New engine (upgrade in progress)

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anderkart

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Yeah I think all the vintage kart brands looked really cool too. The late 1950's/early 1960's-era Gokart 400 brand looked very similar to the older Bugs, and there's also a few others brands of that era that were pretty close too.

I was just kinda wondering what you really wanted because Bug kept on making karts for a long time, so I didn't know if you wanted an old 1960 style model or one of the more modern style Bug race karts.

You'll find some older and newer Bugs for sale in this search link: http://www.google.com/search?source...&rlz=1T4GZAZ_enUS369US369&q=for+sale+bug+kart

Unless you just really appreciate and want a vintage kart, or maybe plan on entering some of the vintage (rear engine-only) kart races someday, you'll find that most any brand of a more modern side-engine race kart would not only cost less used, but are better designed/built and would turn, handle and stop much better at high speeds.

You can buy some really nice used, (modern race style) complete rolling chassis in the $300 to $500 range. There were a bunch of good brands made over the years, but maybe something kinda similar to my 2000-era Biesse kart in my thread here: http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3664

Karts like this would have originally cost a couple grand or more, (w/o engine) and you'd be freakin amazed how much better they'd ride than a vintage/collector kart or your current model.
 

Screendoor

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man I sure do like that second link. I would love to find a used one! Any leads as to whom might be selling one?
 

anderkart

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Here's a few race karts I found in the VA "eastern shore" region listings:

http://easternshore.craigslist.org/rvs/2237126818.html
http://easternshore.craigslist.org/mcy/2204412134.html
http://baltimore.craigslist.org/rvs/2244745187.html
http://smd.craigslist.org/for/2209644617.html
http://easternshore.craigslist.org/mcy/2201178448.html
http://smd.craigslist.org/rvs/2253253785.html
http://annapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/2205140664.html
http://delaware.craigslist.org/spo/2210826647.html



Some of those ads are the special type of race karts made for left turn only Oval racing. They're called LTO, Offset or sometimes just an Oval race chassis. I've got one of these you can see and read about here in this thread: http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6364

You seem to be doing the left turn only/oval race thing on that parking lot anyway, so an oval kart would actually work better for that type of riding because they're designed to turn left much better than regular Sprint karts. (although the drawback here is an oval kart doesn't turn right as well as a sprint kart would...)

My other purple Beisse kart you said you liked is a Sprint kart:
this one->http://www.diygokarts.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3664

Race karts made for right/left turning on paved road courses are called Sprint karts or sometimes they're called Shifter karts if they have a motorcycle engine and/or brakes on all 4 wheels.

If you want to find any type of used kart you should just start searching all the craigslist ads from any c/l-region you'd be willing to drive to for a bargain. Craiglist doesn't have a designated go kart section, so to locate ALL the kart ads you have to use their search window and enter every different "go kart" spelling the dude might have used in his kart ad.

I found all those kart ad links for you by doing 6 separate searches: go kart, gokart, go cart, gocart. go karts and race kart. I've found c/l ads for cool karts by searching other even more bizarre go kart terms/misspellings too, so use your imagination while using the craiglist search function.

If you find any karts your interested in, post their link and I'll try to give you all the help and advice I can :thumbsup:
 

Screendoor

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really like the very first one. I think that is what I am going to try to get. He did not list a number so it looks like i will send him a good ole fashion e gram
 

anderkart

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Yeah i liked that one too, Its a good brand. They offer the wide track in both a sprint and oval model.
From the ads pics I'm pretty sure that one is a sprint.

 

anderkart

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Best thing you could do right now is check and adjust your valves, and get your carb jetted right to hopefully get rid of that mis. It'll have more power when its running right. You shouldn't mess around with nitrous until you've learned everything else about high performance engines.
 

Screendoor

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I really dont know if I would ever put nitros on my kart! Its not a racing kart by any means. I am a big fan of Horse power without the "crack"
 

Screendoor

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Got the kart up to 40.1 mph before I ran out of road! Is it ok to have the choke at about 80 to 90 %.
 

anderkart

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Whoo-hoo 40, man you'll be heading off to Bonneville here pretty soon ;)

Yeah, but just for a minute or so when you first start it up cold.

Does yours run better with the choke on like that after its fully warmed up?

(and was it always this way, or just after you did something...?)
 

Screendoor

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yeah! the engine is more responsive and does not sputter when it is chocked like that! is that bad for the engine because it runs great like that
 

anderkart

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Yeah well it'll run even better with the choke off after you fix that problem.

Your either not getting enough fuel or too much air. (or meybe both)

Try spraying a little carb cleaner right around that intake gasket area with the engine idling,
If you sense a sudden rpm change, that gasket is leaking (sucking in air) and your problem. See if your carb mounting nuts are just loose and then try the carb cleaner trick again.



Did you ever take a spark plug reading re-jet your carb like we talked about a few pages back?

We could probably just guess at a larger size main jet and get closer than your stock one if its still in there... Hows the spark plug burning? I'll bet the electrode is all chalky white from running lean.
 

Screendoor

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I never did drill out the jet! But I will index the spark plug.

Can I pull the jet without taking the carb off of the engine!
 

anderkart

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Can I pull the jet without taking the carb off of the engine!

Maybe if you got the right size screw driver.



I never did drill out the jet! But I will index the spark plug.

Don't worry about indexing the plug yet, we just need to know what color the spark plugs electrode and porcelain insulator is for now. (although leaving your choke on like that tainted the test readings)

Just compare your plugs color to these:

 
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