Go kart for 7 year old son project

[VR4]

Hi all,

Following on from my first post in the newbie area I thought I would give an update here.

On Friday night I had a good look at the go-kart that we had bought on Tuesday night. Was good having a good look at it under decent light - wasn't the greatest idea to have a look at it at night when buying it but it looks like a good buy - pics to follow...

A friend and I got it going and warmed it up before dropping the oil - I have never seen oil as thick and black out of an engine before! We filled it with some cheap oil as a flush and then after running it for a short time again we dropped that oil out too before putting some proper B&S heavy duty motor oil in it. The difference in how it ran was amazing! We also gave the spark plug a good clean and replaced the two front wheels with the back wheels off an old push mower - bearings etc given the once over while we were there. Also gave everything a good oil and it has quietened everything down!

Also replaced the air filter with some proper foam rather that the household sponge that was in there before! On inspection of the old 1972 B&S engine we noticed that the fule tank was pretty rusty on the inside. Will this be a problem and should I replace this?

We have also got a new throttle cable as there wasn't one connecting teh engine to the pedal when we bought it. We have connected it to the engine but haven't yet connected it to the pedal. Problem is that when the pedal is depressed a metal rod (which the cable should be connected to) pushes back towards the engine - not the other way around! It has a spring and everything to return it which is good. Does anyone have any idea how to attach the cable with this configuration?

Will get some pics up soon and will get a chance to work on it tomorrow night - got a week to finish it for my son's birthday!

Thanks in advance!

 

[bighead]

Hi all,

Following on from my first post in the newbie area I thought I would give an update here.

On Friday night I had a good look at the go-kart that we had bought on Tuesday night. Was good having a good look at it under decent light - wasn't the greatest idea to have a look at it at night when buying it but it looks like a good buy - pics to follow...

A friend and I got it going and warmed it up before dropping the oil - I have never seen oil as thick and black out of an engine before! We filled it with some cheap oil as a flush and then after running it for a short time again we dropped that oil out too before putting some proper B&S heavy duty motor oil in it. The difference in how it ran was amazing! We also gave the spark plug a good clean and replaced the two front wheels with the back wheels off an old push mower - bearings etc given the once over while we were there. Also gave everything a good oil and it has quietened everything down!

Also replaced the air filter with some proper foam rather that the household sponge that was in there before! On inspection of the old 1972 B&S engine we noticed that the fule tank was pretty rusty on the inside. Will this be a problem and should I replace this?

We have also got a new throttle cable as there wasn't one connecting teh engine to the pedal when we bought it. We have connected it to the engine but haven't yet connected it to the pedal. Problem is that when the pedal is depressed a metal rod (which the cable should be connected to) pushes back towards the engine - not the other way around! It has a spring and everything to return it which is good. Does anyone have any idea how to attach the cable with this configuration?

Will get some pics up soon and will get a chance to work on it tomorrow night - got a week to finish it for my son's birthday!

Thanks in advance!

You can line that tank pretty easy for $20. Here is the fix for your tank. These steps will also remove all the rust and fix your tank for life. You will need a battery charger baking soda and a $20 por15 starter kit.

How bad is the rust? Flaking? Wash it out with sheet rock screws and see what it looks like. If bad then line with por15 kit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCpJRI1mNY8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmpDtBkpWnU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_PgAi7xTws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcLYPxxmAxs

 

[VR4]

Thanks for that - will look into it. Any ideas on connecting the accelerator cable?

 

[bighead]

Wait for other to chime in before you do this. I just thinking out loud here.

You may have to make a pivit point to change pull derection.

Here is some pics of what I did. But aging your problem may be simple so wait to see what other have done. I have not had the rod setup so not to sure. The pivit or crank will change the pull derection. Some of the pics I do not have the cable hooked up.

What kind of kart do you have? And what engine?

 

[anderkart]

Problem is that when the pedal is depressed a metal rod (which the cable should be connected to) pushes back towards the engine - not the other way around!

