate up good.