2019 - Ultimate Yard Kart

JTSpeedDemon

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Most of my test rides have been in this sequence:
Drive
Retune
Drive
Retune
Try to drive
Retune AGAIN!

The leaky carburetor gave me some seriously weird tuning issues, but it runs much better now.
Speaking of bolts loosening. One time I managed to lose an engine mounting bolt. I put lockwashers on, tightenened it down to all heck, and that hasn't been a problem any more.

On a separate ride, the first time I fixed the chain alignment, I didn't put lock washers on the sprocket bolts.
So when I pulled over to retune, I noticed the sprocket bolts were loose and hanging out! :oops:
Again, lock washers saved the day. I'm amazed that the bolts didn't just shear/break from the power!
I should probably get some fresh Nylock nuts for the front wheels, the front left one isn't very good any more.....:(

Just gotta wait for the bearings!:toetap05:
 

J.S.@SMS

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Replace retune with fix, and throw in an adding parts or two, and you've got my test rides. And I've lost an engine bolt that had lock washers on it. And waiting on parts is the worst, though not as bad as waiting for them and then getting the wrong part. But hey, I got a free 60t sprocket.
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Wahoo! The bearings have been shipped! Some people have complained about the tracking numbers from OMB not working, but mine does.
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Ok, 3 days later, and it's out for delivery! :wai:

I've also been thinking about putting a shim or two on the intake valve spring to let this thing rev out a little more, but we'll see. I would only have to do it on the intake spring since the exhaust spring is already heavier! :cool:
I haven't had much time on this thing with it running well at full power, but if I'm left hankering for more speed, I'd prefer to put some shims on the intake spring instead of a flat out heavier spring.
The general theme of this thing is a Super Stock engine, and I'd like to keep it that way.
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Ok yup, the set of 4 bearings arrived, the tracking number worked the entire way!

The bearings are buttery smooth and feel very high quality! 5 stars! Speedy shipping too, plus it was cheaper than GoPowerSports and BMIKarts.
After turning them for a little while by hand, they spin a little freer.
I definitely recommend them!
I'll take some pictures when I replace the bearings.

In my experience, GoPowerSports and BMIKarts both have overpriced shipping. Even though I literally live within driving distance of GPS.
And GPS' website seems a little wacky, it was hard to find bearings on there, and sometimes when I open a category on there, there's literally like, 2 items in there. Plus no flathead parts! :toetap05:
And BMI honestly has a bit of a limited inventory, especially engine parts-wise.

So I usually stick to OMB, unless another site is cheaper.
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Fresh Bearings!

Finally replaced the bearings today!
The front right ones(that hit the curb awhile back) were SO bad that I could shake them and they would rattle!!:ack2:
The hub bores were nice and clean, a huge plus. The new bearings went right in with the assistance of a hammer and 27mm impact socket! They look good! And they turn even better!:2guns:
The front left spindle Nylock nut was so worn that it would unscrew a little bit from the small amount of friction with the bearing! Not good! So I put some blue Loctite on it, and it feels just as strong as the Nylock on the other side. I do NOT want a wheel falling off at 40 MPH!!:eek:
And the bearings are now the correct size!
In the last two pics, you can see the uneven wear on the front right tire due to the wrong sized bearing, and to a smaller extent, the left tire as well, due to worn parts.

The spindle barrel bushings are a bit worn, they have light play, so that will be on my list of future repairs. I may even replace them with needle bearings as an upgrade....:stir:

I also found out that a piece of plywood I found under the workbench will work to make a seat bottom! :bannana: I just need some T-nuts, black vinyl, a camping sleeping pad, and I should be good to go! :wai:


:wai:

Can't wait to take it for a test rip now that I've repaired several things! I'm NOT going to do it on Christmas Eve or Christmas, there's an 80% chance people will get irritated, plus there will probably be a lot of traffic. :auto:

EDIT December 24th: Even though I won't be riding it today, I test fired it, and it makes a negligible amount of smoke. It's so little that it's probably just the oily deposits and residue from the small "break in" burning off. I feel Ok to ride it now, and it won't look so bad.

