Engine sources

[brendan]

My son has an old go-kart (one wheel drive, scrub brakes) with an old Tecumseh engine on it. After sitting for the winter, no spark.

IT looks like one of the magnets has fallen off the flywheel and I'm not sure if this is causing the lack of spark or if it's the coil.

Either way, I'm thinking it'll probably be cheaper/easier to find a new used motor to put on it.

Does anyone know what are some good "donor" devices that have engines in 5+HP range with 3/4" output shafts? I think it'll be cheaper to buy a whole snowblower and take the motor off than source a standalone engine and just looking for suggestions as to what I should be looking for.

 

[napalmfire]

harbor freight sells clones of gx200 engines for $100 and they are awesome for the price. Plus there's a huge amount of aftermarket parts.

 

[Blazkowiez]

Occasionally there are 5hp engines on tillers/edgers, check the shaft to be long enough. Also you can find correct engines off of water pumps if it was using a straight shaft, the bonus to that would lie in people destroying the pump and you having an awesome Honda engine, not some trash Chinese clone engine.

 

[motor_head]

are you sure a magnet fell out i've never hear of that, is it older than 1982 if so it has points and they will need cleaning

 

[sideways]

My son has an old go-kart (one wheel drive, scrub brakes) with an old Tecumseh engine on it. After sitting for the winter, no spark.

IT looks like one of the magnets has fallen off the flywheel and I'm not sure if this is causing the lack of spark or if it's the coil.

Either way, I'm thinking it'll probably be cheaper/easier to find a new used motor to put on it.

Does anyone know what are some good "donor" devices that have engines in 5+HP range with 3/4" output shafts? I think it'll be cheaper to buy a whole snowblower and take the motor off than source a standalone engine and just looking for suggestions as to what I should be looking for.

If a magnets fallen off then just screw it back on! Although, I don't see how one could possibly fall off. Check the clearance between the coil and the flywheel, if you have a set of feeler gauges then the copper feeler is the correct spacing, if you don't have them then a business card is about the right thickness. You may want to remove the rust from the coil posts while your there, although it rarely makes a difference. If your engine has points then they will most certainly need cleaning.

Don't simply get a new engine! There is nothing to be learned by doing that! Spark is a simple thing to fix, there's no need to buy a whole new engine, I can guarantee you it will be cheaper to fix your engine than it will be to buy a new one...

Thanks

Hayden

 

[brendan]

Yes, positive the magnet fell off. I can stick it back on, but it doesn't stay in place. The other one doesn't seem to be screwed on. I have already cleaned and adjusted the points and the coil posts, so it's either the magnets or the coil causing the issue.

How far apart should the two magnets be? I'd be willing to give it a shot screwing it on but can't tell where it's supposed to go.

I see your what you're saying about nothing learned, but I already took my son through the trouble-shooting process. Since this whole engine cost me $20 (and has some other issues) and a coil is at least that, there's also an opportunity for an economic lesson--knowing when to stop sinking money into something that's not worth it. I'm pretty sure I can source a motor that's in better shape than this one for $50-75 which would provide a better foundation.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Pictures of this magnet?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Yeah- sounds a little odd. Anybody else ever heard of a magnet being screwed on?

 

[Russ2251]

Yup

 

[brendan]

Does anyone else want to answer my original question?

Sorry but I was hoping for pointers on a rather specific question--I have a solid understanding of what a magnet is and when it is and is not attached to the flywheel .

(nor did I ever say it was screwed to the flywheel, that was in response to sideways' comment)

 

[anderkart]

You might find a suitable donor engine from a: Generator, Cement mixer, Edger, Tiller, Tiff or Reel mower, Air compressor or Water pump. Just double check to make sure it has a standard (non-tapered) 3/4" output shaft with a 3/16" wide keyway and a threaded hole at the end.

 

[gcarter95]

I think you gave an answer yourself, and so did Blazkowiez

Criagslist, Kijiji.....

Or, as also suggested, you can often get brand new 6.5 clones in the $100 - $120 range range