Trying to learn about engines

[Gerry]

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to learn about these kinds of engines and really have no idea where to start. Do any of you have any recommended reading I could check out? Also I'm trying to get my buddies gokart running and it has a predator engine. Currently it is spitting up some oil gas mix out of some broken part. Attached are some pictures.
Thanks for any help!

 

[Poboy kartman]

to the forum...you definitely came to the right place...I don't know if I want to say if it's misadjusted valve lash or timing issues...but that is my "knee jerk " reaction....what's "broken" has absolutely NOTHING to do with the problem, however, it's just an air filter...TOTALLY unnecessary for engine operating....ABSOLUTELY necessary for engine longevity.

Bear with us...we ARE here to help...(and if you wanna stick around...PICK ON EACH OTHER!)....But at the end of the day....as much as we have fun picking on on each other....that's really just killing time until we can help someone.

Think of it this way: we're bored fireman....sitting around the firehouse...when an actual "emergency" comes along...we will give our all to help
...a "false alarm "....well....doesn't make us happy....

BTW: None of this is directed at you personally, just something I thought needed to be said.....

It IS....HOWEVER....IMHO...not gonna be easy to diagnose this.
..

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

That "broken part" is the airbox. There should be an air filter and cover on that.

 

[Hellion]

Does it still run?

Or this is what happened the last time it ran?

 

[Gerry]

It still runs just blows smoke and kind of squirts out the mix

Thanks for the replies!

 

[bob58o]

Here is a good video series to watch. It can learn you a bunch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueG5dcE0EPc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP6cNHrFyAg

 

[Hellion]

On behalf of us more seasoned motorheads, thanks for posting these.

I'll leave this four stroke engine here.
Bonus points to the OP for calling out each stroke by name.

---------- Post added at 03:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:46 PM ----------

How much is it smoking?

 

[bob58o]

On behalf of us more seasoned motorheads, thanks for posting these.

I'll leave this four stroke engine here.
Bonus points to the OP for calling out each stroke by name.

---------- Post added at 03:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:46 PM ----------

How much is it smoking?

Here's the karting cheat sheet.
http://www.asos1.com/karting/

And some trouble shooting..
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/faqs/browse/engine-problem-solving-tips.html

 

[Hellion]

I might be leaning toward a blown head gasket that's making it smoke. The "blown" portion of the gasket may allow oil to escape the cylinder in the location of the carburetor, but looking at the photos... there's oil almost everywhere.

You're going to have to inspect the engine anyway, preferably with a good light source and if it will still run, try to locate the source of the smoke.

 

[rk970]

Does the oil in the crank case smell like gas?

 

[OzFab]

Unfortunately, hellion, your post is pointless here as, what you described only applies to water cooled engines with a pressurised lubrication system, a 212cc Predator is neither...

My 2 cents:

With the broken airbox, oil from the valve cover is not being recycled, its simply splashing everywhere; detatch the hose to the valve cover from what's left of the airbox & insert a small fuel filter in the end; the other hose connected to the airbox is the fuel tank breather; repeat the above process for that...

Now remove the entire airbox assembly & fit an adaptor & hi flow air filter; these can be found just about everywhere, simply google search "212 predator air filter & adaptor"...

 

[chancer]

I dont think that is a 212. Funny looking valve cover for a 212.
I also wonder if there is too much oil in it? It should not be blowing that much oil out of the valve cover breather.

 

[Gerry]

It says 346 cc on it

 

[bob58o]

It says 346 cc on it

That is the 11 HP version!
346cc
Greyhound
Harbor Freight 66492
http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/66000-66999/66492.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJLSZfpwgFs

 

[Hellion]

Unfortunately, hellion, your post is pointless here as, what you described only applies to water cooled engines with a pressurised lubrication system, a 212cc Predator is neither...

You might want to rethink that as small engines can indeed suffer a blown head gasket. It's just not as catastrophic or severe in nature as that of a water-cooled pressurized oil system. You simply clean it up, replace the gasket and you are basically back in business.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUN2z8yZvQM

 

[mckutzy]

what about valve lash? need to reset that... accordingly to the new head gasket....

 

[Poboy kartman]

Oh...well...what does Poboy know anyway?

 

[OzFab]

You might want to rethink that as small engines can indeed suffer a blown head gasket. It's just not as catastrophic or severe in nature as that of a water-cooled pressurized oil system. You simply clean it up, replace the gasket and you are basically back in business.

I never said small engines can't blow a head gasket, I was inferring that the symptoms don't fit the diagnosis; a small engine with a blown head gasket won't spew oil or blow smoke, it simply has low to no compression...

 

[rk970]

I was asking if the oil smelled like gas because a flooding carb (bad needle and seat) will slowly start to fill the crank case. The grossly over filled level will "blow" oil all over the engine.. If you pull the dipstick/fill and the oil comes gushing out it may be a problem.

 

[Hellion]

...a small engine with a blown head gasket won't spew oil or blow smoke, it simply has low to no compression...

Are you sure? Because I am. This is a fun argument I must confess.
There's more examples of this out there but one should be illustrative enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc0gfCdsw6Y