Hello from 60440

[skulldrinker]

Just bought my grandson a small go kart to enjoy while he visits. First time ever messing with one. No small engine experience either. It's and old B&S 5hp. Right off the bat I need to figure out how to replace the throttle cable and maybe the clutch. Everything else seems to work ok.

 

[Hellion]

Nice score! The quintessential classic go kart.

Briggs is a 1971 model. Probably still has points ignition if it hasn't been messed with.




EDIT: is the throttle cable seized or just detached?

 

[skulldrinker]

Nice score! The quintessential classic go kart.

Briggs is a 1971 model. Probably still has points ignition if it hasn't been messed with.




EDIT: is the throttle cable seized or just detached?

I went to a site that explained the numbers and I thought the 00 meant it was a 2000?

 

[Hellion]

Nope. By 2000, Briggs had ceased manufacturing the flathead design and focused completely on OHV. I think it was actually 1999.

The last set of numbers is 7105277 which translates to YY, MM, DD and the very last digit (7) is a factory or assembly line designation code.

 

[landuse]

Welcome. You can just use a bicycle brake cable for the throttle cable

 

[skulldrinker]

Nope. By 2000, Briggs had ceased manufacturing the flathead design and focused completely on OHV. I think it was actually 1999.

The last set of numbers is 7105277 which translates to YY, MM, DD and the very last digit (7) is a factory or assembly line designation code.

wow 1971 that's is freaking old. LOL

---------- Post added at 06:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:49 AM ----------

Welcome. You can just use a bicycle brake cable for the throttle cable

I was mostly looking at the ends and how it needs to connect somehow to the pedal up front and to the engine. I saw cables with a large ring at the end that can be bolted to the pedal and just need to see some pics and figure out how to go from the end of the cable to the screw. My only tutorials are youtube and looking through parts list and trying to figure the transitions and what it will take. It's rocket science to this old man.

I will upload a picture of the pedal later today.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

WHAAAT??!!
I have that EXACT SAME go kart! It's just it's been hacked up sadly...
It's a Bird/ Phoenix Engineering model #41553 "Master of Motion" "Starbird"
Terrible name, but that's what it is!
Mine also has a 5 hp Briggs, but unfortunately that's the best modification that's been done to it.

 

[skulldrinker]

WHAAAT??!!
I have that EXACT SAME go kart! It's just it's been hacked up sadly...
It's a Bird/ Phoenix Engineering model #41553 "Master of Motion" "Starbird"
Terrible name, but that's what it is!
Mine also has a 5 hp Briggs, but unfortunately that's the best modification that's been done to it.

Awesome, Thanks for that info. I knew nothing about it. I just thought wow a kart for sale and the seat is not ripped to shreds. LOL

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Hehe, you can find more info in my Build Off Contest build log for 2019 under "Ultimate Yard Kart".
You can also check out my Youtube channel, Kartssource for my videos that I post of my progress.
There are a few key differences between yours and mine if mine was more "stock":
You have the rubber pedal pads that I don't
You have the correct size rear tires! I don't...
My brake rod is the other way around compared to yours
My brakes are upside down
The seat back has been moved back, and welded to a horrific custom roll hoop
Your steering wheel and kill switch are different than mine
Your little handles beside the seat, I don't have those anymore
And a few other more discreet modifications by the previous owner.
Also your seat is essentially perfect, while mine is missing the bottom and the back is pretty beat up
Our go karts are the kind that you could buy for somewhere around $300 at Sears or Jcpenney back in the day.
Also, I really like that color of paint!
Does yours have a little handbrake handle on the right side? If so mine doesn't.
Overall you got a WAY better deal than me.
How much did you pay for it?

---------- Post added at 08:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:12 AM ----------

Also, I looked up 60440, and that's an Illinois zip code, are you from Illinois?

 

[skulldrinker]

Hehe, you can find more info in my Build Off Contest build log for 2019 under "Ultimate Yard Kart".
You can also check out my Youtube channel, Kartssource for my videos that I post of my progress.
There are a few key differences between yours and mine if mine was more "stock":
You have the rubber pedal pads that I don't
You have the correct size rear tires! I don't...
My brake rod is the other way around compared to yours
My brakes are upside down
The seat back has been moved back, and welded to a horrific custom roll hoop
Your steering wheel and kill switch are different than mine
Your little handles beside the seat, I don't have those anymore
And a few other more discreet modifications by the previous owner.
Also your seat is essentially perfect, while mine is missing the bottom and the back is pretty beat up
Our go karts are the kind that you could buy for somewhere around $300 at Sears or Jcpenney back in the day.
Also, I really like that color of paint!
Does yours have a little handbrake handle on the right side? If so mine doesn't.
Overall you got a WAY better deal than me.
How much did you pay for it?

