Hello from Arkansas

[jjarkys]

6.5hp is not enough for that kart. it's just way to freakin' big. lol. drop in a 420cc electric start predator with a comet 40 and your problem will be solved. 8.1:1 gear ratio is great for torque with the smaller motor, but with the bigger motor and those size tires i'd go for the 7.4:1 ratio (assuming you have a 10t drive sprocket), to maintain some mondster torque and not be too fast. on my 2-day built clunker kart i have 20" tires and a 6:1 ratio with a 390cc motor. i get about 36mph and have plenty of torque.

http://www.diygokarts.com/speed-calculator.html

It is 10t. I hear ya on the bigger motor. If it was all about me id have the biggest thing I could wedge in it. Since it's for my 7 year old I'm trying to refrain from my normal need for speed. I'm happy with the overall performance (assuming I'm wrong about the valve float issue) as long as I can get it lined out.

Thanks for the info on the ratios too.

 

[mysteryboy28]

excellent workmanship by the way. it's a little freaky wide and odd-proportioned looking, but still dang cool!

 

[jjarkys]

excellent workmanship by the way. it's a little freaky wide and odd-proportioned looking, but still dang cool!

Lol Thanks. That was intentional. Trying to lower the center of gravity as much as possible.

 

[jjarkys]

Here's a vid of part of our ride today. Went well except after awhile it dies like its running out of gas. Starts right back up, good for awhile then same thing. Not sure whats up.

http://youtu.be/ViYpVqwI_Oc

So I fixed my problem and thought I'd share what I found. I started it up and let it idle until it started to die. I then pinched the fuel return line that goes back to the tank and it idled back up and ran great. I released it and waited and same thing again. So i concluded the y adapter i was using was putting more fuel back to the tank than to the carb bowl and eventually it ran out of gas. I bought a different y adapter and its great now. I also changed out the fuel pump because the other one had started to leak around the seal. I had already tried another pump before the y adapter change and it didn't help so I know the pump was not the issue. Anyway, just an FYI incase someone else comes along that's using a pump and has the same issue.