You could build a pivoting lever similar to the setups in these top 2 pics to reverse the direction:

Here's some throttle cable hookup pics that might help, depending if your engine still has the Governor hooked up or not.

 

[bighead]

Can you get a longer cable and bypass the rod? Or move the rod up higher on the pedal?

Post some pics would help. Of the cable hook up spots and the whole kart.

Anderkart, I think he has problems hooking up to the throttle rod. The pushes and does not pull if I understand it right.

 

[r97]

if you can, put the cable in front of the rod. the cable comes from the engine, goes past the end of the rod, then loops around and clips onto the back side of the rod, that way it pulls the cable.

or as ander and bighead said, you can either make a pivot plate/bell crank, or mount the rod on the other side of the fulcrum that the pedal rotates on. (drill a new hole in the pedal above the bolt that the pedal rotates on.)

hope those make sense.

 

[VR4]

Well I only had about an hour to work on the kart tonight and my mate has it at his workshop still. We finally got the old exhaust off what a job that was. It was practically seized on and we had to drill a hole through it and combined with a screwdriver through the hole and a set of vice grips we eventually got it off! After a quick tidy of the threads we got the new shiny $9 exhaust on. Running much quieter now and adjusted the idle to suit.

In the process of also wiring up a kill switch where my son can easily switch it off. Mounting the switch on the floor by the steering wheel within easy reach.

Ran out of time to look at the accelerator cable. We might get a longer cable and run it up to the pedal area and then down that side so that it is facing the correct direction! Meant to take a camera with me tonight but forgot again! A picture would make the problem easier to describe but thanks for your guys input so far. Probably won't get a chance to look at the kart again for another couple of nights - hoping to spend some time on it this weekend as my boy's birthday is next wednesday and I'm running out of time!

 

[VR4]

Just had a closer look at the B&S engine tonight and it has the following numbers engraved on it.
80202 0572 0377050901

Can anyone tell me how many HP this engine is please? Doesn't say anywhere on the motor. Had a look at another thread but the numbers didn't really make sense to me! Any other info would be appreciated.

Painted the frame tonight - 2nd coat tomorrow night. Trying to get on while my mate is away so that we can get the final bits done this weekend and try it out properly!

 

[VR4]

Hi again - keen to know what these numbers mean on the engine - can anyone help please?

 

[landuse]

Have a look at these links. You could also contact B&S through their website to find out what it is. In my opinion, it is a 3 HP like the one that I have got. Does it look like the one in the pic. If so, I can send you the manual if you want. PM me your adress.

 

[VR4]

Thanks for that - it looks exactly like that one in the photo. Seems more powerful than a 3hp though. Still painting and tidying up the frame but it is all coming together now. Can't wait to try it out and start using it! Was never this impatient while restoring a boat!

 

[landuse]

Have a look at this link. It is for the manual.

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/engines/support/operators-manuals/?NTT=080202-0572-99

 

[VR4]

Thanks for that - just had a look and will print it off tomorrow. Did you have any problems with yours and are these any good?

 

[landuse]

I am having some problems with getting it to run right at the moment, but it is just a carb clean/gasket replace problem I think. I am going to work on it some more this weekend. Otherwise it is a great little motor.

 

[VR4]

Here are some pics of the throttle linkage that i was talking about earlier. When you push the pedal forward, the rod down the right side of the kart pushes backwards towards the engine end/rear of the kart. Is there an easy way of connecting the throttle cable to this? Is one option to get a long cable and run it from the engine up the left side of the kart, around the front and then down the right side so that it will get pulled in the right direction. Or make up a bracket that pivots and so pulls the cable in teh correct direction when the pedal is depressed? So close yet so far with this build - keen on some ideas and a picture should make it easier for you guys!

 

[VR4]

Here are a few more pics of the build so far so that you can see the progress....

 

[VR4]

Last couple of pics showing my son on the kart today All show and no go lol!

 

[gokart14]

woooo are those front tires lawn mower tires??? if they are dont think you wanna use those.

 

[apfcb94]

i got a bunch of pics that can help you aswell. when i find the file ill post them