Birky clutch help needed

Nocero

Member
Hi I am a newbie to this so forgive my ignorance.
I am putting a UAS Kart together and have some questions.
I bought a complete motor package from another racer it included a Taft converted kx250 with a birky clutch on the jackshaft.
I have 2 questions/ problems
#1 the clutch is leaking slightly.
I may have initially over filled it.
I drained some fluid off and the leak got much better. I’ve read that they sometimes leak a little?
Problem # 2 it seems to be engaging at all rpms I’ve went from the initial setting of .165 all the way up to .200 now I was told I could fire this up and idle on the ground but it’s engaged to the point that if I do it will take off, on the stand if I stop the wheel with my hands it will stall the engine even at .200 deep
I can’t see this being right is there possibly a bearing seizing or weak springs?
I was told there is very little time on this clutch since refreshing and I have a box of the old parts that came with it. It did sit around for a little while though . I trust the guy I got it from was honest.
I’m very new to this but any help would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve put in a call to JOES and waiting to hear back and have been searching for contact info for Kevin Birky with no luck.
 
Kevin Birky 217-897-1495. Call after 6pm central time if he doesn't answer leave a short message and he will call you back. If he is machining something he wont stop until it's done and the call back.
 
Thanks Brian I’ll call him tomorrow.

In the mean time I took it off and found a missing o ring between the back of the clutch and the heat isolator looks as if that is the point where it was leaking.
I cleaned everything, put a smear of permatex between the half’s and measured the steels and clutches and they are measuring up as new.
I found a box from birky with the measurements, it’s dated March 2017 so I’m confident it’s pretty fresh it sat for quite some time between now and then.

Can anyone tell me if this should be able to sit and idle? Or is what I’m experiencing just the nature of the beast?
 
Yes - you should be able to sit on the grid and idle. I would definitely call Kevin and get a little more insight. They are rock solid and reliable clutches for a two cycle. It may be a simple fix.
 
I
Yes - you should be able to sit on the grid and idle. I would definitely call Kevin and get a little more insight. They are rock solid and reliable clutches for a two cycle. It may be a simple fix.

Thanks for the reply Cris
Everything inside looks good bearings clutches and steels
I’ll give him a call I’m wondering if I was either too low on fluid when I drained some off trying to get it not to leak or if the weights are wrong
 
I


Thanks for the reply Cris
Everything inside looks good bearings clutches and steels
I’ll give him a call I’m wondering if I was either too low on fluid when I drained some off trying to get it not to leak or if the weights are wrong
You may have too much weight if it engages too quickly. When you tightened the adjustment screws - did the engagement rpm increase ? Also, are you using the same fluid as the previous owner ?
 
You may have too much weight if it engages too quickly. When you tightened the adjustment screws - did the engagement rpm increase ? Also, are you using the same fluid as the previous owner ?

It did seem to increase but never disengaged I was able to stop the tire with my hands at .200 not at .160 though

Not sure what the previous owner used but now that it’s clean I’m going to fill it with the Mobil 1 that’s recommended
I had the idle as low as 1300 rpm any less and it would stall.
 
You should be able to idle but I never had a leak on my Birky, not even when rebuild was due or when I had other issues after not setting it properly or overslipping.
 
Well guess I’m going to have to send this clutch in for service. I put a call in to birky waiting to hear back.
I put it back together filled it with Mobil 1 and it leaks like a sieve and still won’t dis- engage to idle on the ground enough to not stall. Guess I’m not racing for a while
 
Just to help anyone Who has the same issues as me in the future I got it all sorted out Kevin Birky was awesome to talk to you and I really appreciate his help a big part of my problem was my inexperience. I was trying to set the idle on the stand with the brake on rather than on the ground.
There was one issue with the clutch there was no end play at all. Not sure why but I took one of the bearing washers out and surface ground .006 off of it to give it some end play and ended up with .005 end play
It made a world of difference.
 
Back
Top