Spree runs only with rear brake applied....Help

[CudaDon]

First - What year Spree is this?
Are you sure it is only with the rear brake. On 85-87 Spree, both left
and right switches are wired in series. This means both should do the same thing. Access the brake light switch wiring. Disconnect switches one at a time and see if problem goes away. Does electric starter work normal?
If this is an 85-87 Spree, no ignition switch power is needed to make the engine run. The ign switch supplies power for the brake lights to let the starter relay work and supplies power to the tail light. The rest of the switch is just a kill switch to turn off the eng. It does this by grounding out the CDI unit. It seems it would take a short to ground with the brakes released and some crossed wires at the same time???
Give me more info about year and model. Try what I said about the brake light wiring at the switches and let me know what happens.
Don

[Spirit of 95]

It is an 86 Spree. Yes, it will only run "well" with the rear brake held. If I hold the rear brake it will sit and idle and I can rev up the motor. If I let go of the brake if it is idling will quit and if I try to rev it up, it will surge a couple of times and die. I do not have an electric starter. I will try to look at the wiring.

[se50]

So, it doesn't run backward anymore?

[Spirit of 95]

Both actually.

[CudaDon]

I did not know that this was the same eng that runs backwards.
I think the problems are separate. For the brake switch problem, try disconnecting the starter relay. This looks like the only place that a feedback could occur. I have to admit that I am confused about the running backwards. Where are you inserting the drill? You said that it runs backwards no matter what way you run the drill. If this is so, it would start in the same direction as the drill one way, then start the opposite direction of the drill when the drill is reversed. It would seem that this would cause the eng to kick back against the drill. Is this happening? Tell me more. As others have stated, a 2-cycle eng will run backwards if you start it that way. The timing cannot be moved enough with slotting the tabs to make it run backwards.
Don

[Spirit of 95]

Running backwards is no longer the problem. Its keeping the engine running forwards without holding the brake.

[Farfignugin]

Look at the post by RKHiPerformance, I think that should answer your problem.