Manco Build

[hookemdevils22]

My boys are old enough for a kart now, so I got them what appears to be a Manco 415 2-seater for Christmas. It needs a little work: tires (on the way), cc (on the way), seat (I have a jeep CJ rear seat that might work), a spacer to replace the nuts used as spacers on the driven wheel (a little help here)... the usual. The Robin 126cc engine has an oil leak, so it's also coming off for a clean/tune-up.

Also included was a single-seater with live axle and what seems to be an engine from a Coleman pressure washer(!), but with good tubed tires. I'll likely pull the front 4.10/3.50-6's off for the 2-seater.

My plan is to update/upgrade as the boys grow, but this should suffice for now. More photos and questions coming as I build it.

 

[mckutzy]

Believe it or not... Those nuts are a factory setup... One could replace with rod nuts... But they're fine...

The pressure washer motor might have a tapered shaft... So it might not fit anything...

 

[chancer]

Really they are.
Nice find.
Welcome to our Addiction!

 

[Hellion]

Looks like a good haul--did you find everything all in a day's work?

Show us the single seater.

 

[hookemdevils22]

Believe it or not... Those nuts are a factory setup... One could replace with rod nuts... But they're fine...

Man, that is amazing.

My boys were devastated when they couldn't do a ride-along at a recent autocross event, so naturally I decided to get them involved a bit.

Some more photos:

Yup, that's a wheelbarrow wheel.

Replacing wheels/tires. Going to media blast and powder coat the wheels.


Here are a few shots of the single-seater. It's too short for me, but I might pull out the Lincoln and stretch it. I will likely put parts pulled from the Manco as I upgrade it. Also, both karts had clutches attached with an end bolt, though I thought they used allen screws?

Note the orange Briggs cover and lack of air box (and possibly carb?).

 

[chancer]

Clutches do come with Allen Set Screws but Also need an end bolt.
Also the steering wheel on the 1 seater is upside down.

Jeez How tall are you the single seater looks long. and the Pedals are already stretched to the "Front Porch".

Its a Go Kart your are supposed to have your knees sticking up.

 

[hookemdevils22]

So I've pulled the engine out, found out it's a Subaru/Robin EX13. It has quite the leak, which I had assumed was from the crankcase cover. Interestingly, however, it doesn't seem to have a gasket at that split line, while the seal appears dry. Further, I can't find any crankshaft seal on the other side of the engine (per the diagram). Unless the leak is from the dipstick(s)?

The single started squealing pretty bad (appears to be fan/cage), so I'm leaning toward ditching the engine and hanging it up for a little while.

Finally, are there any engine upgrades that people recommend? Governor removal? Air filter/muffler replacement?

 

[OzFab]

The single started squealing pretty bad (appears to be fan/cage), so I'm leaning toward ditching the engine and hanging it up for a little while.

You mean the green engine? Most likely, the squeal is the starter clutch, nothing a few drops of oil won't fix...

Finally, are there any engine upgrades that people recommend? Governor removal? Air filter/muffler replacement?

That's where most start...

 

[Hellion]

Yep, your knees are supposed to be up in your face, more or less.

The green Briggs (hp/displacement?) has a carburetor, just no air filter box. It's a Pulsa Jet tank-mounted carburetor. Hope it hasn't been run without a filter.

The starter clutch typically has a felt pad on the hollow inside end where you place 1 or 2 drops of motor oil once in a blue moon.

 

[Karttekk]

You can get a factory replacement seat for the Manco Fox 2 seater here: http://www.gopowersports.com/manco-double-seat-please-read-description/

See if you have crankcase ventilation issues with the oil leak or maybe it was overfilled.

Thanks

 

[hookemdevils22]

I had a Jeep rear seat from which I was able to remove the back to use as the bottom. It's slightly wide, but doesn't look out of place.

I resealed the engine, changed the plug, and removed the governor because it kept surging at idle, and I couldn't bring the idle down. Got new tires, cleaned everything and blasted the brake to remove the built-up oil. It runs great now, and the boys love it.

I hung up the black one after pulling the engine. I'll get to it when the boys are big enough to ride by themselves. Thanks for the help all.

 

[hookemdevils22]

Update: Manco has been great, and the boys love ripping around in it.

We're now building the black one. Does anyone have any idea the specs on the green Coleman engine? Is it worth tuning and bolting to the kart? More photos below for reference.

I did find some info on the pulsa-jet carb, here.

 

[Hellion]

Edit: That is a Briggs & Stratton flathead engine. Looks like a 5 HP but I'm not entirely sure.

What does the blower housing say? Even though it's orange it did fit and there should be numbers stamped on the side. They may provide a useful clue to the identity of the engine.

Post the numbers here and we can decode them.

Heck yeah, Brigg'ses are fantastic and classic powerplants so it's worth getting it tuned up and running, even if you later decide to sell it and upgrade.

You can purchase a factory/OEM Briggs air cleaner box which is like a clamshell and screws together to hold the paper filter or make one of these... (and get any number of racing "cone"" filters to fit):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVMLUhEzi9U

 

[hookemdevils22]

The blower housing shows model 60102 Type 0429 01 and code 81032403. The sticker also says 109 cc / 2hp, consistent with the first digit in the model (6 cubic inches). However, the one digit I could find cast into the block appears to be a 9 with a line under it, which suggests a 9 cid engine from what I've read? The code also shows a 1981 engine, so that hopefully helps us narrow it down.

Here's a link to some good B+S info.

 

[Scout]

Here are a few shots of the single-seater. It's too short for me, but I might pull out the Lincoln and stretch it.

I rebuilt a kart a few years ago ("Pile o' crap" link in my sig, pics start at post 16) and it is long enough for me at 5'10" to sit comfortably on, but with most of the weight in the back and a solid axle it has horrible understeer. My BKS Grasshopper (The other link in my sig) is shorter, faster, and steers much better. My brother's kart, which is a Klipper Kart, feels even smaller and too cramped for me. I don't have wheelbase measurements, but on my Grasshopper my knees are right by the steering wheel.

 

[Hellion]

Jeepers...it is a 2 HP. You got it ID'ed as far as I would go. It might still have a points and condenser ignition at around that time. I hear it was not too long after 1980 that they switched to the magnetron.

Maybe you can use it as-is-- keep it as the engine for the kart it came on; a second one for the boys to cut their teeth on, and with a modest powerplant. I'm curious to see how well it can push that single seater along.

 

[hookemdevils22]

Yeah, I'll tune it and run it. I was able to lube the starter clutch and get rid of the squeal. I pulled the carb to clean it up; the engine runs with a couple shots of carb cleaner in the intake, despite refusing to start shortly after I got it. It'll be a good entry-level cart to get them started on their own.