05-27-2020, 08:23 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-02-2020, 12:05 AM by Terry Bentley.)
Chapter 39
We spent most of the night just bench racing. Something we are better at doing since neither of us have yet to be in a real race. But that time is coming. Hopefully sooner than later. We have the basics. Just a little more work and maybe a trial run on the kart. Then is could happen for real.
We continued discussing about how much work should be done to the Clinton. I had already thoroughly read the article in Karting World. Steve was mulling over the pages while I was unbolting the engine from the Cates kart. We had not even bothered looking over the engine much since this project started. It didnt look damaged, and was running great when the incident took place, so put it aside until the kart was a roller again. Considering the kart was a complete total disaster, all of our focus was on repairing the frame. A motor is more or less useless without something to bolt it on to.
After more arguments pro and con about modding the Clinton, we both agreed it would be wise to at least tear the engine down and check everything over very closely. It would not make sense to fire the motor up and just hope for the best. That could be an expensive mistake. I had been covered top to bottom with sand after that little spill. Along with a head full of sawdust too. No reason to think the motor didnt ingest something. There is no air filter on the carburetor anyway. So it would not take a rocket scientist to come up with a fairly cut and clear hypothesis.
First thing we do is clean out a spot on the work bench. With the motor already removed from kart I set it up on the bench. Steve digs thru the toolbox for a 7/16 wrench to remove the carburetor. I grab the carb immediately after he set it down and flip over to see what model number is stamped on the flange. Hmm, it is HL 115A. Looks to be fairly new. The throttle shaft is good and tight, nice!
The motor is very dirty and covered in a layer of grime from obvious usage as a loaner kart. I doubt it had been off in a while. It got a trip to the parts cleaner. Well, the parts cleaner was nothing more than a 5 gallon bucket cut in half filled with white gas. The sharp edge was rolled over so you wouldnt cut yourself. An old left over paint brush from my grandfathers house was nearly used up from the cleaning I had done the last couple of years.
While Steve is busy removing the stuffer, I go ahead and tear this carburetor apart. I could not just leave it alone. That is not in my blood to do so. I already have a few different Tillotson carburetors. Mostly chainsaws tho. Definitely want to compare this one to the others.
First thing Steve does is whistle in surprise. After removing layers of dirt, he is looking and realizes the intake manifold is actually a Palmini with Go-Power pyramid reed. This is way cool. Already have some awesome stuff that does major league improvements over the stock parts. Then Steve shows me the grit and sand in the reeds too. Uh-oh, not good.
Steve pulls out the reed assembly, then makes a sigh of relief. That was a close one. Looks like nothing made it thru to the crankcase. I tell Steve to flip around the engine and take a good look at the spark plug. He notices the porcelain is broken. OK it makes sense now. Well, this is probably what saved the engine. At least you were smart enough to crash on the engine side before dragging kart thru a sand pile.
So you wanna see what a real racing rod looks like? Steve had removed the stuffer and set it aside on work bench. With the grime cleaned off now, I had all my attention focused on it. That is until my eyes panned around to him pointing at the Bug Engineering connecting rod inside crankcase. Wow that is super cool. Cant wait to get it apart and look closer.
Steve then says this doesnt look good. Is it possible that the crankshaft might have been broken and repaired? Because I can see there are welded sections on the crankshaft. Mostly it looks like that on the counterweights. Huh? What are you talking about? You dont weld those cranks back together. That is a guaranteed disaster just waiting to happen. OK then what is this, mister thinks-he knowsitall?
We spent most of the night just bench racing. Something we are better at doing since neither of us have yet to be in a real race. But that time is coming. Hopefully sooner than later. We have the basics. Just a little more work and maybe a trial run on the kart. Then is could happen for real.
We continued discussing about how much work should be done to the Clinton. I had already thoroughly read the article in Karting World. Steve was mulling over the pages while I was unbolting the engine from the Cates kart. We had not even bothered looking over the engine much since this project started. It didnt look damaged, and was running great when the incident took place, so put it aside until the kart was a roller again. Considering the kart was a complete total disaster, all of our focus was on repairing the frame. A motor is more or less useless without something to bolt it on to.
After more arguments pro and con about modding the Clinton, we both agreed it would be wise to at least tear the engine down and check everything over very closely. It would not make sense to fire the motor up and just hope for the best. That could be an expensive mistake. I had been covered top to bottom with sand after that little spill. Along with a head full of sawdust too. No reason to think the motor didnt ingest something. There is no air filter on the carburetor anyway. So it would not take a rocket scientist to come up with a fairly cut and clear hypothesis.
First thing we do is clean out a spot on the work bench. With the motor already removed from kart I set it up on the bench. Steve digs thru the toolbox for a 7/16 wrench to remove the carburetor. I grab the carb immediately after he set it down and flip over to see what model number is stamped on the flange. Hmm, it is HL 115A. Looks to be fairly new. The throttle shaft is good and tight, nice!
The motor is very dirty and covered in a layer of grime from obvious usage as a loaner kart. I doubt it had been off in a while. It got a trip to the parts cleaner. Well, the parts cleaner was nothing more than a 5 gallon bucket cut in half filled with white gas. The sharp edge was rolled over so you wouldnt cut yourself. An old left over paint brush from my grandfathers house was nearly used up from the cleaning I had done the last couple of years.
While Steve is busy removing the stuffer, I go ahead and tear this carburetor apart. I could not just leave it alone. That is not in my blood to do so. I already have a few different Tillotson carburetors. Mostly chainsaws tho. Definitely want to compare this one to the others.
First thing Steve does is whistle in surprise. After removing layers of dirt, he is looking and realizes the intake manifold is actually a Palmini with Go-Power pyramid reed. This is way cool. Already have some awesome stuff that does major league improvements over the stock parts. Then Steve shows me the grit and sand in the reeds too. Uh-oh, not good.
Steve pulls out the reed assembly, then makes a sigh of relief. That was a close one. Looks like nothing made it thru to the crankcase. I tell Steve to flip around the engine and take a good look at the spark plug. He notices the porcelain is broken. OK it makes sense now. Well, this is probably what saved the engine. At least you were smart enough to crash on the engine side before dragging kart thru a sand pile.
So you wanna see what a real racing rod looks like? Steve had removed the stuffer and set it aside on work bench. With the grime cleaned off now, I had all my attention focused on it. That is until my eyes panned around to him pointing at the Bug Engineering connecting rod inside crankcase. Wow that is super cool. Cant wait to get it apart and look closer.
Steve then says this doesnt look good. Is it possible that the crankshaft might have been broken and repaired? Because I can see there are welded sections on the crankshaft. Mostly it looks like that on the counterweights. Huh? What are you talking about? You dont weld those cranks back together. That is a guaranteed disaster just waiting to happen. OK then what is this, mister thinks-he knowsitall?