snowmobile engine in a go-kart.

[SCUMFROG]

I'm thinking of building a go-kart this summer with my son. I have found several kits online that I can buy and weld together. My question is could I use a liquid cooled snowmobile engine in it without it overheating and blowing up?

[Muskie_Man]

yes you can but it takes some work!!

Need a small radiator,fan and temp guage. all in clean air while driving it.

[SCUMFROG]

I'm going to try and use as much of the sled's parts as I can. Like drive line and stuff like that... I'm just not sure of what size I'm going to need.. I'm thinking 600-700cc.

[IFallsRon]

LMAO at 700 cc. You'll be able to run Indy with that.

I've had too many near-death experiences with just a couple of B&S horses.

[SCUMFROG]

yeah now that I've thought about it that does sound like a lot. But I want it to go fast.

[Whoaru99]

Just be sure the brakes are up to the task - it's kind of nice to be able to stop fast sometimes too.

[Black_Bay]

Quote:

---

I'm going to try and use as much of the sled's parts as I can. Like drive line and stuff like that... I'm just not sure of what size I'm going to need.. I'm thinking 600-700cc.

---

OMG that thing will fly!!! Not the best idea in my mind. You'll need one heck of a radiator to keep a 600 or 700 cool not to mention the problems clutching it, piping it and jetting it.

A friend of mine has 3 or 4 karts his kids race and with just a 5 hp Briggs they do 50+ mph on a 1/8th mile track. The open karts the adults run are even faster. Out in the open I bet these karts would run 70+. I'd go the Briggs route instead of a sled motor. Much less work, probably cheaper, and safer since you can use restrictor plates in the carbs to slow them. I believe my friend might have one of the karts available. If you're interested let me know and I'll get the info for you.

[SCUMFROG]

I had a kart when I was a kid that had no brakes and no throttle. We made it run full blast. You had to put it up on a block to start it and then rock it off it and you were gone. The best thing was shutting it off, you had to reach around and ground the spark plug to the motor housing with this piece of metal. Some times you got grounded,

[PierBridge]

Too many variables.......not going to happen.......try a Honda or B&S......

Good Luck!

[JollyT]

SCCA has an open wheel class called formula 500. It uses a 500cc engine. This is a spec road racing class. Google "formula 500" and see what you're trying to build!

[MuskieJunkie]

When I was growing up my freinds dad built one with a 250cc polaris air cooled snowmobile engine. It was pretty big, almost a small dune buggy and it flew, you could wheelie with it and almost flip it over backwards with that much power and that was only a 250.

[brian6715]

I saw a Go-kart for sale in an online classified that had a Yamaha R6 Crotch Rocket engine. The R6's have well over 100 hp, and this thing has the cone air intakes above the drivers head so think of the air that thing would be able to get! Talk about crazy

[hawkeye43]

I built one in high school 30 years ago. I had a 340 liquid cooled on it. I put a stop on the gas when a friend clock it in a car at 81 mph. Low center of gravity and a wide stance is the only thing that saved me from death. The corners we could turn at speeds were unreal, very fast. I lived in town at the time and would go around the block to test drive it and a few times the cops knew where to look me up. It was a lot of fun building, but wished I had a better place for test driving. I always wanted to build a cart with a dirt bike 250 cc with a 5 or 6 speed, now I know what could happen and get scared.

[SCUMFROG]

It'll happen alright PB, might not get it done this summer, but I'll get it built.. It'll be like a sand rail if you guys know what that is.. The snowmobile engine is just a thought, I might change it to a motorcycle engine. I've seen them both and it is possible.

[jiggin 4 fun]

Scum frog,

I'd go for it

My brother and I shoe horned a 750cc motor out of

a 96 suzuki katana (crotch rocket) into his 96 polaris

trail blazer (4-wheeler) and it's a riot. Not really a

kid machine as the gearing is the same as the bike was.

120+

Alot of "beefing up" was also done for mechanical safty

good luck with your project and have fun with it

[SCUMFROG]

jiggin 4 fun that sounds sweet.....

What's that thing like in the mud?

[jiggin 4 fun]

not to good being its only 2wd

and we lost about 1 1/2 - 2 inches of ground clearence

but she screeeaaaaaaams down the road

the next step is to licence it for the road

by putting the swing arm and tire from the bike on

the back of the wheeler

(licence it as a motorcycle with a sidecar)

D.O.T tires ,blinkers ect.

[SCUMFROG]

HA-HA sweet..

there's a place in stillwater that sells smashed up wheelers, motorcycles, sleds and other toys.. you might want to check it out...

[jiggin 4 fun]

We've still got the donar bike with all

the parts we should need but ya never know

what's the name of the place??

[SCUMFROG]

crashedtoys

d

o

t

c

o

m

[jiggin 4 fun]

Thanks

keep us posted on your progress

also search around on the net

for plans on small sand rails

there are some really cool plans out there

that take quite a bit of H.P.

[JustinG]

I built a kart my senior year in high school. It had a twin cylinder Polaris 340 snowmobile engine in it. I used the primary and seconday clutches and aligned them just right on my own custom-built frame. I then switched the double-roller chain sprocket on the secondary to a single roller that way the chain could power the rear axle. It had extremely small tires on it, 10 inches in rear and 8 inches up front. It also had ape-hanger style handlebars instead of a steering wheel. It looked and sounded great! My neighbors thought the world was coming to an end! My dad clocked me in his pickup at 65 mph and I was still pulling away from him-I am sure that thing would do over 70 mph. I ended up crashing it into a Dodge pickup- I am so lucky to be alive and that is no joke!

Justin

[Black_Bay]

Hey Scumfrog you do realize when you get this done we all want to drive it right?

[nytelyter]

we did one with a honda 350 bike motor had all the shifter gear and hydro brake assys it was a nice running rig had knobby 25s in the back and 13 inch lawn mower tires in the front and we would run the river bottoms with it. ... paul

[SCUMFROG]

Hey, if you guys want to ride it you sure can.. But you assume all liability for your injuries.