When installing the clutch and clutch bell on an engine, the manual recommends taking the back off of the engine and using one of those plastic crankshaft clamps to hold everything while you tighten the mounting nut. Problem is, you can't just pick up one of those clamps anywhere. Is there another way of keeping the crankshaft from turning while you tighten the clutch bell down?

On smaller motors you can hold the fan or something enough to tighten it. If you really want to crank on it take the back plate off and put a piece of 1/2' square pine or hard wood in the back where the crank pin/ con rod comes up to the bottom of the cylinder to stop it from rotating. Be carefull not to turn it so hard to bend anything, you can.

http://www.heliproz.com and http://www.ronlund.com both have the delrin crank locks. Evans way will work but the cranklock is the safest way to do it. There's detailed instructions in the Titan50 and EVO50 review.

Whatever you do, DO NOT use a piston lock tool or stick anything metal into the engine or into the carb hole or anything at all into the exhaust port.

Yeah, I've heard of people sticking something down the carb hole but I'm afraid of wrecking a brand new 50. I'll either order one of the Delrin locks, or fabricate my own out of hardwood. Thanks for the info guys.

Take the back plate off and stick the end of your wifes toothbrush up in there!

Oooooo, she'd love that.

I bought a cranklock, great working little tool.

I have seen the toothbrush trick, wedged in the back or in the carb hole. Cheap plastic type toothbrush like you get from a hotel when you forget yours at home. The brush should break before you damage anything.....should.

How tight do you actually have to tighten the clutch assemble and fan anyway? Do you really have to reef on it, or just snug it up?

It doesn't have to be crazy tight but more than just snug.

I've never tightened one before last week, I used some loctite and put it all together. Had to pull it out the other day to install the multigov and it had held pretty good. I bottomed it out and then used a wrag on the fan and twisted it pretty good. After it sets up for a day and the loctite hardens I don't think it should come loose in normal operation.

(for me, I would rather have to retighten it than damage it by overtightening, I wasn't confident in it being tight enough untill I went to install the multigov).

use blue loc-tite. DO NOT USE THE RED!!!!!!

On Curtis Youngblood's site, he says he would stick a twisted up towel down into the inlet port (or else use a crankshaft locking tool).