Cab: You seem to like to tinker. I say just find an old motorcycle for cheap that someone has parked out behind a shed.

Use the engine to repower. Ideally, an aircooled 250 to 450 single or twin with electric start. Fab up engine mounts and shift linkage. You could have a simple drive system of one chain and your choice of sprockets to go with a 5 speed trans........Might have to add a fuel pump?.....The sky is the limit...

Yeah... I like to play around with stuff a bit. I was talking with my brother about this thing and his suggestion was to go out and get a job to eat up this free time I have. Us self employed people apparently have too much time on our hands ??

I hear you Cab, we camp a lot and the "thought" was the XP1000 would be safer with the roll bar and seat belts than the 4 wheelers we have been riding for years.

Of course that picture was from its maiden voyage out to play in the snow a few years ago. It has been upgraded, broken parts replaced, and been a lot of fun. I use it hunting as well, we strap a couple spoon cases in the back to go deeper into the back country.

Went to a shorter/tighter belt... no improvement in top end but a definite improvement in throttle response. Installing a 10 tooth sprocket on the jackshaft with the driven pulley to change final ratio to 8:1 to see if I can pull more RPM out of it. Will let everyone know how that all pans out. Might not happen till Sunday though. With rain tonight I have to get out deer hunting sometime tomorrow!

Let us know
...

Got delayed today. Between hunting and customers coming in I didn't get a chance to work on the kart. I found the sprocket side of the reverse gearbox was a bit loose but for the life of me I can't figure out how it comes off. I'm hoping to get the reverse gearbox off tomorrow and tightened up and then on with the 10t sprocket and a test ride. Will let everyone know how it goes if/when I get it all back together.

:mad::mad::mad:
I think that about sums up my experience for the day.

I didn't consider the size of the 10T sprocket vs the 12T sprocket. The 12T was larger than the diameter of the jackshaft housing. The 10T is slightly smaller which means I need to have a spacer to give the chain room between the jackshaft housing and the sprocket itself or the chain will hit the jackshaft housing! I should have changed the sprocket on the rear jackshaft!!! Oh well... live and learn.

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

Yes! one more angry face than the last time. I put a 10 tooth sprocket that is centered on the hub on the front jackshaft, moved the rear sprocket over to align with the front, moved the driver pulley to the left to give clearance for the chain being moved left, aligned the driven pulley, took it out and ran it... still no joy when running in a field. I did slightly build RPM but still didn't approach 4000 rpm.. In the words of Jeremy Clarkson... POWA!
I need more power. I think the engine just doesn't have the power and torque to build RPM when out in a field.

Have you checked the torque cam to make sure it isn't loose?

Not sure I'm following you.

The torque cam on the other pulley. It lets the pulley system go to "top gear" then there is no torque on the drivetrain but when you are hard on the gas it lets the system go to a lower overall ratio.

Again, I am assuming this is similar to a CVT in a snowmobile or other machine and not a simple centrifugal clutch like the cheap rental karts that lock up immediately when you get on the gas.

I follow you and yes, I have checked to make sure both the drive and driven are working as they should. The only thing I'm debating is trying to stiffen the spring to see if I can delay the driven going into full open or "overdrive" until higher in the rpm range.

Just to update: I found a Lifan 420CC with electric start at Home Depot for $299 delivered. They practically made me buy it! There are loads of power adders for this engine if I want to go that route but for now I'm going to leave it stock until I have put a few tanks of gas through for break in. It should be interesting to see what the gearing change does with this engine. I'm hoping I don't have to go back to the 14T sprocket on the driven due to a lack of top end... we shall see!

Weight affects acceleration but not top speed so much.
It could take you longer to get to top speed but you should still top out faster.

Have you done a compression check?

Remember, 90% of all induction problems are ignition-related ;)




Or was that the other way around ....

I think it boils down to I was getting as much as I possibly could out of my 9 hp engine. I just don't think it had enough oomph to overcome the friction and weight of the Kart. I picked up the 420CC engine hoping the additional HP and Torque will get me over the hump figuratively and literally.

Kool, sounds like a blast.

aka a honda clone [china direct copy of the honda]
so lots of aftermarket parts like valve springs rods cams to get MORE POWER
but doNOT over rev it stock 4k is the limit before mods
you can get them to live at 6k and make a lot more power
but that requires the springs rods ect