Trading YerfDog Spiderbox for this..

[Duckie92]

Hello again So my brother's friend wants to trade me his Honda pilot buggy for my Yerfdog Spiderbox. Do you think it's a good trade? Guy says it just needs an engine and i don't know if it would be easy to put my 16hp DuroMax engine on it or what engine it originally has. Here's a picture of what the honda pilot looks like (well hoping it similar to this. Haven't got to see it in person yet just what my brother has said)

 

[Kartorbust]

Considering the Pilot went out of production 25-26 years ago and it's highly sought after, I'd say it's a really good deal. They were made from 1989-1990/91, with a 397cc 2 stroke engine, which is where FL400 Pilot comes from. May be hard to find an exact engine for it, but a snowmobile engine of similar size should fit nicely. If you use a snowmobile engine, get one that's air cooled (fan on the side kind of built into the top of the engine) then rejet for warm temperatures. As the carburetors were jetted for 32F and below. If you don't rejet, you'll have the engine run too lean (too much air not enough gas/oil) and melt the pistons.

I'd jump on it if it were me.

 

[Duckie92]

Thanks so much for the info! Would my engine i have no work or should i buy another new one?

 

[Kartorbust]

You can make it work, just takes some modifications to the engine mount on the buggy itself as well as a new CVT. Does it still have it's Forward, Neutral, Reverse gearbox on it? I'm not too familiar with them as they were a year or so before my time. Minibuggy.net may have a few clone engine swaps on these. Even if it isn't a Pilot but an Odyssey, most should translate over.

 

[Duckie92]

Okay and i'm not to sure going to ask my brother if we can go meet the guy and check it out.

 

[TeamCheap]

I'd jump all over that deal.

 

[Ebrownie]

Yes get a fan cooled snowmobile engine. If you get a complete sled, it will also have a jackshaft and clutch and stuff. I have a '94 Polaris Indy 440 snowmobile (fan cooled) and it goes really good. I think they say they have like 50 or more hp.

 

[2SlickNick]

Did you ever get the mini? I feel like you should post WHEN you get the vehicle - Instead of what ifs... Just my opinion.

 

[Kartorbust]

I get why he was asking. Wanted to know if it's something to jump on and if it can be repowered relatively easy.

 

[2SlickNick]

I get why he was asking. Wanted to know if it's something to jump on and if it can be repowered relatively easy.

I understand... I feel like I was getting excited before the deal.

 

[Duckie92]

I get why he was asking. Wanted to know if it's something to jump on and if it can be repowered relatively easy.

* She

 

[Kartorbust]

* She

Well then, I stand corrected.

 

[JollyKarter]

Man, that would be a hard call. The spider box runs...but it is a friggin pilot! That would be one to get your hands on, put it in the shed and start collecting parts to put it together right...

 

[Duckie92]

Guess the guy doesn't know what he has or doesnt wanna bother fixing it. Going to hopefully check it out tomorrow. Hopefully all it will need is the engine but will see and see what condition it's in. I think now it's a good trade since i already have a running two seater Baja and i've had the spiderbox for two years and never got it to run. Found this engine though. Wonder if it would be good to buy.

 

[Kartorbust]

Looks like that engine is missing most of the major components. That's always a good thing, when the person selling has no clue on what they have and you do.

 

[Duckie92]

Yeah it is and oh okay. I'll keep looking for engines then If i can make it look original but i'm going to see what condition it is in first.

 

[Duckie92]

How about this engine?

 

[Hellion]

How about this engine?

Looks water cooled. Gonna need a radiator and fan.

 

[Kartorbust]

Both can work. The first one you showed needs 2 carburetors, ignition coil or whatever they use, both the driver and driven clutches, expansion chamber and a few other things, judging by the picture alone.

The second one looks like it'll need the expansion chamber, driver and driven. The expansion chamber is a unique design exhaust pipe designed for two strokes for better power and efficiency. Not easy to make, as it requires a lot of math and the know-how, as well as metal fabrication skills.

Your honest best bet is looking for a snowmobile as a whole and transplant the engine and belt system onto the Pilot. That way you'll have everything you need. Though you still may need a different expansion chamber, that'll be the last thing you'd need.

 

[Ebrownie]

Look on Craigslist in your area. You may not be in a place with snowmobiles, but they can't be too far away. After a quick look in my area, something like these would be decent:

https://spokane.craigslist.org/snw/5995795073.html

https://spokane.craigslist.org/snw/6006205981.html

If you did decide to get a liquid engine from a snowmobile, I don't know how the cooling would work out. Liquid snomobiles have heat exchangers, which is basically a radiator but it uses the snow to cool it instead of air. So you would need to get a radiator instead of the heat exchangers.