Engine Help!

[WongHongLo]

Since this'll be my first go kart, I'd like to know whats the best budget engine i could invest in? an engine that i can keep adding mods on? etc.
100-300 maybe

 

[gman3850]

Predator 212 on the small side. Predator 420 on the high/big side

 

[itsid]

well this is where the location in your profile would come in handy..

a predator is a rebranded RATO engine that comes at a very low price in the U.S.A
Not available in any other country...

So maybe you can find any other Honda GX200 clone (which technically the predator 212 still is) for a similar amount of money (~$100 US)

'sid

 

[WongHongLo]

im in Bakersfield, Ca

 

[Russ2251]

http://www.harborfreight.com/65-hp-212cc-ohv-horizontal-shaft-gas-engine-epa-69730.html

 

[WongHongLo]

what kind of mods can you do to a predator? im getting so excited!

 

[Kart Simpson]

Hi, I bought the Predator 6.5 as pictured in the above link and this is how it looks now after doing a bunch of mods which include the following:

Removing governor
Removing low oil sensor
Replacing valve springs with 18# ones
Replacing conrod with billet one
Replacing flywheel with billet one
Rejetted carbs main & pilot jets
High flow air intake
High flow exhaust
Walbro fuel pump
Replaced stock cam with a Dyno Mod 2

It did not come cheap either but I had a lot of fun doing it all since it was my first time tearing down an engine and I learned A LOT with the help from people in this forum. If you want to stay on the cheaper side the first mods to do would be to remove the governor ($free) remove low oil sensor ($free) install high flow air intake ($30) install high flow exhaust pipe ($30) rejet carb ($15). You can leave it at that and have a noticable difference in performance. So if you are up to the challenge, you will not be alone. We are all here to help.

 

[mckutzy]

Simpson- How much did you spend on the mods above?

 

[Kart Simpson]

Dont know exactly but I would say around $400

 

[Poboy kartman]

There's an old saying: "Fast or cheap.....pick one".....

 

[OzFab]

As far as mods go, that's correct but, for the engine itself, the Predator seems like a good choice for the price (based only on users reviews)

 

[supermanotorious]

www.affordablegokarts.com