I am having problems with my clutch. I can pedal the ped easily and the belt turns the outer shell of the clutch. From there I don't know what happens. For some reason the outer part of the clutch won't catch inner part. The engine will turn. With tightening the bolt the crankshaft turns. I don't know why it won't catch. Any suggestions are GREATLY appreciated.
VespaCIAO
Can't help you there,VespaCiao! But there should be an actuator lever or cable or something.Could it be sticking,or out of adjustment?I think everyone but you and Fred and me have went to bed.
Do you happen to have AOL or Yahoo or MSN instant messengers. If you or anyone else does post your names.
VespaCIAO
I don't know how,really,VespaCiao.I think this computer has had `instant messaging' blocked.I can't even talk on the `Expressly Mopeds' forum anymore.WAAAAHH !!
Vespa, did you check your key on the crankshaft ,like Miguel said??
Do you know if you have a single speed model or a Variable speed model?
The single speed has a regular pulley on the rear wheel, the variable has a Centrifugal clutch on the rear.
Also make sure the Free Wheeling button on the rear hub is poppoed out. It releases with a lever under the black button.
If you removed the starter clutch shoes from the drum, they could have been installed backwards.
Looking inside the drum, they should be installed in such a manner that when they swing out, they rotate in a counter-clockwise direction.
Yes the flywheel is assembled on the crankshaft right. The outside shell spins clockwise.....which means the top of the starter clutch shoes needs to move right? The pivot point needs to be on the bottom for the right shoe and on the top for the left shoe. I hope this is right, I changed it to be this way. I have the single speed model. I am still clueless as to what the problem is now. Thanks
VespaCIAO
The shoes should "wedge" themselves in the drive direction.
Picture this: In one direction the shoes would be pushed out. The shoe would grab the drum, then the rotation would pull the shoe out.
In the other direction the clutch shoes would have a tendency to just slide after contacting the drum.
In brake systems this is what is called "self-energizing". That's why the handbrake on cars won't stop a car going backwards. The shoes just slide, instead of being wedged into the drum in the forward rotation direction.
Jim
Would the shoes come out in both directions?
Also make sure the conact area of the drums are free from oil and use emery cloth to make sure you have smooth clean surface. Do the same with the main clutch shoes and the starter shoes. Make sure they are clean and use emery cloth to break the glaze that may have formed on them. This would cause them to slip and not engage properly.
Also make sure the springs are not rusted and move freely allowing the shoes to move outward when they spin.
What do you mean what you say the contact area of the drums?
The shoes will come out, but in one direction they grab, and the other they will slide.
The contact area of the drum is the inner face that the shoes touch when they engage.
Jim
inside the drums where the clutch and starter shoes would grab or make contact.
Thanks, it seems to work half of the time now. The shoes were on backwards as well as the it needed brake pad cleaner. It works half of the time, only when the flywheel is back so that the stiff spots don't catch it. Do all flywheels have slow and fast spots because of the magnetism? Mine only works when I manually move it just past a slow spot. Please help. Thanks a lot for what you have already done.
VespaCIAO
Not sure I understand the condition but I think the slow and not so slow condition of the flywheel has more to with the pistion compression than the magnetism of the flywheel. The slow or harder to turn positions is when the piston is at TDC (Top Dead Center) or almost at the top of the cylinder dome and the air is compressed to the max and the piston is harder to push. Once TDC is reached and passed TDC the piston starts back down the cylinder and the pressure is relieved and it is easier to turn the flywheel.
Use the small Decompression Lever on the left handle bar to relieve the pressure when you are pedaling trying to start the bike. If you trace the cable from the decompression lever down to the front of the engine right beside the spark plug, you should see a hook spring like device that the other end of the cable connects to. This device opens a small valve to relieve (or decompress) the pressure or compression when you are trying to start the bike.
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