New Lifan X-Pect Mechanical Woes!

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by bmw111

Simple suggestion -- check your battery cables to see if they're secure. And all other electrical cables/connections.

Yep. The x-pect, being injected, is subject to the same woes we early RX3 owners dealt with.
Could be a matter of loosening battery cables. Happened to me on the white RX3.

[Goob]

Originally Posted by Jsalmi

I did the actual valve inspection this morning. Cold engine from overnight, Craftsman 32 blade feeler gauge used. Exhaust .06 mm and intake .04 slid in and out without resistance, I followed instruction on CSC TT250 manual per line. After turning up the idle to about 1800 I have driven to work (6 miles each way) 3 days no stalling at 580 miles.

CSC Repair Manual for TT250

So, with all that theory behind us, let’s consider what we’re going to do here:

We want to gain access to the valve rocker arms and their adjustment screws.
We want the engine to be at a point in its rotation such that the rocker arm is on the cam’s base circle. This means the cam is not actuating the rocker arm. We want the engine to have the piston at (or very near) top dead center, which means the valves should be closed (which is another way of saying the rocker arm is on the cam’s base circle).
With the engine in this position, we want to loosen the threaded adjustor lock nuts, we want to set the valve gaps to the specified gap of 0.04mm to 0.07mm, and we want to tighten the lock nuts to lock the threaded adjustors at this gap. We always make the adjustment to the 0.07mm setting. As the valve and the cylinder head wear, the gap will grow smaller. Setting it to the 0.07mm setting allows us to keep the valve adjustment interval (the number of miles you can ride between valve adjustments) at a reasonably high number. Initially, we’re establishing this interval to be 500 miles for the first adjustment, and every 2500 miles thereafter.
When we’ve completed the above, we want to put everything back together.

The OP was asking about the Lifan X-Pect, so things will be somewhat different because it is OHC vs the OHV of the TT250.

Instead of removing the valve cover as on the TT250, the valve adjustment must be done thru two access "caps", one for the intake and one for the exhaust.

I mention this, because someone posted on Chinarider that they removed an OHC head thinking they were removing a valve cover. It was a mess, and I hope they got it back together.

[Ina Ditch]

How are things going with getting the Xpect straightened out?

[Overland Adventure]

Just to give everyone a heads up, I just got back from Lowe's with a Craftsman CMMT14105 32 blade feeler gauge set. If you don't have one already, I high suggest you guys go get that set. It was around $9 and should be readily available on the shelf at any Lowe's. I have a ton of old cars and trucks, so chances are I'm going to keep using the heck out of it after I use it on my two bikes. The AutoZone, Advance, and Oreilly's near me were all charging around the same price for 12 to 16 blade sets, so the Craftsman set is definitely the better deal at 32 different blades for the same general price.

It's currently pouring rain here so I won't get to it today, but tomorrow I will checking the valves and seeing if that's what is causing my issue. In addition to being fuel injected, these Lifan's are a nice modern overhead cam design so checking the valve lash on them will be different then most Chinabike riders are used to. Since this is the case, I'll try and make a video of the process to help others out in the future.

Originally Posted by bmw111

Simple suggestion -- check your battery cables to see if they're secure. And all other electrical cables/connections.

Already checked, they're nice and tight. Plus you would think when I'm driving down a rough dirt road shaking the heck out of everything, if there was a loose connection it would rear its ugly head then not when I'm on nice fresh smooth pavement. Good suggestion though.

Originally Posted by Goob

Instead of removing the valve cover as on the TT250, the valve adjustment must be done thru two access "caps", one for the intake and one for the exhaust.

I mention this, because someone posted on Chinarider that they removed an OHC head thinking they were removing a valve cover. It was a mess, and I hope they got it back together.

As I mentioned above, I'm going to try and make a video on this so others don't make the same mistake since these Lifan's are different then what most people are used to wrenching on.

Originally Posted by Ina Ditch

How are things going with getting the Xpect straightened out?

I'll let you know tomorrow Wish me luck!

[Ina Ditch]

the specs say SOHC??

[culcune]

Originally Posted by jeffrey

If you look at a picture of a bike from the left side and see what looks like a quarter on the side of the engine it is a OHV type.

