4.5 HP Craftsman Vert

[risto]

I just found an old lawnmower engine, a 4.5 HP Craftsman, out in the woods near my house today. To answer your first question, NO it was NOT stolen. =P

The engine doesn't really run well, but it only needs minor maintenance.

now, I'm not interested in putting it on a kart, but I'd like to know if there is any good use to it other than just taking it apart and fiddling with it (which is what i'm planning on doing now).

suggestions?

 

[kibble]

I'm in the same boat you are. I once found a Briggs vert engine in a lawnmower that was being thrown away. Other than cleaning it up and getting it running, I didn't know what else to do with it. I have it sitting in my garage. Before I found that engine, I didn't know what a governor was. I saw all the little levers on there and I thought that somehow they were restrictive to engine speed, so I removed them. Later I learned that it was done on purpose

 

[mckutzy]

well im in the process of building a chopper with a horiz, engine and later one with a vertical shaft. i am going to use some pulleys and a V belt to drive a jackshaft like what is seen on a corvair engine,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Corvair_turbo_engine.jpg
like in this picture, to re direct the belt direction.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

I suppose you could attempt to make a dipper for the rod and see how long it runs like that horizontally. Or maybe way overfill it with oil so the rod itself becomes a dipper and run a long crankcase vent.

 

[oscaryu1]

The ya gotta figure out the carburation issue.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

I have a welder and a roll of duct tape, anything is possible.

 

[oscaryu1]

Tell me about it. Your best bet is to get a dipper from a 3 horse Briggs.

 

[AutoMX]

i dont exactly get what you plan to do after you take it apart, but i have a 4.5hp honda mower motor thats vertical shaft, and i plan to make some tiny jeep or something comically small using it and the riding mower transmission i got earlier ($42 new) it has 2 speeds forward, 1 reverse and a neutral. the transaxle is designed for vertical shaft motors.

 

[oscaryu1]

If someone could somehow modify a riding mower's tranny to fit a go kart...

 

[AutoMX]

theres nothing to modify, except gearing eventually since most mowers are meant to be powerful but slow. i'll just put something like a 5:1 chain drive from the motor to the clutch (which doesnt engage right now, motor too slow) and it shouldfix the clutch problem and help speeds considerably.

these transaxles come with a diff and a brake already installed, the brake is on the left, the input shaft in the middle and the gear shift is on the right.
edit: giant picture

 

[oscaryu1]

Not powerful, torquey.

 

[AutoMX]

well i use the term relatively, they're usually 15 to 45hp and 2cyl, they need the hp for mowing and pushing a person around obviously, so way more powerful than our little 6.5hp.

i'm just suggesting this because it seems like a cheap way to avoid 15 problems in one shot given that you can compensate for the gearing (higher rpm's, and huge wheels).
alternatively you could spend $30 to $100 getting a beat up lower unit from an outboard motor and yank out the gearing, or find some other heavy duty way to transfer power by 90 degrees, then buy a braking system ($20+) then a set of sprockets + chain ($40+??) then an axle. see what i mean?
and with this you get 2, 3, or 5 forward speeds depending on the model of tranny, and a neutral and reverse.

i'll be testing this out when i get around to it.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

The reason mowers are so slow is the fact that the driven pulley is bigger than a dinner plate and the drive pulley is as small as they can effectively go.