Trying This Out

[duane1969]

Hello all. My name is Duane and I am just getting into karting in my mid-40's.

This past summer I stumbled on a deal at a local pawn shop. The shop had taken two go karts in and he had set them out to sell. I got lucky and just got there before another guy who was pretty upset that I was buying them before he got there. Ultimately I bought them with my 11 year old son in mind.

One of the karts is a light duty retail one. Not sure of the make, I am thinking the sticker says something about blazing or something like that. It has a red frame, 3 or 4HP engine (can't recall what the HP is off the top of my head), single wheel drive. I guess you would class it as a fun kart? It runs pretty good, but needs some minor work to get it running solid. My son and I tinkered with it a bit to get it running and he rode it some over the summer, but it needs carb work and a new drive tire and has a small oil leak.

The other is not working right now. It is a racing frame. Larger diameter tubing, low sitting with wide alimunum rims and low-profile tires. It has a non-running 5HP B&S engine which I suspect may have been just stuck on it for selling purposes. It came with the carb and gas tank in a bag. I have not ventured into trying to get it running yet.

My son and I have decided that the karts are our winter project. We have moved them into the workshop and are going to spend our winter free time getting them running. The smaller retail one will just get a carb rebuild, a new set of gaskets to end the oil leak and some cosmetic upgrades and maybe a seatbelt or 3-point harness as he is nervous that he will come out of the kart on turns. The racing kart is going to be a full redo with new paint, a better seat, a 3 point harness, and the biggie...I am looking at a significant engine upgrade to possibly a 10HP engine but to be honest I am unsure if the expense is worth the effort as I see a lot of people seem to all be using a 5HP engine.

So there it is, the newbie intorduction. I am not a total newbie when it comes to engines as I worked for years as a mechanic for an Exxon station and rebuilding transmissions and still do a lot of my own repair work, so I know my way around a wrench, but karts are a new endeavor and should be fun.

 

[falcon52]

Sounds good man. We have several father-son teams popping up around here. I would say a 5 hp would be good to start out with and then you can always upgrade later on.. But anyway, welcome and post some pics!

 

[OzFab]

Sounds like a plan. You're probably best with what you have to start with until you get used to it then, I'm sure, you'll come up with something.

As for restraints in a go kart, that's not a good idea. The rule of thumb is if it has a cage it needs restraints. Your boy is worried about being thrown from the kart? Ask him if he'd prefer being trapped under it.... Pardon me for being blunt but, that's pretty much the situation.

 

[souperman000]

with the seat belts thing. The karts safety feature is getting thrown out in a roll over.

to the forum.

 

[landuse]

to the forum. I agree with the other guys about not having restraints if you are cageless. It is just safer that way. If your son is worried about slipping out his seat on turns, it would be better to get a bucket seat that holds you in more.

Post some pics of your karts so that we can see what you have.

I love the father and son project thing...

 

[duane1969]

Good point about the seatbelt thing. I hadn't considered the possibility of being trapped under the kart in a rollover. The seat that is in it now is a low-sided bucket. I am thinking that maybe a seat that has some sort of extensions up around the shoulder area that prevents leaning will make him more comfortable.

My only hesitation in getting the 5HP B&S running versus buying a new engine is cost verus reward. I am most likely going to have to buy a new carb ($125?) and the gas tank might be trash so that will most likely need replaced as well ($30 or more?). I have been eyeballing some engines like this new 8HP Briggs that can be had for under $300 including tax and shipping. http://www.brandnewengines.com/12A116-0141.aspx

I forgot to mention that I picked up both karts for a cool $300. I will try and get some pics up this evening.

 

[OzFab]

Wow, $125 for a carb? That seems a bit steep. There are thousands of those engines out there, I'm sure someone will have a spare carb laying around. Also, unless the carb itself it trash, you should only need a rebuild kit (but, I suppose, you know what you're talking about )

That engine looks like a sweet deal 8hp from a stock 205cc At that price, I want one too

 

[jamyers]

I'd bet money that's NOT an 8-hp engine. Maybe 8 ft-lbs of torque, but if they're getting 8hp out of 200cc's stock rpm then Briggs has suddenly taken the world by surprise.


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[DeathStarr89]

It's 8 ft-lbs which is still really good for a go kart, guesstimating 6 HP or so.

I had a slightly upgraded 5 HP flathead on my race kart, got us around pretty well last summer. i'm roughly 180 lbs + the weight of the kart and we didn't have any problems. Wasn't enough engine to do any blazing donuts or drifting around turns but it flew on flat roads.


Check Ebay or Craigslist, you can score good engines for super cheap all the time. I got my Raptor 3 for $50 and it was freshly rebuilt.

