Sled engines+silly people+warm weather=bad advice
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EagleTalons
Master JB Welder
Its not mountains where I live. There is a snow mobile dump in town. I just don't need a snowmobile engine on a go kart. I don't have the money to make one. I have my minibike and that keeps me content.
I've always wanted a snowmobile to work on, but it only snows a little here and sometimes not enough for a sled to work on. I have my Rancher 350 to buzz around on and the snow has only been deep enough here to get it stuck once...Although that was 5 miles from home. With no shovels, but I had a cellphone to call someone that had a shovel.
Most of the engines built up like that are for competitions that don't allow sled engines or mc engines. They have clones, so everyone will have a fair chance. Plus industrial engines built up are cool looking.
It would fall apart after mexico.
I've always wanted a snowmobile to work on, but it only snows a little here and sometimes not enough for a sled to work on. I have my Rancher 350 to buzz around on and the snow has only been deep enough here to get it stuck once...Although that was 5 miles from home. With no shovels, but I had a cellphone to call someone that had a shovel.
Most of the engines built up like that are for competitions that don't allow sled engines or mc engines. They have clones, so everyone will have a fair chance. Plus industrial engines built up are cool looking.
It would fall apart after mexico.
frederic
The Junk Man
So the "false" concern is overheating?
Porsche used to race air-cooled 4-bangers years ago and they were more than competitive - they won.
VW engines of yesteryear are still popular on smaller dragsters - and they're air-cooled as well - and they win quite a bit. And if you've ever seen a VW fan you know how not-so-useful they are.
The one advantage of a liquid cooled engine is consistency - the engine temperature will be more constant than with an air cooled engine simply because the coolant removes the heat and the thermostat decides what temperature everything should be.
Air cooled engines are fine as long as they can get some air. Enclose one in a metal box (car) without vent holes and bang.
Porsche used to race air-cooled 4-bangers years ago and they were more than competitive - they won.
VW engines of yesteryear are still popular on smaller dragsters - and they're air-cooled as well - and they win quite a bit. And if you've ever seen a VW fan you know how not-so-useful they are.
The one advantage of a liquid cooled engine is consistency - the engine temperature will be more constant than with an air cooled engine simply because the coolant removes the heat and the thermostat decides what temperature everything should be.
Air cooled engines are fine as long as they can get some air. Enclose one in a metal box (car) without vent holes and bang.
I'm one to say that I agree with everything said any engine can be made to work outside of it's design parameters, and it makes the project more unique. I have seen people use watercooled outboard boat engines on gokarts before.
These sort of things get argued about all the time. As long as you give an engine what it needs to run it can be used.
Question: I don't really know anything about sled engines because I'm from St. Louis (not alot of snow) are they 2-stroke for the most part?
These sort of things get argued about all the time. As long as you give an engine what it needs to run it can be used.
Question: I don't really know anything about sled engines because I'm from St. Louis (not alot of snow) are they 2-stroke for the most part?
Kaptain Krunch
Pro Junk Collector
yeah the 4 strokes are more a newer thing as far as sleds go, and if you can find an older one its prolly underpowered, or it wont run quite right. as far as using an engine outside of its design parameters I don't really see that using a sled engine on a cart is outside its design parameters, these motors aren't made exclusively for sleds, like r12 said they are the pretty much the same as a quads. now a water cooled boat motor, that's something. or and airplane engine ;P not a sled engine, i think the stigma needs to be broken, these motors should get summer jobs.
87srvsnow
New member
sorry if this has been brought up but it would take me 45 minutes to read this whole thread, newer sleds sometimes use EFI. doesn't EFI adjust itself to altitude and temp?
Kaptain Krunch
Pro Junk Collector
We actually havent said anything about EFI, mainly because any sled that is cheap enough for a kart is most likely carbureted. I actually like carbs better myself.
87srvsnow
New member
i hate EFI. to many wires and bull crap. carb is the way to go, even if it they do take a little more work.
Kaptain Krunch
Pro Junk Collector
Same here, i dont trust it, same with oil injection, its common and doesnt fail much but i would still rather pre-mix, i trust myself more than technology.
I actually have a sled engine that died because the injector pump hoses melted, i didnt actually do it, i got the sled like that, but im assuming the guy rode it hard, the engine was hot and the hoses were up against the block and melt, next time he ran it, it got no oil and seized up. The worst part about it is that only one cyl went bad, but it made the whole engine useless, because the one cyl went pretty bad, and it also spun the crank bearing on that side.
I actually have a sled engine that died because the injector pump hoses melted, i didnt actually do it, i got the sled like that, but im assuming the guy rode it hard, the engine was hot and the hoses were up against the block and melt, next time he ran it, it got no oil and seized up. The worst part about it is that only one cyl went bad, but it made the whole engine useless, because the one cyl went pretty bad, and it also spun the crank bearing on that side.
carbs are definitely the way to go, electric parts on beater carts are just a big headache. people putting radios and amps and crap on their carts are crazy, i wish i had the garage space to pull in a cart every night to keep my amp and speakers in good shape.
yeah, i had a sled have one cylinder burn up cause the injector found a tinny chuck of sludge and plugged up, pissed me off, we fixed it, but the tank was clean, the hoses were new, and the filter was new, there was no reason for that to happen.
yeah, i had a sled have one cylinder burn up cause the injector found a tinny chuck of sludge and plugged up, pissed me off, we fixed it, but the tank was clean, the hoses were new, and the filter was new, there was no reason for that to happen.
anderkart
Moderator
I think all you sled engine kart guys should post pics of your completed projects. (either in this thread or a new one) I just did a search here and only found a few scattered threads where the project actualy seemed to of been completed, but didnt find many long term updates.
I was just thinking It would be prety hard for the naysayers to argue the point If we had a thread here (with curent pics and info) showing a bunch of sled engine karts that have successfully held up to long term use.
I was just thinking It would be prety hard for the naysayers to argue the point If we had a thread here (with curent pics and info) showing a bunch of sled engine karts that have successfully held up to long term use.
I'll see if I can track down some pix of the ones that i have worked on. there shouldn't be any room for nay saying its a solid set up, engine-->jackshaft-->drive wheel/axle the only "weak" point fools were trying to point out was that the engines won't hold up/run in warm weather. and its a foolhardy argument to try and keep up.
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