Dang! This thing SHAKES, even at idle! Everything is all bolted down right, it just has a lot of compression! Hahah! I LOVE IT! :drool5:
 

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JTSpeedDemon

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Sooo, I've got good news.......and bad news......:(

The good news is that it's not leaking oil into the combustion chamber anymore! I pulled the plug to inspect it and the chamber, and now it's 95% carbon, instead of oil.

The bad news is that I threw the chain. I was going up a hill and gunned it. It took off, but then I heard a CHUNK! and the engine started free revving. I got a good chance to hear it rev, and I took advantage. It revs FAST! And it sounds amazing!
The half link is what failed, it got totally trashed, the prongs are bent in separate directions!
Chinese CRAP!!!

I'm going to get some quality half links next.
I'll take some pictures of the carnage....
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Carnage & Cosmetics

Let this testify that Chinese half links are CRAP!:censored:
That should not happen!


While I was out in the garage today, it occurred to me that I could cut the wacky stud extensions off the sidecover bolts with a hacksaw, so off they came! Reason being that this chain guard(mocked up in the bottom pic) won't fit with the stud/bolt/thingys.

It's a really nice black aluminum chain guard/heat shield made by Slack Performance Parts, and, since I don't cuss, I'll just say that it looks bad apple. ;):roflol:

It still has some dirt/dust on it from it's track days, I got it at Pate Swap Meet from a guy with 3 dirt oval racers in his trailer, along with the header on this kart, and some other things.

Today my dad will be taking me to the hardware store, and I'm going to get some JB Weld to put a stud in the goobered up shroud bolt hole, so the fin shroud will go back on, and I'm going to get some bolts to bolt on the chain guard! Plus some black paint and clearcoat.

It's gonna look SO COOL! :cool:

I expect that I won't finish undoing all the frame mods I want to until about the middle of next year(my parents want to get me welding equipment for my birthday, and my grandpa wants to get me an angle grinder), but for now it's still a really cool kart!:auto:
 

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JTSpeedDemon

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Managed to tweak it a little more.

The two Nylock nuts on the front wheels were a little too tight, causing friction(obviously bad when I want to go FAST), so I loosened them a little, and now they spin freely.

On the rear end of things, I straightened out the right end of the axle a little bit, adjusted the brakes, so they don't rub, but also have a good contact patch when I step on the brakes.

The slightly deformed drive tire was rubbing the end of the crankshaft at a certain point of rotation, so I played around with the washers on the axle, and now all 4 wheels are nice and free spinning!!:wai:

I want every little oomph of power I can get!

I also replaced the janky bent nail on the brake rod clevis with a proper cotter pin. It's too big, so only 1/2 of it actually goes through the hole, but it's a heckuva lot better than a bent nail, plus less chance of tetanus. :p
 

Budget GoKart

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I bought seat bits for a manco 405 i am buying they have square foam pads they are 6$ for a pack of four vs i think 18$ for the camping pad. Also where i live walmart sells the fake leather for 8.75$ a yard. The lady there accidentally gave me two yards and i paid for one lol! Also for bolt extraction cutting a slit in it makes it easy to remove. I recommend a 20$ walmart dremel.
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Upgrades!

So I went to the hardware store and picked up some hardware, JB Weld, a few more half links, plus some paint stuff.
I finally touched up the remaining bare metal spots on the frame where I had cut, and where the paint had simply chipped off.
I cut a bolt with a hacksaw, then JB Welded it into the boogered up hole that the fin shroud mounts with. Then I put on a nut and lockwasher, and the shroud is back on, good as new! :wai:
The engine looks WAY more orange now!:cheers2:
I also put the chain guard on, and it looks AWESOME! :cool:
So now the rust on the frame is not a worry, plus the engine looks way better.
The only real cosmetic problems are the rusty front rims, the rear gray rims(they mismatch with the front), and the pillow for a seat. I'll be tackling those eventually.

