Front engine 212 kart build - first real kart

[Whitetrashrocker]

Gotta learn somehow.

 

[Kentucky Boy]

Plus...you cannot drop the lash cap into the cylinder unless your head is off or you place it into either the intake or exhaust port. It probably fell into your motor through the pushrods hole.

---------- Post added at 09:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:15 AM ----------

Gotta learn somehow.

It's cheaper to learn by reading.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

It's cheaper to learn by reading.

Cheaper yes. But hands on is better. I've forgotten so much I've read. Never have I forgot from mistakes made.

 

[Kentucky Boy]

True bro...true.

 

[TIGL]

Not sure how it came off. I def never removed it but you're right that there's no way it should have been able to get into the cylinder. It must have escaped into the crankcase through the pushrod hole. Now that I think about it, I found something last time I took off the side cover. I thought it was a plastic piece of the governor that I had missed and didn't pay it as much mind as I should have.

My current guess as to what happened is that rotating the engine backwards damaged the compression release mechanism which then helped the exhaust side lash cap get kicked off somehow. We'll see what happens when I try and drill start it tonight. I guess I'll try and empty the carb bowl first and make sure the plug is sparking properly and remove the extension tube I have on the gas tank to give it the best chance of success

 

[TIGL]

No luck with the drill start. I have no idea whats wrong, I guess I'm buying a new engine :-/

 

[TIGL]

Gave it one last try using carb cleaning shot into the intake and got it to fire. Hosed out the carb and got it running again. What was wrong is still a mystery but I'm back on track for the actual build. Mounted up the engine and drove it around a little in a parking lot with no brakes and a hand on the throttle lever. The chain works just fine but the front end is quite cramped, I may have to raise up the steering arch some so I can get my knees up higher and so the steering wheel will stop hitting the airbox when I turn left After I get that sorted its gas and brake pedals, front wheel ball bearings, seatbelt and other important details.

in any case, PROGRESS!

 

[pRoFiT]

You were on a roll and then nothing....? you still alive? You don't have a location in your info so i cant search for "go kart flames Alabama"? Hope all is well with the build.

Brakes. I think brakes are the next thing to add. always good to be able to stop during testing. And kill switch comes in handy, even if a couple wires near steering wheel. it helped me once.

 

[TIGL]

I took a break for a while but even before that I stopped updating the thread since it seemed like nobody was interested

 

[Bbqjoe]

I took a break for a while but even before that I stopped updating the thread since it seemed like nobody was interested

I'm still not interested, but just felt like posting something.

 

[Kartorbust]

I'm still interested in it. Might not post anything, but I still read the updates.

 

[Flyinhillbilly]

I'm still interested in it. Might not post anything, but I still read the updates.

That's me. If I don't feel that I have anything useful to add I just keep my trap shut.

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

I'm another follower.

 

[Tom Knight]

Me too. stay with it...I'm plannin one with front eng. for summer project. Got motor & steerin wheel, 2 most important parts huh ?

 

[TIGL]

Nothing big but I got the front wheel ball bearings in this past week and installed them so that the front left wheel would stop being pushed off by the threaded rod I stupidly used for the axle. I've got a bunch of other irons in the fire project wise so I havent been focusing on the kart but I am still set on finishing it. I just need to work on this pool sized game for battleship first

 

[TIGL]

kart is temporarily on pause while I make a bad idea minibike

 

[TIGL]

Back on the kart project. drove the thing around the parking lot with a hand on the engine mounted throttle and no brakes so I'm close. the pedals I ordered are also so it should get finished in the next couple weeks

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

I was wondering what happened to this project.

I love how any builder will have to go for test rides as soon as a drive train is put in. Sit in a milk crate, no brakes, throttle with kite string.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

The preferred hack throttle is a wiffle ball bat.

 

[TIGL]

Got the pedals installed started running cables but I had too much going on to make a whole lot of progress. Gotta pick up some springs still but I'm REALLY close.