GO KART ENGINES
Since Art Ingels first invented them in the 1950s, go-karts have permeated the world of motor racing in unprecedented ways. From children to adults, the go-kart continues to thrill many all over the world. It has become a popular sport and quite addictive once you have had a go at it. Go-Kart circuits have given rise to many renowned names like Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Sarah Fischer, and Tony Stewart.
The go-kart, also known by other names such as go cart and gearbox karts (depending on the design), is a miniature, four-wheeled vehicle, often designed for racing in small-scale circuits. The racing of go-karts, known as karting, is considered the preliminary level that paves way to the more advanced forms of motor sports, such as Formula 1 and the Indy Car Racing. As in many other types of motor sporting, the actual catch of the kart lies in its engine.
A simple go-kart comprises of a chassis, engine, seat, transmission, and four tires. There are two types of engines commonly used by karts, namely, 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines. The 2-stroke engine is the more advanced form, commonly used by companies such as Briggs & Stratton and Honda. The 4-stroke engine, on the other hand, is the standard type of engine often used on lawnmowers. There are also electric go-karts. These are normally powered by lead-acid batteries, which require constant charging for continued performance. As they are pollution free, emitting no smoke, they can be used indoors in a controlled environment. A fully charged electric go kart can perform up to 20minutes. This makes them a growing choice in amusement parks and fun centers. They have low operational and maintenance costs, devoid of fuel consumption. They are also easy to learn and run. The downside to this type, however, is that its engine batteries need constant recharging and their speeds are quite low.
The 4-stroke engines are low-powered engines with about 5-20 Horsepower (hp). Nonetheless, just because they are low-powered does not necessarily imply that they have low speeds; quite the opposite. On average, most of these types of engine go-karts reach speeds of up to 50mph (80km/hr).They are thus ideal for fun karting or beginning racers. In addition, some manufacturers such as Yamaha, TKM and Biland make 4-stroke engines that have been known to produce between 15hp and 48hp. They run up to 11,000-rpm (revolutions per minute).This type of engines are more suited for karting.
However, for faster speeds, the 2-stroke go-karts are most recommended. Less powered engines of this type generate about 8hp while, more powerful versions can produce up to 90hp and run about 16,000rpm. Some, like the super karts, can exceed speeds of 160mph (257kmh).
Another notable difference in these engines is the cooling systems. Older go-kart engines were cooled with air. However, as speeds increased, most of those engines became water-cooled. Some of the 4-stroke engines are still cooled with air but most go kart engines today are cooled with water.
In summary, whether you prefer a high-powered fast or the low-powered slower engine, there is always a variety from which to select from to suit your ideal preference.
JP
Part one of the go kart build i still need to do the steering and some other little tweaks
Here’s the time lapse from my how to DVD BUILD YOUR OWN GO KART. It’s the long version.
Got the steering done I used a c clamp for now to hook it up but, ill still weled it.
The Go Kart Guru goes into the questions that people ask about how to build a go kart. There are 9 ebooks, plus plans in the http://gokartguru.com/go_kart_building_bundle.php.
I have worked on this project for approx 5 months,the kart came to me in a right mess. The frame is a Pacer P900 which originally had a 5.5 Honda engine and cost £3.500 + vat.
Briggs 5hp motor
VINTAGE GO KART HOMELITE CHAINSAW ENGINES
a homemade go-cart with a snowblower for the drive i took the handle and the blower off of it and bolted it on this go-cart frame.
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