West Bend 820 Questions

[karl]

Hello, My brother received a brand new, old stock motor from a co-worker.

It is complete other that a crank bearing, and engine covers.

I had a few questions, how do you tell who manufactured it?

Chrysler, US motor?

And are the parts interchangeable between them?

Also, what kind of carburetor does this engine deserve?

Thanks for reading, cant wait to smell the castor oil!

 

[TRACKER007]

West Bend was/is an appliance company.They built 2 cycle blower motors for fighter bombers in WW2.The West Bend 580.There were tons of them around in war surplus along with other neat stuff that old timers used to build the first Karts.I dont know if Chrysler owns the company now.There are probably millions of West Bend coffee pots around the world.
It came with a Tillotson diaphram carb,most guys used two,I believe you could run as many as four.For a while the 580 was the only Kart motor used(in racing),until Mucculloch came out with the MC5.Then West Bend came out with the bigger 750.In the mid or late 60's West Bend came out with a totally new design,the 610(i had one) and the larger 820.The 820 was the El Cid of the C Open class for a long time.Guys ran two of them,I saw a Kart with three.I think someone kept manufacturing the 820 style engine after West Bend got out of Karting.Some 610 parts were interchangable with the 820.I hope this info is correct,i'm 70 with a questionable memory(Laughing !).You might luck out on this website http://www.2040-parts.com/........but the prices for this stuff is insane.Well thanks for the trip down memory lane.I think my MOJO is running now,and I can go downstairs to the shop and work on the Kid's Drift Trike.

 

[karl]

West Bend was/is an appliance company

I appreciate the response. Great info, pleased to inspire.

Idk what you view this site with, but you should be able to zoom in and read it all.
Or download them, and use whatever to do so.

I found an old chainsaw service manual that covers the 610/820. It may help your efforts. We still have the motor, waiting for the right time.

 

[TRACKER007]

Thank You Karl ;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bend_Company

Oddjob Motors - West Bend Outboards antique outboards, mopeds, cars

A site for antique outboards, mopeds, and cars

oddjobmotors.net

 

[itsid]

for all I know US Motor is still alive (and selling new 820s)
and IIRC they use the 'original' style.. nothing dimensionally changed, nothing was cheaped out on...
so all parts should fit an original westbend.
IDK about the inbetweens (chrysler ...and brunswick?)
WestBend had a makers mark on the crank case and IIRC Chrysler put it's five pointed pointlessness on it too;
IDK about brunswick

and I think US motor just swapped the numbering system so each serial started with US
but I am not sure

Anyways, you can still buy the missing parts new (not for cheap.. but it's well worth completing that engine)
talking about the engine... I think it's a revived block tbh.
it's been sandblasted (and the internal threads have been too)
the blocks only saw a tumbler at the factory and leave a different finish on the parts
the imperfection on the fins looks like the result of corrosion more than of an imperfect cast.
But the lining appears to be fresh (I wonder about the ports tbh since they look a bit... uhm....'rough')
someone turned that poor thing over w/o the crank bearing and that left those marks..
I hope they're as minor as they appear to be.

With all that said:
great engine, very well worth your while!
contact US Motor and they will certainly help you putting it all back together.

and with some vintage part hunting (GEM scoop intake and exhaust deflector [calling it a muffler would be kindof a stretch ])
and a bit of love and elbowgrease it will be just awesome on any vintage racing kart.

'sid

 

[karl]

Great sid, that helps a ton.

Ill look closer later, but this is all I found on the crankcase.

 

[rockman96]

Might give them a call.

System Error Message

 

[courts94s]

I just wanted to update the thread, in case it pops up on someone’s Google search. Parts are available here: www.PowerBeeEngine.com

 

[JimD]

Most of the 820 had a step crank. The one in your picture looks to be a straight crank. Measure the crankshaft size and let me know if it is 3/4" or 9/16" that will tell me a little more so the info will be correct.

 

[karl]

3/4 straight. I did get a bearing I needed and a gasket set, ill put it together eventually

 

[JimD]

Do you plan on putting on a go-kart or a mini-bike? Are the threads on the end of the crank right hand or left hand? I have one that is right hand threads that takes a 5/16- 24 bolt but have been told that a some of the new ones are left hand thread. Tuff finding a fine thread left hand bolt but Ryan Courts has them. If you are racing it on a go kart, engagement we normally set them at is 5,000 for the clutch so you don't bog the engine down coming out of the corners. You would not need it this high on a mini-bike since you are only turning a single wheel.