---------- Post added at 08:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:12 AM ----------

Also, I looked up 60440, and that's an Illinois zip code, are you from Illinois?

Yeah I think this seat was the clincher. I drove 2 hours to farmtown indiana to get this. Paid $150. I thought that was a steal. I don't have a hand brake. I will check out your videos. I've included a few more piccs. I have a new air filter coming. You can see for a throttle they used a choke cable with the knob tied with shoe string to the pedal. Well that lasted 5 mins. My grandson did cruise in front of the house with it last weekend only by having the idle stuck high enough to let him go in circles.

Yes Chicago suburb.
I subscribed, I am skulldrinker

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

WOW!
That IS a steal!
That thing is very original!
Yeah, that throttle cable is janky.
Engine model code is 130252, I'll break it down for you.
Your engine is 13 cubic inches, basic design series 0, Horizontal crankshaft(duh) with a Pulsa-Jet diaphragm carburetor, a flange mounted plain bearing 6 to 1 gear reduction????, and a rewind starter.
Since you have a clutch on there I can only assume the gear reduction's been removed, but I've never seen a flathead with a gear reduc. Is there anything strange with the clutch? You mentioned that.
Here's a picture of my poor thing, and I also attached a pic from the internet of the same type of kart.

 

[skulldrinker]

WOW!
That IS a steal!
That thing is very original!
Yeah, that throttle cable is janky.
Engine model code is 130252, I'll break it down for you.
Your engine is 13 cubic inches, basic design series 0, Horizontal crankshaft(duh) with a Pulsa-Jet diaphragm carburetor, a flange mounted plain bearing 6 to 1 gear reduction????, and a rewind starter.
Since you have a clutch on there I can only assume the gear reduction's been removed, but I've never seen a flathead with a gear reduc. Is there anything strange with the clutch? You mentioned that.
Here's a picture of m poor thing, and I also attached a pic from the internet of the same type of kart.

I'm thinking it sat in a garage for a decade or more and these farmhands just happened to get ahold of it maybe from an esstate sale and just sold it to get rid of it. I had a $200 max price I wanted to spend. I wanted a double seat but this price I couldn't turn down.

As for me wondering about the clutch I thought the clutch was bad because we couldn't get the kart to stay stopped. So knowing nothing about how stuff works I assumed the clutch. Then I discovered the throttle cable broke down there by the engine and thinks maybe it was in higher idle making it go and not stop. But who knows I could be wrong. I don't know what makes a clutch tick if you know what I mean. I just started yesterday looking online for things. I can't know what throttle cable to get without knowing how the ends will connect to the pedal and engine. I just keep looking at catalog parts pictures to see how they connect. I have not figured it out yet. Soon I hope because it's dead in the water with no cable.

---------- Post added at 10:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 AM ----------

WOW!
That IS a steal!
That thing is very original!
Yeah, that throttle cable is janky.
Engine model code is 130252, I'll break it down for you.
Your engine is 13 cubic inches, basic design series 0, Horizontal crankshaft(duh) with a Pulsa-Jet diaphragm carburetor, a flange mounted plain bearing 6 to 1 gear reduction????, and a rewind starter.
Since you have a clutch on there I can only assume the gear reduction's been removed, but I've never seen a flathead with a gear reduc. Is there anything strange with the clutch? You mentioned that.
Here's a picture of m poor thing, and I also attached a pic from the internet of the same type of kart.

Oh yeah I swear I had that same idea for a rollbar in case my grandson rolled it. I would have maybe tied it into the back engine bars somehow. funny

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

Yeah, i plan to cut off the custom bits to make it more original. Horrific roll hoop included!
As for the clutch, try oiling the bushing that connects it to the crankshaft.
I wouldn't worry about these things rolling, especially with the old dry rotted tires. I can drift mine on loosish pavement, and these things'll just break traction before they flip.
No guarantees on something like a steep hill though.
Also, could you count the teeth on the drive sprocket? I wanna know if mine's original.

 

[skulldrinker]

I count 60 teeth and the thickness is 4.39/4.40MM

 

[Hellion]

I was waiting for JTSpeedy to ID it for you, because he spergs out on almost every post here



Your clutch is likely engaging with a higher than normal idle speed. You can adjust your idle speed easily. But yeah, you gotta oil the clutch bearing with a few drops of oil every 2 hrs of continuous use, give or take. It's not such an issue if you're actually driving the kart at speed (like doing laps) with the clutch fully engaged and not just letting it idle at a standstill, or if you're avoiding a lot of stop and go action.

