Clinton Engine E65

[lotters]

I have a centaur motor scooter and I’m having trouble with the engine. Do you know much or anything about the Clinton ? I seem to have good spark. It cranks quite hard, I’m using a drill to turn it over. It doesn’t have any suction at the carb and it doesn’t have any exhaust pressure. It cranks easily with the plug out. I don’t think it has valves, but reeds. Can they be stuck? I would really appreciate any help.

[Dick DeBuse]

Have you removed any carbon from the cylinder ports and exhaust? This is normal maintenance for two-stroke engines.

[Ed Radtke]

bad or blown out crank seals will also cause a no fuel draw.also an exhaust plugged by mouse nest.

[lotters]

Got any laying around? Model # E65-1101. I’ve got 1 that’s been sitting for 20 some years. I’ve taken it apart as far as I can. Cleaned carb, reset points, has good spark. It has reeds, not valves. Had them apart and they look like new. With the plug in, it acts like compression and exhaust are closed at the same time. I’m using a drill to turn it over, turns very hard. It does fire once in a while Yesturday, I was cranking it and something snapped and it started. It would only run a few seconds on starter fluid. Cranks over as it should. So today I tore into the carb to see if I missed anything, sure enough, there is a tiny little screen where the gas enters the carb.. Took it out, there’s a screen in gas tank and an inline filter. Now I put it all back together and it’s cranking hard again, very little if any suction at carb and no air coming out muffler but you can’t keep your thumb on plug hole. What am I missing???

---------- Post added at 05:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:24 PM ----------

Model # E65-1101. I’ve got 1 that’s been sitting for 20 some years. I’ve taken it apart as far as I can. Cleaned carb, reset points, has good spark. It has reeds, not valves. Had them apart and they look like new. With the plug in, it acts like compression and exhaust are closed at the same time. I’m using a drill to turn it over, turns very hard. It does fire once in a while Yesturday, I was cranking it and something snapped and it started. It would only run a few seconds on starter fluid. Cranks over as it should. So today I tore into the carb to see if I missed anything, sure enough, there is a tiny little screen where the gas enters the carb.. Took it out, there’s a screen in gas tank and an inline filter. Now I put it all back together and it’s cranking hard again, very little if any suction at carb and no air coming out muffler but you can’t keep your thumb on plug hole. What am I missing??? Keith

[RSCurtis]

You're losing crankcase compresion. With the plug removed, there should be some compression when turning the engine over. The problem could be the reed valve or bad crank seals.

[lotters]

Thanks for your help. It must have back-fired and blew out the crank seals. Tore it down and found the seals were in great shape but blown out of position. Put it all back together and it runs perfect. Thanks again, Keith