New Build - Engine size

[matttr]

Hi I'm Tom
I've recently joined the forum as I have just started a new (my first) go kart build.
I bought a Gx360 off ebay about a year ago for this project, as it was very close to home and in decent condition. However is it too powerful? as I am planning to build a single seater both off and on road, relatively light kart and I'm a teenager so am not very heavy. The reason for the particular engine was of its convenience rather than size, as i want it to be a fast kart, but not a dangerous one.
Many thanks

 

[rushking19]

How much horse power, and it's not dangerous if you're not crazy you don't have to go that fast, right now I'm thinking of putting a snowmobile engine on my go kart but I'm not going to go full throttle

 

[matttr]

The engine has 11.0 Hp, its my first kart so I doubt I will be going that fast.

 

[rushking19]

Oh yeah, but 11 isn't that much, now if It was 15 yea, but it is your first go kart

 

[itsid]

Well.. it's a powerfull engine,
most go karts around here have about half of that power (commonly between 5 and 6.5HP)
but to be fair.. most of those engines are slightly modified to get anything from 8-12HP

that's okay.. and if you're responsible enough for what you do, you will be fine;
especially for the off road part.

But be prepared, for off road tracks you would want a Torque Converter to make use of the power you have to say climb a small hill or so.

And since you have a big engine that Torque Converter will be expensive!
($300++ new) since you NEED a series 40 at least.

'sid

 

[OzFab]

There's no such thing as "too much horsepower", you just need to know how to use it...

 

[Scout]

Too much is barely enough…

 

[rushking19]

There's no such thing as "too much horsepower", you just need to know how to use it...

Exactly what I've been trying to tell people

 

[jslider]

YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT IT FROM THE COST POINT OF VIEW, LIKE SID SAYS THE CLUTCH FOR THAT BIG MOTOR IS 300 PLUS, BUT HOLD ON YOU WILL NEED STRONGER AXLE, BEARINGS AND SO FORTH, SO THIS CAN ADD A BIT TO THE COST OF THE BUILD AS WELL.

NOW YOU CAN PICK UP A NEW HARBOR FREIGHT MOTOR FOR 100 BUCKS, OR GET A GOOD USED ONE FOR LESS THAN THAT TO INCLUDE A GOOD HONDA MOTOR, ADD 150 FOR A DECENT TORQ-AVERTOR SET UP AND YPOU HAVE LESS FOR MOTOR AND CLUTCH THAN YOU WOULD HAVE SPENT ON THE CLUTCH ALONE FOR THE BIG MOTOR. AND AS AN ADDED BONUS YOU CAN SELL THE BIGGER MOTOR TO HELP FUND THE KART.

SO IF THE MOTOR IS JUST FLAT OUT TOO BIG THAN THERE IS SUCH A THING AS TOO MUCH COST FOR UN NEEDED POWER IN MY OPINION.

I RIDE MY DAUGHTERS KART FROM TIME TO TIME CAUSE IT IS FUN, SHE HAS A HARBOR FREIGHT 6.5 AND THE COMET CLONE FOR 120 ON EBAY THAT LITTLE KART WILL DO DOGNUTS IN DIRT AND FLAT OUT HAUL ^$r#^ WITH ME ON IT AND I AM 400 LBS THE MOTOR IS STOCK STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, I HAVE NOT EVEN STARTED UPGRADING IT (YET).

SO FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH AND TRUST ME IT IS NOT WORTH MUCH, IMO GO WITH THE ENGINES IN THE 200CC RANGE PARTS ARE VERY CHEAP AND PLENTIFUL AND THEY ARE A BLAST.

 

[matttr]

YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT IT FROM THE COST POINT OF VIEW, LIKE SID SAYS THE CLUTCH FOR THAT BIG MOTOR IS 300 PLUS, BUT HOLD ON YOU WILL NEED STRONGER AXLE, BEARINGS AND SO FORTH, SO THIS CAN ADD A BIT TO THE COST OF THE BUILD AS WELL.

NOW YOU CAN PICK UP A NEW HARBOR FREIGHT MOTOR FOR 100 BUCKS, OR GET A GOOD USED ONE FOR LESS THAN THAT TO INCLUDE A GOOD HONDA MOTOR, ADD 150 FOR A DECENT TORQ-AVERTOR SET UP AND YPOU HAVE LESS FOR MOTOR AND CLUTCH THAN YOU WOULD HAVE SPENT ON THE CLUTCH ALONE FOR THE BIG MOTOR. AND AS AN ADDED BONUS YOU CAN SELL THE BIGGER MOTOR TO HELP FUND THE KART.

SO IF THE MOTOR IS JUST FLAT OUT TOO BIG THAN THERE IS SUCH A THING AS TOO MUCH COST FOR UN NEEDED POWER IN MY OPINION.

I RIDE MY DAUGHTERS KART FROM TIME TO TIME CAUSE IT IS FUN, SHE HAS A HARBOR FREIGHT 6.5 AND THE COMET CLONE FOR 120 ON EBAY THAT LITTLE KART WILL DO DOGNUTS IN DIRT AND FLAT OUT HAUL ^$r#^ WITH ME ON IT AND I AM 400 LBS THE MOTOR IS STOCK STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX, I HAVE NOT EVEN STARTED UPGRADING IT (YET).

SO FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH AND TRUST ME IT IS NOT WORTH MUCH, IMO GO WITH THE ENGINES IN THE 200CC RANGE PARTS ARE VERY CHEAP AND PLENTIFUL AND THEY ARE A BLAST.

Yeah thanks guys very helpful, however the main reason I got that engine was due to cost, it was very close to me, most on ebay are a long way away (im quite rural) and were either collection or expensive courier, also it was relatively cheap as the previous owner didn't know if it was running

 

[carter]

There's no such thing as "too much horsepower", you just need to know how to use it...

There is the question of feasibility however. If you could use an 8 hp single cyl and a CVT to hit 40 for cheaper, then the question stands, why go to all the trouble to fabricate the mountings for the twin and make it work if you could get a similar result for cheaper and less effort.

There's also the issue of whether or not his frame could actually handle the torque.