Need Recommendations for Predator

[eagle19]

Howdy y'all! I'm new to the forum and new to small engine building as well. I built a mud motor for my boat using the 212 pred. It works pretty good until I have another person in the boat. Today I had about 500lbs 2(20 year olds) a trolling motor battery and fishing gear, and the boat was almost sucking water in the boat it was so slow. So I'm looking to beef it up. I see the hop up kits and that I need to get a new flywheel and header. Is there anything else I should try? I saw something about cheater cams. But I wasn't sure if that would keep my rpms low enough to push me in the water and not hurt my motor. So any advice would be great!

Thanks

 

[Half-breeder]

Pics plz or noone is gonna know whatcha mean by 'mud-motor' for a boat... and wont know how to recommend improvements.

Also, plz fill out your profile as best as possible... itll help alleviate alotta issues.

Is the engine still stock? How many horses more you wanting to go? What is your funds for the rebuild?

If your just going for HP and not rpms... first off you can get a high flow intake/header/jet done to the engine for next to nothing and get round 2 more hp... you can shave/mill your head safely by .050 and get another possible 3-5hp... there are cams for the clone motors, but cams are for more hp at higher rpms... and you tend to loose the lowend by doing so, and thats not what youre after from what im reading. Its easy to get a +.020 set of rings n flattop piston for even greater compression, possible 1-2+ hp. There are other things that can be done... but I know just alil bout engines myself... just what Ive done/read.

 

[firemanjim]

Try changing gear ratios and get a better/bigger prop..... ?

 

[mckutzy]

If this is what im thinking of, OP Is it a longtail style?,
if so it wont have any gearing as it is direct drive.

 

[eagle19]

I can't figure out how to upload pictures! But yes it is a long tail! It basically just has an 8ft shaft connected to it with a prop on the end. I basically just want it to go faster, but I feel like I need a good amount of power in the lower rpms. I've upgraded the prop size to as high as I can go. That itself made a good difference but then I added a battery, a metal trolling motor, and a front deck on the front end and that really slowed it down. So I need some upgrades that could throw me enough power to get up on the water and keep me there. Seems like the cheapest route is a hop up kit and new flywheel?

 

[mckutzy]

Typically first kinda mods are the header and then the air filter upgrade, will also(typically) need to rejet the carb.
Allowing the motor to breathe in and out effectively.

 

[Scout]

You can get away with the stock rod and flywheel if you dont change out valvesprings. I pulled my governor out before I had even mounted my motor.

 

[eagle19]

I'd rather replace the flywheel to be more safe than sorry. Being stranded in the middle of a lake or river is never very fun. I was reading up somewhere about some free stuff you can do to beef up your motor like, cutting every other blade on your fan, you can time it 8 degrees by filling the stock key, adjust the spark plug, and of course removing the governor. Another free stuff that I don't know about?

I may just upgrade it a little at a time. Like do the re-jet, filter, and get an exhaust.

I just wanted to make sure there's nothing else I'm missing that's simple to do before I start doing stuff to the motor.

 

[mckutzy]

Ya here that is, some basics.

http://www.affordablegokarts.com/performance_basics.php

Id get a flywheel if only if your springs are out, or for that matter dont rev it that fast.
If it doesnt go really fast(the boat that is) then it maybe a little underpowered for the weight it is hauling.
In asia, they race these motors, albiet on something a little more than a skim board.

 

[OzFab]

If the governor is intact, you need not worry about the flywheel...

Start with the breathing mods &, maybe, adjust the gov up a little & see how it goes...

 

[Moedog07]

Air in and Air out.
Change that exhaust system, air box and fatten up the jet. The "hot dog" style mufflers breath better than the stock one. Build or buy a header.
An Autolight racing plug is good for a small boost in compression. Compression can equal Power. I pull the stock plug after the break in.
These quick modifications will wake up that Predator for $50 or less.

 

[Metal_Rott]

I'd rather replace the flywheel to be more safe than sorry. Being stranded in the middle of a lake or river is never very fun. I was reading up somewhere about some free stuff you can do to beef up your motor like, cutting every other blade on your fan, you can time it 8 degrees by filling the stock key, adjust the spark plug, and of course removing the governor. Another free stuff that I don't know about?

I may just upgrade it a little at a time. Like do the re-jet, filter, and get an exhaust.

I just wanted to make sure there's nothing else I'm missing that's simple to do before I start doing stuff to the motor.

At the cost of upgrades it would be better to get the 400+cc predator. Way more power at way less cost. Removing the governor is perfectly safe unless you upgrade the valve springs it wont ever reach the rpm needed to break the flywheel.
Save and get bigger motor. Imho. I have a thread showing the free upgrades you can do to one of these..http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=26133