110cc lifan gearbox

[Rotore]

A friend just offered me a blown 110cc lifan engine with a 4speed gearbox and reverse.

Is it possible to take off the cylinder and head assembly block it of then run a belt tensioner from my kohler to the lifans stator and use it as a gearbox on my kart?

 

[kazkepox]

sounds interesting....IT JUST MAY WORK.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Well you wouldnt need the belt tensioner because the engine most likely has a clutch. I dont think the gearbox would handle the torque of your twin though. why dont you just rebuild the engine?

 

[Rotore]

Not a belt tension clutch just running a belt from my engine to the lifan stator. And it really isnt worth rebuilding it's missing almost all ignition components, carburator and intake mani, and i have no idea on how sound it is internally. Besides kinda small to push a drag kart too.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

It prolly puts out 8-10hp and weighs 1/4 what your kohler does...anyways you can try it if you want but i would go easy on the gas. I would take off the flywheel and all and make an adapter to run a chain (better than a belt). Your also going to have to remove the connecting rod, you can just cut it off but splitting the cases will be a pain if you dont have the right tool.

 

[Rotore]

The engine weighs about 40lbs. But is the crankcase and gearbox one or aré they two seperate cases?

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

They are normally just one case. Splitting them is very hard without the right tool because the bearings are pressed onto the crankshaft. and that tool aint cheap.

 

[kazkepox]

meh, I say do it.

 

[Rotore]

Oh ok so would it be ok if i take the connecting rod, piston, cylinder and head off and make a plate to block it off and then take the fly wheel off and run the chain from my kohler to the gearbox it should be ok?

And i looked up the engine it's 10hp and reclines at 7000rpm.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

I don't know how strong the cases are, I'm afraid they may crack from thet kohlers torque, but its worth a try. You cant take the connecting rod off without a hydraulic press, so your best bet is just cutting it off and making sure you get all the shavings out of the case (flush it multiple times with gas), then filling it with some motor oil and making the cover plate.

Personally i would take the Lifan over the Kohler, but thats me.

 

[Rotore]

Ok thanks dude ill get the engine tomarrow and post piks

 

[dan]

i have thought about doing this before and i would say it will handle the power of your twin. So i say do it aspecaly if the engines free what can you lose. I would just take the head and cylinder off the crank case and make and aloy plate to bolt up to the crank case were the cylinder has come off. And have a little tapper cover filter on top (like a little pod filter) i would say if you are pritty good at building things you would be able to make a crankcase puller. You would only need to take one side of the crank case off to get to the rod studs. i hope you do it it will be and awesome project.

Dan

 

[Rotore]

Will work on it today dude thanks

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

The rod is not bolted on. The crank will be two pieces pressed together. Only hope for get the con rod off is cutting. i would personally cut it very carefully with a hacksaw, so the chips/dust doesn't go flying.

 

[anderkart]

I was thinking if the rod was cut back just close enough so it wouldnt contact anything as the crank spun around, it might actualy be better to just leave the rest of the rod on the crank journal to end up a little closer to the weight the cranks counterbalance is expecting.

I dont see any point in all the effort of splitting the cases and flywheel just to end up with the crank even further out of balance.

Before cutting the rod, I'd very tightly pack the engines cavity with new grease soaked rags to hopefully catch all the metal shavings. Then carefully remove your rags and tip the engine upside down to drain its old oil, then pour some type of cleaning solvent into the crankcase, slosh it around, drain back out the top and repeat as necessary to try and get every bit of metal cutting debris out.

 

[Rotore]

Can I just take the sparkplug and flywheel off?

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

If the engine turns over fine, then why are you using it as a gear box? i assumed it was seized or something....

 

[Rotore]

He said it was seized but it just needs some wire work and a good cleaning so ill just save it

 

[dan]

The rod is not bolted on. The crank will be two pieces pressed together. Only hope for get the con rod off is cutting. i would personally cut it very carefully with a hacksaw, so the chips/dust doesn't go flying.

if its a 4 stroke engine like a pit bike of chinse quad engine it will be studed

 

[Rickracer]

I would look at the possibility of cutting off the crankcase altogether and driving the gearbox via the (primary) input shaft. That way you're not spinning an out of balance crankshaft, or one prone to some kind of seizure because it still has a piston and rod on it,
There's a guy on Bob's 4 cycle that's doing a 450 on his kart, and cutting off the gearbox, I think he plans to run an axle clutch.