I switched projects tonight (got sick of working on the dirt bike), and pushed my 185 Bayou out of the shed. I sheared the flywheel key about a month ago, or so, and have tried at least 5 times to get the flywheel to stay on. It keeps coming off with the electric start. The service manual is very specific on how to put the flywheel back on; its directions for installing the flywheel are "Installation is the opposite of removal." That helps a lot. (sarcastic) Tonight, I had an idea to use the recoil bolt, with a large socket. I made a flywheel holder, cranked the bolt down, got the flywheel on good, put it back together, cranked it for 5 secs, and it was making a clunking noise, pulled the stator cover off, and yet again the flywheel was stuck to the stator. Any suggestions to get the dang thing to stay on?!?! It seems like a key and tapered shaft are all that hold it on. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Is the keyway in the crank and flywheel in good shape? Are you able to turn the crank easily? When the flywheel comes off does it shear the key each time? With a tapered shaft and key setup the only way I know of that the flywheel could come off like that would be for the flywheel to spin and unscrew the bolt. For this to happen the key would have to shear and the crank refuse to turn or the bolt in the end of the crank is not contacting the flywheel to hold it on. Are you missing a washer between the bolt and flywheel by chance? Lots of basic questions but I don't have any idea how much mechanical work you have done.

 

The way it is designed is that the taper holds the flywheel on. No bolt.

 

Hmm, never seen anything like that. Must be a pressed on system of some kind. I suspect you need a maintenance manual or advice from a Kawi shop that is familiar with the system used to secure the flywheel. I really don't understand how you can hold a tapered shaft to flywheel coupling without some type of securing bolt or clamp. Let us know what you find out.

 

I have a service manual for it. It is very vague on anything to deal with the flywheel, in the engine left side section, and the electrical system section. I'm thinking of using locktite. It doesn't appear that the recoil starter bolt holds it on, either. I'll mess around with it somemore tonight, and see what I can do with it.

 

Figured it out. The recoil pawl holds the flywheel on. But, that's the least of problems, now. I can't get it to spark. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img] Ran my battery down trying. It's not the battery, either; it was brand new when I bought it a year ago, and worked just fine up to the day the flywheel came off. Something is wrong with the stator or pickup, but, no apparant damage was done to it when the flywheel came off. I hate working on electrical systems on bikes! And I've got a ton of electrical background and knowledge. I just hate how many possible things can be bad, and how much it can cost me.

 

Well, at least you have the one problem solved. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I want to have either the dirt bike or four wheeler fixed by the end of May. I'd rather have the bike fixed, but, the four wheeler would be cheaper. I just need to buy a parts engine for the dang thing. So many things I could wreck in my engine, and be out a chunk for a tiny little part, and a few weeks of down time. I'm probably just going to buy a parts engine for the '84 KLR250. Plus, the KLR can be road legal, if I put mirrors and blinkers on it, and title and license it. Too bad a road legal four wheeler was never made. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I lose spark on my Bayou if my flywheel bolt is not TIGHT!