2014 - My entry for the build off contest

[jogfrogjog]

I just got done restoring my 20 year old manco dingo 5hp this past week, it's a single seater and while restoring it I wanted my kids and my nieces and nephews to enjoy as well. When I was 14, I broke 2 ribs on my dingo so I was concerned about the kids riding by themselves, the oldest is 12 years old. So I started looking online for a 2-seater project to work on with the kids to bond and also to be able to ride with them initially to show them how to drive etc and generally to share the fun with others. So here is my entry, the only thing done is attempt to inflate the tires and make sure the engine starter works and removing the nuts on the rear axle and picking up some parts here and there. Still got a ways to go but can start focusing on it now that the first project is done to my satisfaction for now. And this entry is to give me a boost in motivation. I did my sign on a tablet so it's not clear with the contrast.

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[Relativity]

Oh man, thats a nice foundation you are starting with... love those Manco karts! Nice frame and wheels. Good luck man!

 

[Poboy kartman]

OMG.....That's the worst crap I've ever seen! !!! You need to give up now before you hurt yourself! !!!!!!

TOTALLY KIDDING.......Just wanted to see a post you won't probably see here...... ( your garage/shop...does look a little cluttered....but only when compared to my living room.....errrr....well...ok it looks better. ... but not but much......OK OK.....let's just drop the comparisons. ...so my living room is messier than your garage...... ( shhh- don't tell anybody. ...but your toilet is probably cleaner than my living room. ....but I wouldn't want that to get out......).....I'm so highly regarded here.....a ledgend in my own mind......

Thanks for listening. ....and I'm getting up a link....for theraphy...for those close to me.....

If you take any of this seriously. ....you may actually need therapy. ..LOL.

 

[landuse]

Welcome, and happy building

 

[jogfrogjog]

Ya, it's a bit cluttered, it's parents garage and I did most of the cluttering since I moved back to the east coast. That's another motivation for getting it done, I keep getting reminded how I need to clean the garage from my stuff. I think this one is a manco, but sure of the model.

The plan is to clean up the rust from the frame and weld the floor pans in and then paint. I've thinking of a few different configurations, the engine is a heavy Koehler magnum 18hp would should have plenty of punch for two adults riding on this, but I'm wondering if it's going to give me trouble to keep the front wheels planted with all the weight of the engine in the back and the torque. I think initially I'm going to go with this engine on the back as the previous owner intended and go from there, I'm thinking a 40 series tc and having it geared for speed with all that torque and power. I'm not finding much on modifying these magnum engines online, so if anyone has info send it my way. It would be nice to have the kind of power and rpm to go with that engine of something modified but safe/reliable. I'm also thinking of going the bike engine route with a shifter. Looks like what I'll be paying for a jack shaft and tc and a few other bits I am into the $300 range which I think can get me a bike engine with its tranny.


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[landuse]

That frame was never designed to handle 18HP. You are going to have to do a lot of reinforcing of the frame and motor mount for the engine to work well on the kart without tearing it to pieces. I would also not do any mods to the engine. You already have 18HP!

 

[jogfrogjog]

I have it on it's back now and doing a closer look at it. Looks like it needs new spindles and tie rods, it seems a bolt is missing from one of the spindles... They are also to keys for one of the rear wheels and the sprocket missing and one of the rear bearings is shot... seals are of on it and hanging on the axle... Sprayed with some wd40 just to see if it would get smoother and it did but I'm planning to replacing them. Bought a tire remover from harbor freight for $40, made breaking the bead piece of cake... The tire I then took off with pry bars and nail pulling end of a hammer. The other wheel won't come off the axle easily so I sprayed it with some wd40 so I'll let it sit over night and check tomorrow or something.


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[jogfrogjog]

As for the power, we'll see, I rode my 5 hp dingo and did a speed test and it maxes out at about 24mph with everything stock and one pavement going with slight downward slope and all. I have a spare engine for that one to build up later. But for this, I have access to a gixer 600cc motor for close to to what it would cost for the torque converter for this engine so I'm debating on going all out with something nuts like that. The 18hp I'm thinking will be able to maintain that top speed going up hill but not sure if it's gonna be much faster if it has the same gearing and ~3600 rpm limit.


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[Relativity]

As for the power, we'll see, I rode my 5 hp dingo and did a speed test and it maxes out at about 24mph with everything stock and one pavement going with slight downward slope and all. I have a spare engine for that one to build up later. But for this, I have access to a gixer 600cc motor for close to to what it would cost for the torque converter for this engine so I'm debating on going all out with something nuts like that. The 18hp I'm thinking will be able to maintain that top speed going up hill but not sure if it's gonna be much faster if it has the same gearing and ~3600 rpm limit.


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I am betting you can get alot more performance by just removing the governor. Next step would be letting it breath alittle easier.

 

[landuse]

As for the power, we'll see, I rode my 5 hp dingo and did a speed test and it maxes out at about 24mph with everything stock and one pavement going with slight downward slope and all. I have a spare engine for that one to build up later. But for this, I have access to a gixer 600cc motor for close to to what it would cost for the torque converter for this engine so I'm debating on going all out with something nuts like that. The 18hp I'm thinking will be able to maintain that top speed going up hill but not sure if it's gonna be much faster if it has the same gearing and ~3600 rpm limit.


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You are correct. With the same gearing it will not go any faster, it will just reach the top speed faster than a smaller engine

 

[jogfrogjog]

If I remove the governor, I'd rather have the right internal parts so as not to blow it up. For the 18 hp, it's hard to find aftermarket performance parts for the kohler magnum... If anyone knows of places, let me know... For the 5 hp, i am planning to do a build on the spare engine maybe after I'm done with this build.


Up date on this contest entry, the rear axle is crazy, looks like one of the previous owners welded the key for the sprocket into the keyway, the one wheel won't come off the axle and the bearings look pretty shot and the disc brake disc looks like it is also seized on the axle as well... I removed the axle with bearings and the pour some royal purple or red line's (don't remember the brand, but it works better than wd40 and pbblaster on other application) so I poured some down the inner side of the keyway of the rim hoping it will get between the axle and rim and make it easier. I've hit hit it with a hammer as well as sledge hammer with a piece of wood and it hasn't budged so I'm letting it soak overnight and maybe I'll have better success removing the when this weekend... So I'm looking at new bearings, spindles, possible new axle and possible new rims...


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[MancoGX390]

Go for a GX390 and get the AGK Bolt-On kit 1 like i did for my Manco Dingo single seater! Best engine i have ever owned! Actually, that may be a little to feisty for your kids to ride but still it a brilliant engine!

 

[Relativity]

Man I love your kart but you know looking at it I think it has the very same frame as my own project.
Hey anyways about the axle with the seized rim and etc... I hear you mine was locked up tight too. I had to torch my rims off. Havent even tried to remove the brake or gear sprocket flange. Good luck though.
Side note... I had a manco dingo 8hp go kart when i was young. had a cracked frame, no roll bars and an engine that was in pawn when I got it. I did repair the cracks, order roll bars, and got the engine out of pawn and needless to say I was on happy 6th grader... oh oh and the kart even help me get luck when I was a senior in high school... wink wink you know what I mean.