Help me understand this engine alignment. 285 Dingo w/ Predator 212

[reverend_sean]

Hi everyone! I'm brand new to the forum and kart ownership. I just picked up a Dingo 286 with a Predator 212. I have a lot of experience wrenching on toys and cars and jeeps, but this is my first kart. The kart needs some fixing up for sure (spindles flop around, front springs are destroyed, tie rods ends are shot, brakes don't do anything, etc... typical old kart things I have to imagine).

One thing I just realized yesterday (day 2 of ownership) is that the motor is mounted at an angle, so the chain almost hits the driven clutch pulley and is not at all aligned. I can't understand why the previous owner would have done this. Before I start tearing things apart and trying to put it back to the way I think it should go, does anyone have some direction or feedback for me?

I can tell you that the chain is TIGHT. Not one mm of play to it as it sits. Also, the gas tank is squarely planted up against the seat hoop, so right now I can not move the engine forward and release some chain tension. Also, you'll see in the pic that there is a spacer on the right-hand side motor mount (and not one on the left) that is causing the tilt...which is obviously causing the weird chain angle...but I just don't understand why the previous owner might have mounted the engine in that way. Again, I am brand new to karts.

Any Dingo/Predator swap specialists out there that might have feedback for me?

 

[redflash]

It appears that you need to move the motor to the left ....or the sprocket to the right...which ever is easiest

Da Flash

 

[reverend_sean]

Thanks, Flash - I will take a look at the sprocket and see if/how to move it. Do you think that's related to why the motor was installed at an angle? For the life of me, I can't figure out why they would have done that.

 

[Denny]

Sounds like you don’t need feedback. You need a sawzall and a welder and some wrenches.

 

[reverend_sean]

Sounds like you don’t need feedback. You need a sawzall and a welder and some wrenches.

Well, I guess that is the feedback I needed!

 

[panchothedog]

Unbolt the engine and straighten and LEVEL things out. Maybe the previous owner was blind or insane. Doesn't much matter now, it's yours. As far as the tank hitting the seat loop, something will have to move. On one of mine where
I had the same problem, I got rid of the stock engine mounted tank and installed an auxiliary tank. O.M.B. Warehouse has a nice selection of aluminum
tanks. Cost me around $110. But it solved a problem that would have been very difficult in my case to do any other way.

 

[panchothedog]

If you have room to pull the engine back then adding a link or two, or even buying a new chain would be cheaper than a new tank.

 

[karl]

Back when harbor freight had the blue greyhound engines, I put one on a 285.

I dealt with the gas tank problem by hooking a beefy ratchet strap from the top of the seat hoop to the
front of the frame, and bent it forward just enough to have sufficient clearance. Problem solved.

 

[reverend_sean]

Back when harbor freight had the blue greyhound engines, I put one on a 285.

I dealt with the gas tank problem by hooking a beefy ratchet strap from the top of the seat hoop to the
front of the frame, and bent it forward just enough to have sufficient clearance. Problem solved.

That's good to hear because I was planning on doing the same with my come-along.

 

[reverend_sean]

Unbolt the engine and straighten and LEVEL things out. Maybe the previous owner was blind or insane. Doesn't much matter now, it's yours. As far as the tank hitting the seat loop, something will have to move. On one of mine where
I had the same problem, I got rid of the stock engine mounted tank and installed an auxiliary tank. O.M.B. Warehouse has a nice selection of aluminum
tanks. Cost me around $110. But it solved a problem that would have been very difficult in my case to do any other way.

That's what I am in the process of doing, pull it apart and start to put it back together the way it should be. I wonder what I will unearth for the reason why they shimmed it as they did. Stay tuned! Wish I knew how to weld...

If I can't bend the seat tube just a little, I will consider a different gas tank too. If I can get 1/2" out of it, I think I will be ok.

 

[reverend_sean]

I am trying to get the driven pulley off the jackshaft so I can adjust the pulley alignment (it's a Comet 30 and it's WAY off, like 1/2" at least). The engine sits on the Manco mounting plate that holds the jackshaft. I removed the jackshaft nut and I can slide the driven pulley assembly to the end of the jackshaft, and then it just stops and won't come off. It hits hard like there is some kind of tab not allowing it to be fully removed. Also, when I slide it all the way to the end (where it stops), I can see the key on the jackshaft and it is able to be moved a round a little bit (it slides back and forth in the keyway a bit). But the pulley assembly just won't slide off the end. I am not sure if there is some trick or if I just need to yank the thing off the jackshaft with force. Can anyone advise me?

 

[Denny]

Just tapp the key out with a long punch and hammer. Then tap the clutch off the shaft.

 

[reverend_sean]

Just wanted to post a quick follow-up. Everyone's advice helped a ton. In short, the previous owner just didn't have enough basic knowledge to put this thing together right. The reason the motor was crooked was that the motor couldn't slide forward (hitting the seat hoop) to allow slack in the drive chain, so they angled the engine downward on the left side to effectively shorten the length the chain had to reach...which meant the chain was ~ 10 degrees off from the driven sprocket. Also, the Comet 30's flat side pulleys were way out of alignment (~1/2-3/4' off!), so the belt was just destroying itself, and the engagement was SUPER jerky. And the TC weight was destroyed (the slide pins had flown out and the weight was disintegrating), so I replaced that.

@panchothedog - you were 100% right. I just tore the whole thing apart, cleaned it all up, and put it back together carefully.
@karl - I did have to bend the seat hoop forward, copied your ratchet strap method and used a 2x4 to get leverage. I got myself about 1" of space so I can adjust the engine location now.
@Denny - My dumb a$$ was in a rush when I was trying to remove the clutch. It was literally hitting the brake mount. Sheesh. Slid right off once the motor was pulled out.

Everything is lined up, it engages smoothly, and my kids are currently destroying my yard with it.

 

[Denny]

If they are destroying the yard they are riding it correctly! Good job Dad!

 

[panchothedog]

Way to Rev. Kids ripping up the yard, that's the way it's supposed to work out.