Pull starting

[Vince Rosanelli]

I can barley get a foot of rope out before it kicks and wants to rip it out of my hand.

Here is the timing write up from the Mac Manual...

[Jim Waltz]

I use a recoil starter on the mini bike with a 3-1/2 HP stock 580 West Bend (actually a NOS US Motors 580).

I also had a recoil starter on my 3-port V700 West Bend in high school, and never had trouble starting it.  But that was then.  This is now.

These days I don't much like using muscle power for starting engines.  That's what God made batteries and motors for.

Along those lines, I am attaching a printout from the old Forum on starters.  Besides Steve O'Hara's always-excellent discourse, it includes my discussion and photos of how to create a quickie conversion for a "plug in" starter to v-belt operation.

See attached.  I knew there was a reason I printed out lots of discussions from the old Forum......

[steveohara]

Thanks for the kind words Jim!
Considering we are talking about vintage karting where there are no rules to restrict what we do and the last bit of performance is not important I would recommend to anyone that wants to have their Mac engine set up with a recoil starter setup should add a compression release. It is easy to find the release valves that thread into the head or the side of the block. Heads that are already set up to receive the release valve are harder to find but modifying a standard head is pretty simple for any decent machinist. I use a 115cc Super Series fixed head saw motor on my KartStart and it is a piece of cake to start with the recoil as long as I don't forget to set the compression release in the correct position!
Steve O'Hara


I use a recoil starter on the mini bike with a 3-1/2 HP stock 580 West Bend (actually a NOS US Motors 580).

I also had a recoil starter on my 3-port V700 West Bend in high school, and never had trouble starting it.  But that was then.  This is now.

These days I don't much like using muscle power for starting engines.  That's what God made batteries and motors for.

Along those lines, I am attaching a printout from the old Forum on starters.  Besides Steve O'Hara's always-excellent discourse, it includes my discussion and photos of how to create a quickie conversion for a "plug in" starter to v-belt operation.

See attached.  I knew there was a reason I printed out lots of discussions from the old Forum......

[MARKTomasic]

Ok now I need a new condenser is there any way cross reference them. Like one I can pick up at a auto parts store?

[Paul Hunter]

I always rope started my mc100 when I was a teenager back in the 60's, it was the only way I knew how since I never got to an event to see the real world of karting. Cut a notch in a starter cup, wrapped a rope with a wooden handle. Tried it again a on the same engine a few years ago after sitting unused for about 45 yrs. Got it started but it was painful.

[Romero Llamas]

This was the solution I chose. BBT starter. Not cheap. But compact, Light weight. It has a tip for the Jim Donovan outer hex clutch nut.

http://www.bbtstarters.com/home1

http://www.bbtstarters.com/order

[Al Hasenfratz]

I pull started for a year or two. Finally figured out Mac's can be ornery. Sometimes light right up and purr like a kitten. Other times kick back and rip some meat off your fingers. Or refuse to run at all, until the race is half over. So, I fixed up a used starter, put a JW hex driver on it and it's worked out well.

[ted johnson]

Most of my buddies use a belt starter, but I will take my Coleman stick starter any day. Takes up less room in the trailer, too. TJ

[MARKTomasic]

Ok got it running one time. But it's flooding out whenever I try to start it. It's got gas dripping from exhaust and the plug is soaked in gas to. I rebuilt the carburetor and took it apart two times to check everything control levers flush with the floor of the metering chamber to. The only thing I didn't do is take the Welch plug out and clean underneath it.

[steve miller]

what kinda carb sir ..if its a small flat back set the arm .040 under flush ..try that .. mine all work good like that with low about 3/4 on final adjust and high 1 out final ..got to set carb when good and warm ..might be little lean when you fire it cold but I just hand choke it couple times till mine gets up to temp and calm,s down .. lol..