Engine problems

[Benzimm86]

I am new to Gokarts. I recently bought my daughter a mandco intimidator with a predator 212 motor. The guy I bought it from said it was new and it looked liked like it. There are a few problems I am having with it. First off, I can get the engin running but it seems like there are two different running modes. One the go kart starts moving right when it starts up. The second mode is the motor runs but the gokart doesn't move. You give it gas and nothing. There is a significantly different sound coming from the engine depending on which mode it is in.

The next problem is when it does move the motor doesn't overly run that we'll. it seems like the motor shakes a lot and has trouble making it up very slight grade hills in the yard. A lot of times it even shuts off. It does have a centrifugal clutch and from things I have read a torque converter would be a better fit for off road riding but for the converter option I would need would be around $300.

 

[B.M.800]

Sounds like maybe the carb isnt adjusted properly, and the 2 "modes" may be between open and closed choke. Also could be your clutch is shot. Something else to consider is your gear ratio. If its too high your clutch will burn up quicker and the kart wont go up hills very well.

And your right, a TC would be great.

 

[Benzimm86]

In relation to the open and closed choke, the choke leaver is all the way over and it doesn't seem to matter where it is. It's basically luck of the pull. More often it seems like its in dont move mode. The you have to turn it off and restart it and hope that is the lucky pull.

 

[Benzimm86]

Here is a YouTube video I made today.
http://youtu.be/HqpcARvmunk

 

[landuse]

Post a few pics of your kart. What are the tooth counts on the clutch and axle sprockets. Your gearing may be a problem as well, and we will only be able to tell you if you give us these digits

 

[Benzimm86]

I will get pictures hopefully tonight but the more i research this i think the guy i bought the gokart from screwed me and pulled the torque converter off before selling it. I have not been able to find any specs where the manco intruder comes with a centrifugal clutch. He said when i bought it the motor and the clutch were new. It woudl have a new clutch if you pulled the torque converter off. I guess not much i can do now.

 

[Benzimm86]

i do have this one picture right now. Notice the large number of washers on the clutch.

 

[OzFab]

Any way you look at it, that's not a new clutch. As for the washers, he probably just threw in the first bolt he could find which is too long, hence the washers... not that it will effect the operation

 

[qtband]

As Landuse says, get us the tooth counts. With a cent. clutch, you need to get the gearing right. Especially if you're pulling 2 people. If your gearing is that bad, your engine is really working hard to get going.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

There is a very good possibility that that's exactly what he did. We see a lot of this. Either the CVT stops functioning correctly for lack of maintenance, or a belt going bad. Owner then condemns the CVT as broken, sees the price of a new one, and coughs up a hairball. They then smack a clutch on it and call it good, not knowing that the gearing will be completely wrong. Then they observe the horrible performance, and condemn the whole kart. Then you buy it.

 

[Cole Tallerman]

torque converters run about $116 BIN on ebay brand new.

 

[landuse]

torque converters run about $116 BIN on ebay brand new.

For a chinese knock off... (which we haven't really heard anything bad about yet)

 

[B.M.800]

Maybe you can ask the guy if he happens to have the old TC?

 

[Benzimm86]

Hey everyone, sorry for the delay. I was out of town all week. the gear by the clutch is a 10 and the large sprocket is a 60.

 

[Benzimm86]

So i tracked the guys phone number down from my old cell phone bill. I just texted him asking if it had a torque converter and if he still had it. Now we wait to see if he responses.

 

[Benzimm86]

Anyone have a link to one of these? i might just be willing to give it a try.

For a chinese knock off... (which we haven't really heard anything bad about yet)

 

[landuse]

Here are a few, but all you have to do is search on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-4-GO-KART...300?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d0cc4f58c
http://www.ebay.com/itm/go-kart-tor...618?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c4996faa
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GO-KART-TOR...049?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d06709041

 

[Benzimm86]

I had a conversation with a seller on ebay a month or so ago and he suggested the 40 series due to my specs. He also said there is not "kit". Do you agree with him that i would need to go with that size?

 

[landuse]

I had a conversation with a seller on ebay a month or so ago and he suggested the 40 series due to my specs. He also said there is not "kit". Do you agree with him that i would need to go with that size?

I will agree with the statement that a 40 series does not come in a "kit" form. You need to buy the driver and driven seperately, and then fabricate a jackshaft which will give you a specific distance between the driver and driven. You get a few belt sizes, so you can have a few variations on jackshaft distance.

What I don't agree with is that the 40 series is "the way to go" with your 212cc engine. A comet 30 series is rated up to 8HP, so your engine is perfect for a 30 series (which can come in a kit).

You can use a 40 series with your engine, but it is a serious overkill and will cost twice as much. A 30 series is going to be all round easier for you.

 

[Benzimm86]

So i have a 35 link chain and a 3/4 shaft so i am going to go with this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GO-KART-TOR...049?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d06709041


The only question i have is it says 10T sprocket for a 41 chain and a 12t sprocket for a 35 chain. I have a 35 chain and a 10T sprocket. My guess is the current 10T sprocket will be replaced with the 12T that comes with the kit.

Sorry, i am new to all of this stuff so please forgive me if this all seems obvious. I just want to make sure i do it right the first time so my daughter can start enjoying her go kart.