 

[duane1969]

Wow, $125 for a carb? That seems a bit steep. There are thousands of those engines out there, I'm sure someone will have a spare carb laying around. Also, unless the carb itself it trash, you should only need a rebuild kit (but, I suppose, you know what you're talking about )

That engine looks like a sweet deal 8hp from a stock 205cc At that price, I want one too

Unfortunately I live in farm country in WV and there are several local DIY lawn mower repair guys that snatch up every junk riding and push mower that they can get their greedy little hands on. Net result is that finding used engines or parts is nearly impossible.

$125 is ballpark for the new ones that I have found. I pulled the carb apart and it was in pretty bad shape. I have never rebuilt one and it looks pretty basic so I might give it a whirl before buying a new carb. Part of my motivation in considering a new engine is I have no idea what is waiting inside of the crankcase for me. When I bought the kart the carb was off and the spark plug was gone, so I fear rust and God knows what else is what I am going to find.

On the flip side, the one guy that does the lawn mower repair has a nice stockpile of engines. I may have to give him a ring and see if he has any recently rebuilt engines that he would take the 5HP on trade for. Might be able to get a newly rebuilt 8HP engine for trade and $100-$150.

I'd bet money that's NOT an 8-hp engine. Maybe 8 ft-lbs of torque, but if they're getting 8hp out of 200cc's stock rpm then Briggs has suddenly taken the world by surprise.


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Yeah I need to get better reading glasses LOL. 8 Torque Power qhich equates (according to them) to 5-7HP.

It's 8 ft-lbs which is still really good for a go kart, guesstimating 6 HP or so.

I had a slightly upgraded 5 HP flathead on my race kart, got us around pretty well last summer. i'm roughly 180 lbs + the weight of the kart and we didn't have any problems. Wasn't enough engine to do any blazing donuts or drifting around turns but it flew on flat roads.

Check Ebay or Craigslist, you can score good engines for super cheap all the time. I got my Raptor 3 for $50 and it was freshly rebuilt.

Thanks for the eBay tip. I did some looking and found a few prospects there.

 

[duane1969]

Well, I already found a new carb for less than $125 LOL. $92+S&H is getting better. http://www.smallenginesuppliers.com/shop/html/pages/products/Briggs_Stratton_Carburetors3151.html

I also finally took some pics although they are not the greatest as I hadn't turned on the juice to the workshop and had to rely on my cell phone camera flash to do the job. Anyway, here is what $300 got me.

First pic is of the retail kart. Turns out it says Renegade on the splash sticker, not Blazing. This is the one that runs. Engine is a 3.5HP B&S.

And the "racer". Not really a true racing kart, just more sporty looking than the other one. Maybe someone here can fill me in on a possible manufacturer of the frame or if it is most likely a custom made one?

 

[jamyers]

Almost hate to say it, but instead of spending over $75 on a carb for an unknown engine of dubious history, I'd consider spending $99 on a new HF Predator 6hp.


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[jamyers]

Then again, maybe a good lemon-juice boiling would make the old carb like new again...


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[duane1969]

Almost hate to say it, but instead of spending over $75 on a carb for an unknown engine of dubious history, I'd consider spending $99 on a new HF Predator 6hp.


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Yeah that is pretty much what I am thinking. I hate the thought of buying a carb and gas tank and then discovering the engine will need a rebuild when I could have just bought an engine to replace it for less.

 

[OzFab]

I don't usually advocate the "throw away" mentality but, in this case I think I may have to. As you said, you have no idea what lies beneath

 

[duane1969]

Yeah I figure worse case scenario I could buy a new/rebuilt engine and then in my spare time tear down the old 5HP and see what lies inside and either rebuild it, get it back to running condition or declare it DOA and send it to recycling.

I am thinking that if I end up getting the old 5HP running then I could swap it out with the 3.5HP on the retail kart and boost it's performance a bit and then have the 3.5HP for emergency back-up.

 

[OzFab]

Now that sound like a plan

 

[jamyers]

Yup, good ol' DIY thinking!

 

[duane1969]

Alrighty! Here is where I stand now.

I bought a used 5HP Tecumseh HS50 off of eBay. If the listing was accurate and the seller was honest then I probably came out ahead. Seller says it was on a snowblower and was well maintained. Is already set up with a flywheel and slotted fan housing for an electric start. He said it starts easy and runs well at all speeds with no issues. I picked it up for just under $125 delivered. According to the UPS site it is out for delivery right now so hopefully when I get home from work it will be waiting on me.

I also have found a rebuild kit for the existing B&S 5hp that is currently on the kart. If I need to do a rebuild the kit is only $58 so that is no biggie. I have sent feelers out to a few of the lawnmower rebuild guys looking for a quality carb at a discount price. Hope to hear back from one of them soon. Worst case scenario I can buy a rebuild kit for the one I have for around $12 and try to bring it back to life before buying a new one. The wife is out of town tonight so this seems like a good time to do a lemon juice boil and clean up the housing

So, I am headed over to the project forum to start a thread and document our fun as my son and I venture into this build/rebuild.

- Duane