Need a powerfull engine for a souped kart...

[Jormandur]

I'v got freinds who can weld and acsses to milling machines...etc
As well as a a former racecar mech... so i guess i have all the info i need... but i still want a second openion
We want to build a super fast (super stong and safe) kart with full roll bars, 5 point harness and everything.
We want a nice, powerfull engine that will take this thing to 40-45 mph or so... the mech thinks we could do much worse than to get a nice snowmobile engine. ($ is not a big problem)
Will one of these be sufficent to get our souped rig up to speed?
(it will be on the heavy-ish side)
Thanks a million!
Jor

 

[solomon]

Sled Engines Rock! Try and get a 500C bike engine, that will be even better!

 

[Jormandur]

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Jormandur]

I got another question...
if we are gonna go all out on this thing anyway...
what clutch/torqe converter should we use?

 

[sideways]

I got another question...
if we are gonna go all out on this thing anyway...
what clutch/torqe converter should we use?

If you get a sled engine you'l just use the torque converter that came with it and of course if you have a motorbike engine you'l use it's gearbox. A 250cc motorbike engine will take you to those speeds on a kart but if you've got the money then may I suggest something from the 600cc class? They will take you up to and beyond 60mph! They usually have around 100hp. A modified industrial engine (or a really big one) could get you to 45mph but a motorbike engine is going to be much cheaper, much faster and have a real clutch and gearbox. Of course a sled engine is a good option too.

Thanks

Hayden

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

If you want a mini F-1 car, and $$$ is no problem, buy a busa engine.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

nothing beats the feeling of driving a go kart with a bigass street bike engine, but a sled engine would be good too. 1000cc arctic cat thunder cat, 180hp+ stock.

 

[Jormandur]

Ok thanks for the advice...
When I said money is not a big problem, i did not mean im realy rich Its just there is several guys gonna be working on this so we have a larger pool of reasources.
We have no intention of going 60 mph and 600 cc will be our max. we might even go for a 350cc, we dont know yet.. but thanks for the advice and ill see ya round.
P.S, we arent gonna start on this for a while yet, but when we do ill dish all the dirt and post some pics.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Why do you not want to go faster than 60mph? Why build a kart with a full roll bar and a 5 point seat belt to go slower than guys who race karts with no restraints or cages? There is nothing "souped" about that concept.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Your average 350cc street bike engine will easily push you over 60mph. you can get 60 out of an 80cc two stroke...

I agree with kenny. Just because its capable of going 100mph, doesn't mean you have to go that fast.

 

[modelengineer]

A motorbike engine is definitely the best option.

You can just let off the throttle when you reach 60mph...