Of course, I also put on a new half link, and I got to take it out for a spin! :auto:
It feels better than ever, I was running into some tuning issues, but when I pulled over, I could see that the starter clutch was starting to catch and it was starting to spit the starter rope out! :eek:

I killed the engine and pushed it home, so I need to see what's going on in there, but I will consider the Ultimate Yard Kart complete for the 2019 Build Off. It will have technical problems for a long time I'm sure, and it's still a good ways away from what I envision, but that will happen eventually, not now.
 

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anickode

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If half links keep giving you problems, have you considered moving the engine back or up slightly so you don't need one? :idea2:
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Can't move the engine back any farther. It's already at the very back of the PO-customized mounting plate. I might be able to make some sort of small risers to tension the chain though....:idea2:
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Triumph!

Well, I got to take it for a triumphant ride exactly 1 year after I bought it! :cool::bannana:
As I went around a corner I ran over some leaf litter, so I hit the gas, and it spun the tire so good!!:2guns:

I had more weird tuning problems for some reason, I'm starting to suspect the throttle shaft bushings, or maybe I just need to keep tuning it and get some new mixture needles. IDK.

Aaaaaand then it threw the chain. :mad2:
When I brought it home to refuel, I actually noticed that the half link cotter pin was missing, just like the cheap Chinese chain. :worried2:
So I replaced it, and then it threw the chain for real. And you can see that the Ace Hardware link didn't stay straight either.
So I'll plat around with chain length and engine placement until I can *hopefully* put a master link in instead and end my chain woes.

But I consider it complete for the 2019 Build Off!:auto:
 

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Smerft85

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Day late and a dollar short? I'm not sure if the mods will squeeze it in or not, either way, it came out pretty nice overall, congrats on getting it done!
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Eh, it was actually ready to drive on the 31st, but either way, I've already posted a video of it driving and stuff. Thanks!
 

JTSpeedDemon

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Ok, update:

I took out the messed up half link and installed a master link. to compensate for the entire links' worth of slack that resulted, I stacked several washers under the engine to tension the chain until it's loose, but similar to before. Now the chain stays on just fine! :wai:

Now the only problem is that the carburetor is giving me more issues. It seems to be running really rich, because the spark plug has a LOT of carbon deposits on it, but as I was looking at the spark plug reading chart, it said under carbon deposits that it is caused by either rich AFR, OR weak spark!
I have been suspecting the ignition coil for a while, as the spark looks noticeably weak, and it would really make sense with how weird the engine's been running.
 

JTSpeedDemon

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What A Journey!

Here are some of the stats of this build. Please vote for me!:wai:
It's been quite a journey this past year. I'm amazed what I was able to do on a shoestring budget, and I've learned invaluable lessons along the way. I wouldn't have traded this experience for ANYTHING else!
the three pics show the major stages in reviving this thing.

  • Top Speed - 38 MPH at 5400 RPM
  • Raw Horsepower - About 6 or 7
  • Peak RPM - 5400 RPM
  • Take off/acceleration - Pretty darn good for high gearing, it will sometimes spin the drive wheel, and it is a DRIFT MACHINE! Sometimes it will get sideways even when I don't expect it!
  • Age - 13, started when I was 12
  • Cost - $60 initially, about $160ish spent on parts and tools for an approximately $220 total
  • Hours - Probably somewhere around 150!
  • Fab work - Does defabbing count?? I had to undo a LOT of things that the PO messed up. Probably about 65% of the build time.
  • Rarity - VERY high since there's only 11 known Starbirds, and this one has a rarer variant of the Briggs flathead with little seen parts, plus it's been modified.
  • Vintage cool factor - Totally epic. I'm trying to keep original parts with the kart, and modifying with pretty vintage parts(i.e Raptor rod instead of ARC billet, vintage racing header).


I also finished up the Kartssource video of the modifications! Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2-HAar9LPg
(PS - It was honestly a little terrifying at first how much faster it was after the rod upgrade/governor removal):lolgoku:
 

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JTSpeedDemon

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My color theme is bare metal, black, and orange. I've always thought black and orange look good. I plan to wire wheel and clearcoat the wheels for a bare sanded metal look, and add white tire lettering and an orange ring around the edge of the rim.
I personally am a huge fan of the weathered orange patina on the engine, it's especially good on the starter!
 
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