301 kickstart lever

[Will]

Hello
Fresh MZ user here ... I've bought a Saxon 301 that's been idle for years, got it going and MoT'd. Oh what joy pop-popping along after years of jap/Italian bikes, as it surges and misfires ... that's another issue I guess.

I've got a new kickstart lever to replace the dodgy one. The circlip keeps pinging off, followed by the hinged lever part and wee spring and ball. The circlip groove is very shallow and won't keep it all together. The steel lever is too hard to deepen the groove with a hacksaw.

I started to remove the shaft cotter pin, and it dawned on me that if I took it out fully that the kickstart shaft would wind anti-clockwise under spring pressure, such that you risk not being able to get a the new lever and cotter pin back in.

Anyone know if that's the case? Surely you don't have to remove the LH cover to fit a new kick lever?

cheers

Will

[Puffs]

Hi Will.

I'm afraid so... That seems to be the recommended procedure. Have a look in a manual, for instance on Blurredman's site ftp://blurredmanswebsite.ddns.net/Vehic ... Documents/.

There might be a smarter way, but I don't know it and it would probably require something like drilling/tapping in the axle. But that axle is probably hard steel, and doing something like that would only really be useful if you plan to replace the kick frequently.

[AlanJ]

Hi Will,
Puffs is right, but what I read in your post about misfire etc, and as the Saxon was not used for a few years then it might be prudent, as you have to take the cover off, to replace the main seals maybe with double lip ones and make sure you use the right oil when you get it back together again. All the info is in this fotum, but yell if you have a problem. Wish you well Alan

[Will]

thanks for the info fellas .. I'll whip the cover off next week and fit my new kick lever.

Fresh fuel used and a 50:1 premix as I wasn't confident the oil pump worked. It now appears to do as I put a bit of fresh oil in the (empty) tank and that's bubbled it's way down the feed pipe.

The MoT fella said it sounds like it's drawing air, so first I'll whip the carb off clean it and check the inlet gaskets. I don't really want to get involved with major strip-down to do crank seals, I've got 2 other bikes on the go at the moment.

I had a run on it the other night ... starts up OK and ticks over around 1000rpm. Riding at 3k+ rpm it missfires and jerks fwd & aft, like riding a wild horse! Pulling the clutch in early eases that issue, but I hope my card clean will cure it.

cheers

Will

[Blurredman]

Have you made sure all the connectors under the generator cover are nice and tightly connected. I've had issues, one of them being said misfire/judder when one of the three phase wires has come loose.

[Puffs]

With the bike not used for years, suggest to properly clean the carb, have a look at the air filter, clean & adjust breakers & timing (and have a look if the breaker cam has corrosion, lube the felt & check for loose connections), thoroughly clean the plug (or new one). Maybe also check fuel flows freely into the carb (obstruction fuel cock?). And indeed that there are no leaks in the carb's connections.

Drawing false air is possible, and the (lean running) effects of that are strongest with the throttle closed, or almost closed. A leaking main seal is almost always associated with failure of a main bearing, and if it is on the clutch side you'll get more smoke with a distinctive smell (burning gear oil). If you don't have that & if the clutch works OK, I'd leave the clutch in place.

False air is more likely to come from the other side; when you're looking at the ignition, have a look if you can see signs of air/mixture flow, and maybe you can feel for play in that main bearing. As play makes the breaker cam wobble (in an RPM-dependent way), it might also explain your poor running.