Decisions decisions... Engine help guys

[Toxic_Punk]

Hey guys. I shelved the idea for the offroad go kart for now so i can experiment with something less difficult and less pricey. Now i have started gathering everything for my build.

I was wondering if a 6.5 Predator would have any trouble pushing my fat gut around. I'm 6'3 and weigh in about 250lbs. So i wont be making the kart very heavy since i'm already a bit heavy. I plan on using regular Golf Cart wheels for my build. Got a used set for $40 and they are 18" tall and use the 4 on 4 pattern.
I was also wondering what ratio i should use to get the best of both worlds. Speed and acceleration.
1:5?6?

 

[KartFab]

Get a 54 tooth axle sprocket and a 9 tooth jackshaft sprocket(alternatively a 60 tooth axle and a 10 tooth jackshaft). You will want a 420 or #41 sprocket, and install a 30 series torque converter with 6" dia driven unit. You will get the best of both worlds and go 35 mph, have fun! I weigh 210 and my wife is 130 and we made it up a hill in the kart, so I think you can have some serious fun with it. I also took my nieces and nephews that weigh 50-60 lbs for rides with me on it, so that should do the trick...... OOOOR

get a honda gx390 clone and a 40 series torque converter, same gear ratio (or even less like a 10t jackshaft sprocket and a 54 tooth axle sprocket) Either way you are going to have too much torque to know what to do with.

 

[Toxic_Punk]

Alrighty. Sounds awesome. I was originally going to buy the 420cc but hours got cut and the 212cc being 100 bucks seems more ideal (with coupon). Thanks i'll be sure to start posting up pictures as soon as i start working on it.

 

[qtband]

Alrighty. Sounds awesome. I was originally going to buy the 420cc but hours got cut and the 212cc being 100 bucks seems more ideal (with coupon). Thanks i'll be sure to start posting up pictures as soon as i start working on it.

If that's the case, you won't like the price of a torque converter.

 

[itsid]

If that's the case, you won't like the price of a torque converter.

true, but if you look at ebay you'll sometimes find clone TCs for a reasonable price (say ebay# 231071800548)
and on a clone engine, there could be a clone TC..

'sid

 

[KartFab]

Plus, who can put a price on fun? Its priceless! At least that is what I tell my wife when she finds out I just spent $250 on a used GX390 and some go kart parts.....

 

[danssoslow]

Plus, who can put a price on fun? Its priceless! At least that is what I tell my wife when she finds out I just spent $250 on a used GX390 and some go kart parts.....

Tell her you saved at least a $1000 on the sub panel work you done.

...and therein lies the secret to spending our wives' money. Do a household renovation, removing a wall to changing a door knob, and tell her of all the money saved.
Either she falls for it, or she finds it amusing. As my dad used to say "if you can't dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your B.S."

 

[DaiSan76]

8:1 is what run, and I weigh 210. I get about 30MPH, and can climb some fairly steep hills. I did bypass the governor on my HF 6.5 though.

 

[OzFab]

So i wont be making the kart very heavy since i'm already a bit heavy.

For that reason, you don't want to make it too light either; lightweight materials yes but, don't compromise on structural integrity...

I'm a lightweight, as is my kart but, I realised a little while ago that it flexes more than I thought...

 

[gtmud]

Just my 2 cents here, the HP 212 is a great idea, I am running one myself. BUT, from experience( I was curious how the 6" would work) I found that using the 6" driven is great for speed,NOT for torque. even with just my 7 year old 40lbs daughter and her freinds it didn't like hills much. I went back to the 7" driven and #3 position on the spring and now with me, and both my kids we are climbing hills(canal banks) with ease! Oh total weight about 200lbs. The set-up is 30 series convertor, 10T jackshaft,60T final sprocket(axle) 19" AMBUSH SPider cleated tires. Its funny to watch just my daughter drive this thing, she does burn outs in the grass everytime!! This is what I found would do well, after mush trial and error. But like I said, its what works for me, might be differant for you.

 

[Toxic_Punk]

Well i was originally gonna go with the torque converter anyway. I was just saying instead of spending 350 on an engine i'd rather pay 100 bucks on it since the engine was going to be the most expensive part of the build.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

My advice? Drop the golf cart wheels. They're big, heavy, hard to turn... They'll eat up a lot of the engine's available torque. IMHO, you're best to go with a small, light (but well-built) chassis, much on the order of a classic yard/fun kart, and keep the tires to 13" or less.