Engine Help (Predator 224) Idles WAY too high

LRGD

New Member
#1
Hello, I've been working on a 224 build this week and the first steps I took before running the engine were to
1. Fully remove the governor
2. remove the oil sensor
3.install a mikuni carb (or knockoff)
I originally was just going to ziptie my governor but the original throttle I had, (was a vintage throttle I got for a different bike) did not work well with the linkage... it would not retract correctly and also felt very grindy and just all around horrible.. and so seeing as I wanted a new throttle and I planned on removing the governor at some point I decided to do go ahead and just fully remove the governor, while doing this, I had already disconnected my oil sensor but I felt since I was going into the engine anyway I might as well just take out the thing thats unplugged. Why have useless things in an engine case was my thought process behind it.
After removing the governor I had tipped the engine over to tap the back of the pin out... Also forgetting about my cam falling out.. (noob move I know..) The governor comes out with ease.. I pop the pin back in the same hole to plug it with nothing left in the case. I never thought I would neglect the cam falling out like I did so I hadn't done much digging out cams yet on these little engines.. With a little common sense I noticed the dot and its green mark and a dot on the crank. After Frustratingly messing around with it for a while, I manage to line them up from what I can tell... if not perfect with a tooth one way or the other.. but to my eyes the dots looked to meet perfectly.
After this I was disappointed with myself and began putting the engine back together. I screw the crank case back on and begin with my mikuni carb knockoff.. it came with a head gasket and a plastic spacer with a space for the O ring on the carb, manifold.. the usual stuff I presume. I put the carb on with the plastic spacer touching the outside of the carb with the o ring slotted in the circle cut on on the spacer.. frustratingly tighten it all down, now the fuel lines don't fit and I have to get new fuel line the next day so I stop there.
The next day I get my feeler gauge and fuel line for my carb.. Also I ordered a new throttle because I made the mistake of ordering a 30inch one and I needed a 50. I lash my valves after doing my research and finding out about top dead center so I removed my spark plug stuck a screw driver in and felt for TDC, Lashed to .003 and about .0028 on my intake side maybe .003 as well it was really close. turned the engine over a few times checked again. All felt good. I was ready to finally start my engine. I load it with oil, go grab gas, and wish myself the best of luck. I wasn't planning on riding the bike at this time. I just wanted to see if the engine was going to start and I could get some throttle action.
This is where Issues arise... I poor fuel in the tank and move the bike to a wall because I don't trust these things.. Turns out.. maybe the only good decision I've made. I crank the bike. it pulls fine, the engine starts to sputter the first few pulls.. (brand new never ran) maybe the forth pull it fires up.. but is idling insanely high, the clutch is sparking and its pushing into that well pretty good, I shut it off and think about what might this be. I start with my carbs air screw, turn it all the way in and crank it again, wont start.. obviously no air. give it about a have turn and try to start it up again.. Same thing its ripping hard. Okay I take the throttle linkage off and look. The throttle cable is indeed way to short for the spring in the mikuni knock of, okay maybe the throttle was open. I go grab my other short cable since I'm not running the engine. Start it up.. Maybe a little less rpm.. Still engaging clutch and the stock muffler/exhaust is now hot as hell too. Shut it off once again, this time I mess with the choke while the engine is on, it drops the engine for maybe half a second and then kicks straight back up. At this point I took the filter off the carb and shoved my hand over the hole. I could starve the engine of air and I killed it. I try a few more times messing with the throttle cable and air screw nothing helps, and that's the last time it turns on because I take off the carb and wanted to take off the spacer that is on the end of the manifold because I don't see anyone using those, this time I am having a hard time getting the carb off the manifold and out of frustration I unscrew the choke bolt. It flys off and and I grab the washers that go with it. after finally getting the spacer off, the choke screwed back in (I thought or think idk) and all screwed on, I also tightened down my fuel screw or the bottom of the screw on the carb after seeing a video about tuning them. I crank the engine and nothing I try over and over to maybe prime the engine and nothing. choke on/off nothing. I adjust the screws from vary to all the way out to half way to a bunch of different variations to "tune" the carb, and nothing would make it fire up again.. Maybe I flooded the carb? This is where I'm at. As of now the carb is fully off because after taking off the filter I noticed with I move the choke up and down now nothing changes, before a pin would move, now nothing does. So thats on me defintely.. I may have messed the carb up now thats what I am leaning to, and maybe the carb was the issue all along? Or did I mess up anywhere along the way? As in the cam shaft, rockers, valves or anything like that.. The engine did not back fire, it seemed to run well just really really high RPM when it did run.
EDIT: Not sure if anyone cares but I'm pretty sure I just had the carb mounted incorrectly. remounted and it ran today.
 
