Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

The other day after putting my Minarelli V1 engine on my General Five Star moped, rigging the electrical circuit board and refilling the thing with its needed gas, 2 cycle oil, and fresh SAE 5W-20, I tried to start it.

I held the clutch lever tight, with the throttle pulled and kicked the pedal in order to start it. I heard the engine whirr but it wouldn't "catch over" and start.

My hunch is that I need a replacement clutch cable because when I put more tension on the clutch cable and kicked it would get really close to running. But idk what else may be making it harder to start....

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Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

Probably Fred /

I know you’re just trying to start the bike, I don’t know what you mean by catch?

The engine turns over and flywheel spins or it doesn't, got to have a better explanation,

Turning over means the engine turns over, if it turns over but it won’t fire then it’s not starter clutch, it’s spark, fuel or compression, but if you do get it to fire and run you cannot run that bike for very long without the fan and shroud because it will overheat!

To start most bikes cold you use the choke and you don’t use any throttle

Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

oh okay thank you. What I meant was that the engine was not turning over when I tried to kickstart it. Also next time I attempt ill be sure to have the 103 fan and fan cover installed!

Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

how would you personally check for spark, fuel and compression?

Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

try this, find the little lever that the clutch cable goes into. You'll see when you pull the clutch the lever pivots forward, towards the forks. Take a nice pair of channel lock pliers/ vice grips and grab that lever, then pivot it allllll the way forward and while holding it forward up there, have someone (or finagle it yourself) turn the rear wheel forward. if the chain is hooked up this should turn the motor over.

If this is the case, you just need to tighten the cable or replace it. there should be a little adjuster it runs through that's a part of the case. If its already maxed out or close to it, turn it all the way in. Then the lever the cable runs through should have a pinch style bolt holding it on. loosen that, (don't pull the cable out, its most likely frayed and you'll have a very hard time getting it back in there if you can at all). With the clamping nut loosened on the lever, grab those pliers and pull that cable tight. have someone make sure its also tight at the lever (have them actuate the lever and the cable in your pliers should move in and back out, insuring there is no slack at the handle lever or the cable housing.) then while holding the cable tight, use your thumb to push that lever on the motor as far forward as you can with your finger and tighten the cable back down. use the adjuster to tighten form there if you needa little more!

Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

Okay thanks for the info man, I got a replacement cable anyways because my old one was shot so ill be sure to let ya know how it goes when I give it another shot after I tighten this one down for good!

Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

Id say the starter plate bearing is cooked if it feels like there's resistance but wont crank the engine over.

Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

> Daniel '' Wrote:

> -------------------------------------------------------

> Id say the starter plate bearing is cooked if it feels like there's

> resistance but wont crank the engine over.

^ this plus possibly a f’d up leaf “spring” that contacts the starter plate bearing.

Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

Yeah its usually both.

Re: Starting my General Five Star Moped Issues

derek cuellar /

I'm pretty sure SAE 5w-20 (manual says SAE 20) is the wrong oil. Idk if that would affect it starting.

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