new project, having a hard time finding info

[DrD]

Picked up a new project tonight. It is a bristers thunder kart model s-600. It runs but has been sittng for 2yrs. It definitely needs some love. I will start cleaning it up tomorrow and get some pics posted. I think I got a great deal at $100. Anybody have experience with this model?

 

[OzFab]

Regardless of make or model, $100 for a running kart is an absolute steal, well done

 

[DrD]

Thanks Fabro, I started cleaning it up today. Pretty minimal work to do.Trhe chain is pretty rusted and locked up in spots and some rubber fittings onthe gas line rotted. Trying to decide on if I should replace the clutch or not. Got the rol cage stsightened out and tightened as well. The kids are geeked about racing each other

 

[landuse]

Regardless of make or model, $100 for a running kart is an absolute steal, well done

I agree. That was a steal

 

[DrD]

Well, we got it all cleaned up. New chain, new clutch, padded and straightened the roll bar. I also changed the oil and gas. For some reason the kart will not run. It will fire up with starting fluid but stalls out as soon as the fluid is gone. After a lot of looking I found that it could be either the pickup or the pump diaphragm. I checked the tank and it is pretty clean. Some surface rust where I could see but it was minimal. The diaphragm seemed ok but was cupped and seemed thin. I am going to drain the gas again and spray some carb fluid down the pickup tube port in the side then replace the diaphragm. Wish me luck.

 

[DrD]

Ugh! Replaced the diaphragm and ran carb cleaner and air down the pickup tube port. The tube seemed free and clear. Same problem, it starts on starter fluid and stalls out. I am afraid I will have to pull the carb and check the pick up tube for cracks etc. I have never done that before and kind of dreading it. Is there something simple that I am missing?

 

[landuse]

Are you sure all the gaskets are sealing properly?

 

[DrD]

I pulled the carb and the pickup tube was intact. I sprayed down all the ports and the tube. The gasket between the carb and tank is pretty rough and between air and tank is cracked...it is pulling zero gas from the tank. It will fire great w a spray of startee fluid.I read that the pulsa jet uses the draw from the piston for vacuum. I guess the gasket between the engine and carb is pretty dry...I. would think it would pull some gas.

 

[landuse]

If your gaskets are do not look good, I would suggest changing them before looking at the carb itself

 

[DrD]

I think there are pretty cheap, just tedious. I will stop by the shop today and see if they carry them. I will go for all three.

 

[DrD]

Then the fun part will be adjustng the throttle.cable through the governor.

 

[DrD]

I bought two gaskets, engine to carb and carb to tank. I hope it works :/ I will also revisit the diaphragm and spray the carb down again.

 

[DrD]

Woo hoo! The gaskets worked! Now I need to figure out a few things. It sounds a little rough and has the occasional spark coming out of the exhaust. It also bogs down and wants to stall at high rpms.

 

[landuse]

I would give the carb a good old clean....and I mean good. Poke out all the little holes again

 

[DrD]

I think that it what I will have to do. I have had it off 3 times, I must be missing something. I think the screw to determine lean/rich is missing a spring. I am going to take a look at it tonight, reset it at 1 1/2 turns off tight. I suspect that it has some carbon build up as well.

 

[OzFab]

Just a heads-up: Turning the mixture screw out 1-2 turns isn't an accurate setting, it's only a guide to get the engine running. Once you do that, you need to fine tune the mixture to the engine & conditions

 

[DrD]

I have been playing around with the mixture screw, I am missing the springs so I think I need to get that. I think there is just the external spring? I ran some seafoam through it and burned out some carbon and tweaked the mixture screw and it still wants to stall out when I give it throttle. I have cleaned every crevice and port I can see to no avail. My options are to remove the carb and have it cleaned or take it to a shop and have it looked at. I will sit on it for a few days and think about my next move. In the meantime the wife has a pretty extensive honey do list to distract me lol.

 

[OzFab]

I just noticed, you haven't mentioned what make/model engine you're playing with. At one point, you referred to a "pick up tube" so, can I correctly assume it's a B&S?

 

[DrD]

Good call, it is a 5 hp b&s horizontal shaft model 136202. I have read as much as I can find and it seems pretty common with solutions ranging from spark plug to a new carb. THe tude is clean, I dont think it is pulling the fuel quick enough. I put in new gaskets and when running is has incredible pull through the carb. something seems to be restricting the flow and I am not sure of the role of the shorter pick up tube that sits in the small reserve tank next to the pickup tube. It doesnt seem to come apart but I ran carb cleaner and air through it.

 

[DrD]

**** The tube is clean... By smaller pickup tube I mean the one that is about 1 1/2 inches long and metal with a larger diameter than the smaller, pencil sized metal to plastic tube that goes to the bottom of tank.