Lawnmower engine, why not?

[r_chez_08]

y cant u use some bevel gears on a lawnmower engine to make it work with a kart?

http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Go-Kart-with-a-Lawnmower-Engine tells u how

ps a friend told me how

 

[kibble]

It's not that it's not possible to use a vertical shaft lawnmower engine. The problem is that it's not very practical. It's a heck of a lot easier to put a clutch on a horizontal shaft engine and line it up with the rear sprocket vs. having to put a bevel gear on the engine, put another bevel gear on a second shaft, put a clutch or tc or whatever on the second shaft (jackshaft basically) and then from there you have to get it to the wheels. Plus you'd have to find or have the gears made that will specifically fit your project.

I'm not sure I completely agree with what it says on that site about "disengaging the gears". It's just going to be more wear and tear on the gears engaging and disengaging them, especially since they wouldn't have any sort of lubricant.

 

[r_chez_08]

yeah, i did think about the coplexity of it, but i completely forgot about a clutch! "disengaging the gears"
i just put the site on as a rough idea

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

You can make V belts do a 90* bend, just sayin.

 

[modelengineer]

why not?

It's more difficult than using a horizontal output engine

You wouldn't disengage the gears as a clutch, because you could never engage them again from a standing start. Ever tried slamming your car into first without clutch? (I haven't)
The bevel gear would be on a jackshaft which contains the normal horizontal clutch. However, the bevel gears would need to be in a sealed gearbox with an oil supply to prevent wear, and ball races would be beneficial. You would need a lathe and mill to make such a gearbox.

Kenny's belt suggestion is probably the best way.