I bought this new a couple years ago. It's been sitting ever since it developed a clang sound when it goes to start. The starter turns the engine just fine, but the clang happens when it actually is going to start. I pulled the flywheel with a 3 jaw puller and deformed the crank threads. It sat unused for a year, unrepaired because my kid lost interest. I had some time off work lately and cleaned up the threads and put it back together after stretching out the starter clutch springs a little. The clang was still there so I replaced the starter clutch with a new one. Still clanging when it goes to start. It takes forever to want to start. I'd guess around 3 or 4 15 second cranks. I have drained and cleaned the fuel tank, changed the filter, changed the engine oil, and installed a new carb. I can get it to start, but it sounds horrible. It will run for a couple minutes then just shut off. It would do the same with the old carb too. The starter case is also very hot while it's running. Any ideas on what else this could be? I really want to get this thing out of my garage under it's own power!

 

had the same issue with one of those i just lived with the clang sound rode it for a year and sold it... Check your fuel shut off i had a machine that had that starting/running issue and the fuel shut off in the tank was bad...

 

Well the fuel flows fine out of the shut off. I cracked the drain screw on the carb and got nothing so I pulled the bowl off the new carb and the drain must not be functional... Put my old bowl on it and verified fuel is flowing through the carb. Still won't start. I have the idle screw turned all the way in and have tried the air screw at just about every position. I replaced the CDI last year and I'm sure it was ridden since. The CDI is one of those blue cased ones and has an LED indicator on it. I'm not sure what the LED signifies, but it does flash with what I'm guessing is the trigger voltage. Maybe I need to check out the stator and related parts with the multi meter? I'm getting spark when I check but it's not bright like I'm used to seeing on cars... The plug is new NGK.

 

I had fuel flow out of my shutoff as well.. just not enough once i changed it out it was a night and day difference could be a seal or crap in the shut off restricting flow... When your trying to start it for the first time or so and it does not start pull the plug and check it... If its wet then your getting to much fuel, not enough air, or bad spark...

 

Sorry for the delayed response...
It's wet. I have a compression tester from HF that gave me a 70psi reading. Not that I trust it all that well, but it wouldn't hurt to check valve clearances.
They were a tad tight, couldn't get a .003" gage through. I adjusted to .004" and restarted it. Cranked for a few seconds and it seemed to almost start but still wouldn't quite go. I quit for the day. The next day when I went to start, it still cranked and cranked and now have a dry plug when I check it. I still get 70psi after the valve adjustment. I'm not sure that I want to get into rebuilding the top end until winter. Does it seem like I'm on the right track?

 

Well this has been sitting since shortly after the original post. The kid lost interest in it. In an effort to clean up my garage, I started tinkering with it. Got it running on choke after cleaning the carb but couldn't see through the pilot jet. I couldn't get the pilot jet clean so I ended up ordering a new carb. Installed and it wouldn't even fire. This has had a performance CDI on it for some time now. I noticed the led on the box wasn't lighting. After cutting it free so I could see better, it fired right up. Intermittent connections on the CDI were the cause of all my issues. 9 dollars later she's running like a top.

 

Thanks for that final posting. So many of these threads just stop with no resolution. This way, others can see what cured your problem and may find theirs has the same cause.

 

figures something simple...