Engine Selection ??

[hurricane_lane]

Hey everyone! I'm a new poster here, but I've been a frequent visitor to previous posts. Anyway...I wanted a little advice on engine selection for my yerfdog 3203 go kart. I currently have a tecumseh 6.5hp, but it doesn't seem to have enough power for me and my brother-in-law to ride around at a good speed on. Together we're adding 375lbs. I put a bike speedometer on it, and it says our max speed was 24mph. So, I've been looking into other engines. I came across a generator motor from a coleman for a decent price. It is a Tecumseh 10 HP LH358XA-159493. It says that it is a fixed speed 3750rpms...what is does the fixed speed mean? Would this motor be suitable enough to get us up to 40mph+?? Any suggestions to beef up current motor, or other engine swap outs?? Thanks!

 

[THE HUNTER]

fixed speed means that the governor is set to keep the engine rpm at 3750. this is very important for an application like a generator because variations in engine speed will cause the generators output voltage to change, along with messing with the AC frequency (which should be 60 hertz) changing this too much can damage sensitive electronics...

but governors can be removed/modded, so thats not too big of a deal.

your speed depends greatly on what your drive ratio is with the sprockets and tire size.

as far as whether or not the 10hp engine will fit on your kart, i dont know, im sure someone else on here will though.

 

[hurricane_lane]

thanks for replying so quickly hunter...that's what I figured it meant, but i'm not an expert and just a logical guess on my part. I'm not worried too much about it fitting, because like anything that can be made to work. thanks again

 

[Affair_driven]

Does engine have straight keyed shaft? Or is it tapered?

 

[hurricane_lane]

It's a tapered shaft...does it matter? I do not know what the difference is...

 

[Affair_driven]

A straight keyed shaft is what you need, preferably with a 5/16x24 internal hole in end of pto.
A tapered shaft will require some machine shop magic to make it usable. Gets expensive...perhaps more than what generator costs new.
No standard centrifugal clutch or TAV will fit a tapered shaft.

 

[modelengineer]

Bike engine.



...well somebody had to suggest it. This is an engine topic!

Cheaper (for the power, and sometimes just cheaper), more powerful, good 5/6 speed sequential gearbox, better noise, more rpm, etc.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

either a bike or sled engine.

 

[dpaxson]

but a 10 horse will be a direct bolt on to the motor mount plate as long as there's room. mounting a bike or sled engine will be harder

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

but a 10 horse will be a direct bolt on to the motor mount plate as long as there's room. mounting a bike or sled engine will be harder

Half the fun is making it. I would rather spend a few extra days mounting a sled engine, and being able to hit 70 and still have lots of low end, than spending 10 minutes to install a clone that might get you going 40 with OK bottom end.

 

[modelengineer]

Exactly, and the mounting is really simple. Position the engine where you want it then make the engine mounts around it, making sure you can remove the engine.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

Very easy to mount them, i did it in a couple hours using a bed frame and some scrap flat stock. Oh well, i guess not everyone has the balls to use a bike or sled engine :biggrin5:

 

[lemegacool]

Very easy to mount them, i did it in a couple hours using a bed frame and some scrap flat stock. Oh well, i guess not everyone has the balls to use a bike or sled engine :biggrin5:

thrust me if i could get sleds engines like water (like you) there would be one on my pocket bike

 

[freakboy]

Very easy to mount them, i did it in a couple hours using a bed frame and some scrap flat stock. Oh well, i guess not everyone has the balls to use a bike or sled engine :biggrin5:

Get me a sled engine and i will put it in my gokart and do wheelies. I will even pay shiping if you get me a free sled engine.

 

[dpaxson]

Very easy to mount them, i did it in a couple hours using a bed frame and some scrap flat stock. Oh well, i guess not everyone has the balls to use a bike or sled engine :biggrin5:

I'm actually in the process of building a motorcycle powered go kart lol. but i just got the idea he was looking for a bolt on mod. not everyone wants to take a factory built frame and start welding motor mounts on it. it's alot harder to go back when you have a motor mount designed for a single engine instead of a standard mount that could fit a bunch of different ones

 

[hurricane_lane]

thanks for your replies...i would like to go with an engine that fits the mounting plate i currently have. though, a sled or cycle engine would be nice. couldn't i just change the shaft from a tapered to a straight keyed?

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

thanks for your replies...i would like to go with an engine that fits the mounting plate i currently have. though, a sled or cycle engine would be nice. couldn't i just change the shaft from a tapered to a straight keyed?

It would be expensive, you would have to buy a whole new crankshaft.

 

[hurricane_lane]

So, I've decided to look else where for an engine, since the generator engines require a lot of work to make functional on a go kart. Here's an option of what I'm looking at right now. Does anyone know much about these engines? Any input on performance, application, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kaptain Krunch]

If you can get it for cheap, do it. 11hp will be plenty, and i've always liked briggs. If you get me the model type and code i can tell you more info on it, like when it was made and some extra specs.

 

[hurricane_lane]

The engine is a model 25442, Type 0215 01, Code 87012910.
It has a 1" Keyed shaft.

Now, I currently have a 6.5 tec on my kart now. Do you know if this will work without a lot of money to modify it? I know I'm gonna have to get a mounting plate, or drill holes to mount it. I just mean, as far as hooking up my torqaverter and what not. Thanks!