Last edited:

SAS289

Well-Known Member
#2
What else was done to the engine? How are you going to limit max RPM? The Mikuni and no governor will take the engine RPM to valve float. That kind of RPM is not good for your new engine. And who knows, that kind of RPM can be dangerous for you if the flywheel can't handle it and grenades at high RPM. There was a recent post here where a guy lost his engine when the magnet broke away from the flywheel. He was running it to valve float somewhere around 57-5900 RPM.

You need the parts to support the kind of RPM you may turn. They are a billet connecting rod and a flywheel that can handle higher than governed RPM. With the 224 you can't just throw a billet rod into it and go. There will be detailed clearance work to make it fit.

In my opinion a billet rod and flywheel convert it from a utility engine to a minibike or go kart engine. The 224 box announces "Max Performance", but it is still an out of the box utility engine.
 

LRGD

New Member
#4
Your high revving issue was most likely an intake leak.

Like SAS289 said, you need to get a billet rod and a billet flywheel installed in that engine. It's not safe without them.
Yes I also was confused on which way the idle screw turned I guess. All is well now, in terms of the engine running. I've read and heard so many mixed things on the stock flywheel and rod, what about the new nylon cam in these 224s? I get that to make them reliable at high rpm you need billet parts, or at least an upgrade, my goal was to make the engine run and to learn step by step as I go. I've read that hitting valve float also is what helps these engines not blow up as well.. They make these things to a standard, you aren't going to put valves/rods in that can support higher rpm when your flywheel and cam can't support it, my point being is, all these parts are designed to fail or are limited to a certain rpm, just like all parts, if one thing fails another will as well. If I get a new rod and flywheel, I need to start thinking springs, cam, valves, pushrods, rockers, head gasket replacement, which is a rebuilt engine. Which is something I want to work toward, but to putt around and mess around with top speed on this little lawnmower engine.. I'll take my risk. I appreciate you guys worry about safety and taking extra precautions, but it doesn't just end at rod and fly wheel, and since we are on that topic, I'm aware that most rods wont fit in and go, but you can also look for better fitting rods, my plan was an ARC 6271 with a wildcat 223 flat top wildcat piston, as well as an ARC 6619 billet flywheel when I go down that path. From what I've found that setup requires the smallest amount of clearance to be done.
 

LRGD

New Member
#5
What else was done to the engine? How are you going to limit max RPM? The Mikuni and no governor will take the engine RPM to valve float. That kind of RPM is not good for your new engine. And who knows, that kind of RPM can be dangerous for you if the flywheel can't handle it and grenades at high RPM. There was a recent post here where a guy lost his engine when the magnet broke away from the flywheel. He was running it to valve float somewhere around 57-5900 RPM.

You need the parts to support the kind of RPM you may turn. They are a billet connecting rod and a flywheel that can handle higher than governed RPM. With the 224 you can't just throw a billet rod into it and go. There will be detailed clearance work to make it fit.

In my opinion a billet rod and flywheel convert it from a utility engine to a minibike or go kart engine. The 224 box announces "Max Performance", but it is still an out of the box utility engine.
I replied to Strigoi about my thought process on the Flywheel and rod, would be interested in feedback again
 
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