Thinking about building a go kart with DuroMax XP16HPE engine

[smathiss11]

So I am 15 and I was thinking about building a go kart.

How hard would it be to make a kart with this engine? How well will it work?

Also, how fast do you think this engine will go with two 150lb riders on it.

Here is the engine: http://www.amazon.com/DuroMax-XP16H...qid=1375407414&sr=8-4&keywords=go+kart+engine

Would you recomend another engine? I want this thing to be FAST! (50+ mph)

Also, it will be an offroad kart.

 

[souperman000]

It is possible to make a kart around that engine, but your speed ideas seem unrealistic. You will be happier with a donor dirt bike or quad engine, maybe even a snowmobile engine if you want a strong off-road buggy.

 

[landuse]

I would agree that a bike or snowmobile engine would be better for the type of buggy that you are making. Speed is all about gearing. That engine would not get you to 50 on a buggy with 2 people, no matter how you gear it

Mysteryboy will probably be able to give you better advice though

 

[smathiss11]

What plans do you think would be the best for this build? I do not want it to be too complex, as this is my first build.

 

[smathiss11]

Also what speed do you think it could get with that engine? 40 mph and above would be fine.

 

[apeboy63]

Your best bet is to use a motorcycle engine


or a kubota 3 cyl diesel

 

[lukasdlf]

Any japanese bike engine with 250cc or more can take you to over 60 mph. I put a Chinese 200cc engine in a wooden go kart and the top speed was around 60mph.

The engine I used was a honda xl 200 clone.

 

[exenos]

How is your welding and general fab skills? A 50mph buggy is not a good first project if you will be learning how to weld along the way. And I fourth the use of a sled or bike engine if this is a buggy. Look up djeeper's death trap build, that'll give you a rough idea of what a 16hp can do in a light single seater. Add another person and you almost want to double the hp depending of the weight of the person and the buggy.

 

[clong]

Motorcycle Engine

I too have been considering putting this same exact engine into my go kart. I'm also 15, and this is my first build which is pretty ironic, and my first consideration of an engine was a motorcycle or dirt bike engine, but I learned that they have a VERTICAL shaft when my go kart is prepared for a HORIZONTAL shaft. How do two 15 year olds with minimal mechanical experience make the two compatible? (without taking the engine apart very much!)

 

[OzFab]

Ok, welcome to the forum but, instead of hijacking someone elses thread, it's best to start your own, you'll get a lot more positive attention that way...

my first consideration of an engine was a motorcycle or dirt bike engine, but I learned that they have a VERTICAL shaft

Every motorbike engine I've ever seen has a horizontal shaft, what engine are you looking at?

That's one of the reasons we suggest them, the ease of adapting them to suit the kart...

 

[fowler]

Some people refer to engines by piston travel

I think it was a member called Jn dragster that used to do it

So bike engines have vertical pistons
But horizontal shafts