Here's an article I nearly always reference for clutch usage:
10 Things to Know about a Centrifugal Clutch

He's about right on flipping, unless of course your grandson drives on steep hills like a 45° incline and turns sharply, or just other reckless behavior--anything that would basically flip an automobile.

Plus you can get by on ratty tires for a decent amount of time, especially if they have good inner tubes inside. The tires could have holes in them eek but the inner tube is doing the work.

Your brake pedal is mounted kinda high. I'd move it down a hole so it matches the accelerator.

 

[Hellion]

Here's a good way to fabricate a go-kart/mini bike throttle that still utilizes the engine's governor setup (for the pre-Fun Power Briggs engines):

It uses an aluminum clevis pin that retains the throttle cable with a set screw and engages the rotating arm (the tab that pivots in the semi-circular cutout) with a cotter pin/split pin.


Not really easy to see but the cotter pin is installed from the back side and through the arm, and through the clevis but it also retains the hook on the throttle return spring.


I'd make sure your return spring holder provides enough tension. You want tension on the throttle (holding it tight) at all times and for it to return to idle when the driver releases the gas pedal. Yours looks like it was fabricated by the previous owner(s) but it looks sturdy.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

OK, I've got a 66 tooth sprocket, so it may be aftermarket, or there were simply variations by Bird/Phoenix Engineering, which there obviously was since your seat has stripes and whatnot while mine is flat black.
Maybe mine was the base model.
As for "ratty" tires, they are tube type, so theoretically you could run the tires beyond bald as long as the tubes are good.
My fronts have some pretty sizeable cracks in them, but the tubes still hold air nice!
The nice thing is that all the wheels are 4.10/3.50x5 tube type on a split rim, so they're a common size, last a long time, and they are easier to change.

---------- Post added at 08:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 AM ----------

Your brake pedal is mounted kinda high. I'd move it down a hole so it matches the accelerator.

Yup, after looking at the pictures, the whole pedal needs to be moved down one hole. Same thing for the brake rod clevis.

 

[skulldrinker]

OK, I've got a 66 tooth sprocket, so it may be aftermarket, or there were simply variations by Bird/Phoenix Engineering, which there obviously was since your seat has stripes and whatnot while mine is flat black.
Maybe mine was the base model.
As for "ratty" tires, they are tube type, so theoretically you could run the tires beyond bald as long as the tubes are good.
My fronts have some pretty sizeable cracks in them, but the tubes still hold air nice!
The nice thing is that all the wheels are 4.10/3.50x5 tube type on a split rim, so they're a common size, last a long time, and they are easier to change.

---------- Post added at 08:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 AM ----------





Yup, after looking at the pictures, the whole pedal needs to be moved down one hole. Same thing for the brake rod clevis.

tires and tube....not that far yet since these are holding air good. Need to tackle the throttle cable next. I got the air filter coming this week from amazon.


I was unable to attach a picture over there so here is what I am getting made.

 

[skulldrinker]

Here's a good way to fabricate a go-kart/mini bike throttle that still utilizes the engine's governor setup (for the pre-Fun Power Briggs engines):

It uses an aluminum clevis pin that retains the throttle cable with a set screw and engages the rotating arm (the tab that pivots in the semi-circular cutout) with a cotter pin/split pin.


Not really easy to see but the cotter pin is installed from the back side and through the arm, and through the clevis but it also retains the hook on the throttle return spring.


I'd make sure your return spring holder provides enough tension. You want tension on the throttle (holding it tight) at all times and for it to return to idle when the driver releases the gas pedal. Yours looks like it was fabricated by the previous owner(s) but it looks sturdy.

Thanks for the link on clutch info. I have never even held a clutch in my hand before. I have much too learn. Thank you so much for the close up of the throttle connection. I will duplicate that if it will work. I have no other setup to go on at this time. If someone could point me in the direction of what parts makeup that connection and where to buy them I would be grateful. Also what throttle cable would I need that would have the correct end on it to use. Here are the two photos together yours and mine. Looks like it could work. I have no idea what the other guy did maybe he just wrapped the steel wire around that screw to get it to work and it just finally broke. You can see the wire is just sticking out there connected to nothing.

 

[JTSpeedDemon]

tires and tube....not that far yet since these are holding air good. Need to tackle the throttle cable next.

The way to attach the throttle cable to the pedal, is you need a short nut and bolt, and loop the cable around the bolt, and then tighten and smoosh it down.