Not sure if this is the case, but American Lifan might have used stock photos from the Chinese headquarters, which show the bike spec'd with a 200, 175, or 150cc engine. If the photos are of the 200, they might be a OHV engine which is sold elsewhere. Just some theories based on how Chinese companies tend to use stock photos. I know this has happened in the past where we have had discussions on the same subject basing our discussion on what the specs show vs. what the corporate photos show. Funny enough, the Chinese Lifan site shows the X-Pect without the colored rims whereas American Lifan's site shows body colored rims. One member here just posted yesterday or the day before on a thread I started a year or so ago that he bought one and was expecting ('X-Pecting' couldn't resist) the colored rims, and wants to discuss this with TXPowersports and American Lifan. Meaning engines might fall into the same kind of discussion.

http://lifanmotos.net/product/yyc/2017-03-23/47.html

[Jsalmi]

FML 163 is a pushrod engine, and yes specs for Lifan say OHC it's a OHV. Pushrods under valve cover no Overhead cam.

[mtiberio]

It is not your valve lash. Tight valves manifest as inability to idle. Your problem is electrical or fuel.

[franque]

Originally Posted by Jsalmi

FML 163 is a pushrod engine, and yes specs for Lifan say OHC it's a OHV. Pushrods under valve cover no Overhead cam.

Not necessarily. A 163FML can be either OHC or OHV. The 1 means 1 cylinder, the 63 is the nominal bore, L is the displacement (L = 200ccs) and I think that the F means it is a vertical cylinder. I don't remember what the M stands for, but they both get the same engine code, and multiple manufacturers and multiple designs share the same designation. It's not very cut and dried.

[Goob]

Originally Posted by jeffrey

From the pictures I have looked at the Lifan Expect has a OHV engine and not a OHC so you can adjust the valves like a Hawk or TT250,Bross250.

When I was shopping around I was told by a seller (TXPowersports I think) that it is OHC. Also, the American Lifan site says SOHC. https://www.americanlifan.com/208.html

I wanted an OHV based on the Honda CG engine. That is why I bought the TT250.

[Overland Adventure]

The China Bike community is amazing!

User Ina Ditch reached out to Lifan on my behalf (thanks man!) and linked them to this post, and American Lifan, Inc. actually signed up on China Riders, watched my video on YouTube, and sent me the following PM:



I'm going to follow their steps in order, and post this evening on what I find. I still can't believe Lifan actually took the time to sign up here, watch my video, and reached out to try and help. Talk about customer service! Most companies anymore struggle to even answer the phone, I'm very impressed with Lifan's response here.

[Ina Ditch]

I hope they get you back on the road in short order and it is something very simple and easy to fix, I am on the edge of my seat and waiting for the good news.

[Overland Adventure]

Alright everyone! I checked the Valve Lash! The intake valve is supposed to be between 0.06mm to 0.08mm. Mine was more like 0.05mm. Exhaust was supposed to be 0.05mm, it was more like 0.07mm. It was like someone had accidentally set the intake valve to the exhuast valve specs, and vice versa. Valve lash is now at 0.07mm intake, 0.05mm exhaust. I also removed the ignition coil then put it back on the bike making sure all grounds and connections were good. Tomorrow I'll go on a nice long test ride and see if she's fixed!

As promised, I made a video for Lifan 200cc valve lash adjustment!

[Overland Adventure]

​
She's fixed!!!

I couldn't help myself, I took her for a nighttime ride. 15+ miles, I held her wide open and stayed at 60 mph for a considerable amount of time - zero issues! Thank you to everyone for the help and advice. Between making sure the ignition coil had proper grounds and connections, and setting the valve lash to the specs in my video above, she's riding smoother then ever. Smooth steady idle. Even after holding her wide open at 60 MPH I can come to a quick stop and she'll idle smooth as silk for as long as you can stand to sit still. Plenty of power too!

Stay tuned, I'll post a Top Speed run on my YouTube channel, complete with the difference swapping to a 17 tooth front sprocket and 42 tooth rear sprocket make!

[Ina Ditch]

Good news !!! glad it is turning your way, I'll make sure to check out your vid.