Frustrated!

[relic]

Ok I'm gonna post a video on how to smash a Simplex engine with a sledgehammer! Original carb would start and run and after awhile stahl....could run for 5-10 min put a brand new carb on and after 5-600 times of kicking this BITCH! Nothing!! I've never worked on a more finicky cantankerous engine in my life!! Needless to say I'm done for today....end of rant. Yes I have fire in both plugs and no junk in tank perfectly clean...float level set at 1.406...I don't get it???

[Ricks]

Did you remove the side cover and let all the fuel pour out of the side of the engine?  These engines flood really easily!

If you did and still no go, did you do a compression test?  I seem to remember Wayne telling me you need around 65 psi for one of these to run.  I have checked a couple, and usually see around 85-90 psi.

[oil-lamp]

I feel for ya Relic, kinda in the same boat myself. Tried to get several jobs done today and none got completed something went wrong on all of them. I'm going to see if the masters at Portland can do anything for her to make her run right. Just remember to count to 30 before you hit. I know it should be 10 but that doesn't help, 30 does even better with a hit or two from a beer. 

[Sonrisers]

I had the same thing, it would either flood, or not get enough gas. Wayne told me these start a lot easier with just one plug firing. Do you have a dual output coil? I hooked up both wires to a single output coil, and never did get it to go. I am  not an expert, but I feel your pain. Keep tinkering.....you'll get it.

[relic]

Well i could not leave it alone...lol! checked the compression had about 70 psi seems a little low? but everything was pointing to compression-had spark in both plugs, it ran before kinda hit and miss but not since the new carb? float level was good, the carb wasnt flooding? my friend came over and talked me into pulling the engine apart-soooo 15 minutes later the had the cyl head off and low and behold....bingo!! The Piston had been hot at some point galling the exhaust side with about a 3\4 long x 1/8 wide pretty deep gouge or scuff in the piston right up to and under the lower ring causing the lower ring to stick in the ring land-It was stuck really tight! -was able to file the ring land cleaned up the piston with a little sandpaper-did a super quick hone job on the cyl, put it back together, gave it a squirt of ether and WHAM! BAM!BAM!BAM! it started right up!!! I know 2 strokes are compression sensitive and having lower compression anyway i think the combination with the stuck ring was just too much for the engine to start-i could be wrong? but anyway...its running!! one thing that i have learned is that all 3 bikes that i have had are each different in the way you start them....my 57 all you had to do was kick it 1-2 times hot or cold and it would start-not touching the throttle or choke at all!! now this 54 Simplex truck at this point in time has to have the throttle wide open as you kick it and it starts!! so after pulling my hair out all afternoon i finally put the hammer away! lol! see you guys in Portland!

[Ricks]

Did you check the compression after the repair.  I'm just curious if it went up at all.

Good job getting it running!  Did you put one of the reproduction carb from Carpenter on it?

[relic]

yes the compression remained the same and i left the new carb on it! i think with the stuck ring it wouldnt build enough cyl psi to fire properly

[xeon100]

I know the pain

I bought a sericycle a few months ago. The gentleman I got it from told me it last ran 4 months prior. I couldn't get it to do anything. Has nice spark, good compression. I Rebuilt the carb, even tried ether. Wont even pop just a little bit. Only thing I can think is the plug shows a spark but may not be firing when installed(possibly shorting)Tried different plugs. Anyway looks like I am going to tear down the engine.

[Ricks]

What is the compression?  Did you take off the side plate and verify it has a compression plate in it? 

[xeon100]

It was 4 or 5 months ago. It does have the compression plate. I don't remember exact numbers on compression but they were ok. It seemed like gas wasn't getting into the cylinder. If I poured a little gas in directly I wasn't getting anything either. I will test compression again in the next few days.