Wankel Powered Kart

[Desertduler]

This is my Wankel powered kart that I built from scratch it is my own design and is for dry lake bed and dirt road driving I am getting ready to install a different Wankel engine in the kart.

 

[devino246]

Very cool! Where did you get the engine?

 

[ML-TOYS]

Can you post pics of the drive side

 

[Desertduler]

The engine is from a 1971 Arctic Cat snowmobile it is rated stock 19hp@5500 RPM I have installed a 30mm Mikuni Carburetor on the engine and it made a huge difference in power the stock carb is too small but I am sure they were not looking for a bunch of power from these engines because the Apex and side seals did not last too long and this type of engine eats alot of fuel but they are very smooth with very little vibration and they are an Otto cycle engine which means they are a four cycle engine but they have a power cycle every 360 degrees in eccentric shaft rotation the rotor in the engine rotates one third of the eccentric shaft and all of the engine cycles are 270 degrees.
The drive is a comet clutch I just machined an adapter to join a 1 inch keyed shaft to a 25 mm 1:10 mm eccentric shaft I have ran the crap out of this thing along with my family and it is a blast to drive kinda heavy but it has to hold up under rough service and if you notice I have too ways to steer the thing with the butterfly steering wheel and a curl bar that I welded to the steering wheel for added leverage in the dirt kind of hokie but it works LOL!

 

[Desertduler]

Drive side

 

[jamyers]

What's the fuel line going to the seat for?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

So it IS actually a rotary engine? That is WAY too cool. I saw "Wankel" and thought that maybe Wankel put their name on a piston engine. The fact that it IS a rotary makes it very unique. And now I want one.

 

[Desertduler]

That is the fuel tank vent

 

[Bando]

Any video?

 

[Desertduler]

Yes it is a Rotary Engine Dr.Felix Wankel invented it and many companies had licenses to produce them I have others with more output one is 538cc's so there will be more fun in the future the next one I have ready to install on is a Sachs KM24 they are 23hp stock but I have done some port work to the engine so the output will be more I just finished machining a clutch adapter for it also I have two stroke piston engines that will go on the kart and all these engines have lighting coils to run lights and or electric starters on some of them but I remove the starters because of the weight of them.

 

[Desertduler]

Yes on youtube with a stock carb it was ok but now I have a 30mm mikuni on the engine and it really scoots now I will post a video in the near future with the larger carb on it look under 303 Sachs Wankel and you can see the karts maiden voyage in the desert.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I honestly had no idea there were any rotary-powered sleds. The only common application I knew about was the Mazdas.

 

[exenos]

Eh, the rotary powered sleds weren't that common considering that I didn't know about them until now and that I can hardly find any relevant info on the Internet. Seems that cat was the only on that used them.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Then the rarity definitely drives the cool factor waaaay up. Now, I REALLY want one, and won't be able to find one. FUDGE!!!

 

[Desertduler]

Arctic Cat,Polaris,Skiroule and Alouette made sleds with rotaries in them they used Sachs 303,and Curtiss Wright which is a Sachs 303,Sachs 295 or also known as a KM24 and Johnson and Evinrude used an OMC 538cc with two variations 35 and 45 hp models I have all of them.

 

[Desertduler]

Watch ebay once and awhile you can find a complete engine but beware parts for them are getting really scarce Sachs also made Wankels that powered generators,water pumps and other things you could buy the current one that is made for gokart racing for about 5000.00 it is a water cooled version the brand name is Aixro XR50 this engine has all the latest metallurgy enhancements for the wankel they turn 10,000 RPM!

 

[Desertduler]

You Canadians should have a bunch of old sleds laying around up there Eh? LOL! Look for them they are around.

 

[tundrabeagle3]

lol

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Awesome, i have 2 of these motors, waiting for a machine to put them in. Most likely only have enough parts for 1 motor though, as one will need new bearings and apex seals, and the bore is slightly pitted. I read somewhere that you can machine down apex seals from a mazda to fit the 303 wankels. so thats something to keep in mind if you ever need some.

Have you had any heat issues? these motors were known for running pretty hot in the sleds, glowing manifolds weren't uncommon, i assume jetting up a little would help.

 

[Desertduler]

Awesome, i have 2 of these motors, waiting for a machine to put them in. Most likely only have enough parts for 1 motor though, as one will need new bearings and apex seals, and the bore is slightly pitted. I read somewhere that you can machine down apex seals from a mazda to fit the 303 wankels. so thats something to keep in mind if you ever need some.

Have you had any heat issues? these motors were known for running pretty hot in the sleds, glowing manifolds weren't uncommon, i assume jetting up a little would help.

Hi,The reason for the glowing exhaust is the 270 degrees of exhaust duration that is why the exhaust manifolds and header pipes are made of stainless steel these engines do indeed create alot of heat and I keep the air fuel ratio on the rich side,There was a complete set of apex seals recently on ebay for a 303 every once and a while apex and side seals will show up on ebay I use top quality oil in these engines and keep the dust out of them to keep them alive for now I just put new seals in my KM24 and it should last a long time in a kart the 303 I have currently still has plenty of life left in it.