My brother in law just built a 212 Predator with all the bells and whistles and upgrades then slapped it on a 125cc frame four wheeler. I took that thing for a ride and now I have the bug. I have my fresh 212 non-hemi Predator in a box out in the workshop just waiting on a few days off of work to start piddling around with it. I joined this forum to borrow the wealth of knowledge that you guys have to offer as well as to hit you guys up should I run into a snag or need advice. I am excited to be a part of the community and look forward to learning along my build journey. Talk to ya soon!
Hello Everyone!
- Thread starter Fredator
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Denny
Canned Monster
Welcome! If you have a bug go and see a doctor right away! Step away from the 212 slowly.
Whitetrashrocker
Inmate #952016
Welcome. Post pics along the way. We like to see the outside world once in a while.
Denny
Canned Monster
The doctors don’t let us out of the asylum very often. I mean we don’t get out much.
lol I’ll go see a doctor about the bug. I’m hoping he writes me a prescription for a billet rod and flywheel.
panchothedog
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Those are the first two parts you want if it's your intention to hot rod the engine. While you have the engine open to change the rod, remove the governor and install a aftermarket cam. Your engine comes with a dished piston. A flat top piston is very inexpensive and will help raise the compression ratio. Be careful if you buy a +.020" rod. It will also help with compression, but will leave the piston flush with the deck. It then becomes necessary to use a thicker head gasket ( which hurts compression ) because you MUST maintain at least .030" clearance between the piston and the head. The cranks and block flex that much at higher rpm. Good luck with your build.
Thanks for the sage advice Pancho. It sounds like a balancing act where there's a fine line between ideal and busted. I'll make sure to do the math and ensure I have that 0.030 clearance with whatever combo I choose. Is there a build list or spec sheet floating around here somewhere that shows known working combos for reference?
zestycinnamonswirls
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Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you're about to have some fun. That 212 has some serious pep in its step! What kind of kart are you planning on dropping it in?
I have an old Manco Dingo that is a little too small for me so I'm debating modifying it to work better or to just start fresh on a mini bike build and use it for that instead. Some of the plans on here look like something I could tackle with my skills and tools. So really I'm not sure at this point. But either way it's gonna be a blast with the built Predator engine!
zestycinnamonswirls
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You've come to the right place for advice for sure, tons of knowledgeable and helpful folks here.
panchothedog
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You say a fine line between ideal and busted. I don't know if you mean financially or mechanically. Mechanically speaking, that's the job of the billet rod and flywheel. With those 2 parts installed you have the basics of a very tough and durable engine. One that can withstand prolonged high speed use. As far as piston to head clearance, you either use the stock length rod and thin .010" head gasket, or the + .020" length rod and the thicker gaskets. Nothing scary or risky. Just two different ways to go about it. Practically everything you can do to an automotive engine to increase performance can be done to your predator. It's just a lot less expensive. Not all that difficult to double, or even a little more the stock horsepower.
I was referring to mechanically busted, not so much financially lol. The low cost of these engines and parts is what has drawn me to this project after spending thousands on a full size engine build.