09-12-2022, 09:17 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-13-2022, 01:24 AM by Terry Bentley.)
Chapter 117
As I was about to call it a night, my hand was already reaching for the light switch in the garage. My eyes kept focused on the chainsaw now proudly sitting on the shelf. I have no doubts of getting it to run. But the time to tear it apart and fix is more than I really want to commit to right now. Sure it would be cool to chop down the dead tree in the back yard. Then turn it into cookie slices. But....
I pulled my hand away from the wall and opened back up the garage door to get a breeze flowing thru. I had a very long day, but it was not so late that I could not get something done constructive in the way of our kart engines. I was thinking if my dad had taken me to the kart track just one year earlier, then maybe we would be already racing and very competitive by now. But realistically, my ability to do this work so far was accelerated only after the accident.
If I had not taken Mr Cates up on his offer last spring during break, it would not be very likely we would have anything running or even acquired by now. But by finally getting enough nerve to take those first laps, nothing like what happened after the crash would have taken place at all. I am nearly positive without that one mishap, neither me nor Steve would have fast tracked so quickly and be this close to racing. That is considering we had nothing before that first visit to the track.
It took all spring, then hard core working thru the summer just to manage repairing and copying the original Cates kart. Now we have both of them running very well and handling like a dream. Well, with the new tires from Chris, my kart will again be driving like Steves kart already does. Those old Tex-Con tires were just too worn out, and I didnt have enough money saved up yet to replace them.
If we did not finally get that first race behind us right before school started, I would have never met up with Chris. Then not having the opportunity to do the upgrades on his kart. If not for the crash, I would have not stopped in at the Gasset fix-it shop either. Without that one day stopping in after shopping with my mom, all of those junk engines would not be sitting here all over the garage floor.
Is this just coincidence that everything fell into place the way it did? Most of the projects me and Steve find ourselves involved in usually starts out this way. We find something thrown away then drag it home to tinker with. But it usually needs some parts, so the project get sidelined until another piece of junk makes its way here. Then we find the parts needed from the other non-running whatevers that show up and eventually get one project finished.
Most of the time we manage to resurrect older mowers, edgers, a couple of tillers, bicycles, and even a chainsaw ocassionally like I now have sitting above my head on the shelf. So many things we have put time into then bringing them back to life and useful again. A lot of things have been sold. Some of these projects have been sacrificed, just to learn more about how things work or dont work, or even used as a chance for one of us to blow off some steam.
With some time left tonight, I decided to make an attempt at finishing out something that is holding me up getting the engines finished. While looking around, I found my eyes focused once again on those intake manifolds. After initially getting the adapter pieces machined out in shop class before school, I ran into some complications that really were not that difficult to work out. It just took time. Time I seem to be finding less of every day.
I ended up second guessing myself over what I thought was originally going to be the spacers needed to adapt the Go-Power six petal reed cages to work on the stock intake manifolds. I got mostly finished and hit a snag. But it was not anything as complicated as I first made it out to be. But got sidetracked on other things at the same time. Then working all day today put the brakes on making some more headway.
So tonight would be perfect if sticking strictly to finishing out these manifolds. No other distractions to keep that from happening either. I have one Mountain Dew left in the fridge and should be some M&M's in there too. I like to eat them nice and cold. So first I take time for a good sugar fix, then make some progress tonight.
OK, a few hours has passed and now is very late. I need to call it quits since my brain is about ready to shut down. But I wanted to follow up here in the journal while fresh in my mind what I did manage to get done tonight. At first I kept getting side tracked, like usual, thinking about other things that might help out, but stopped in time before my hands took over. Some nights out here they take over and I cant stop whatever my hands want to do.
After I finished up with the modifications to a stock intake manifold, now thinking if this much time was really worth saving the ten dollars it would cost just to buy a new Palmini or Go-Power manifold instead. My grandfather always harps on how valuable experience is and you cant put a price on a real education. So I am thinking I got more than ten bucks worth of an education and experience adapting this manifold over to use the new parts on.
The next question is will it work anywhere near as good compared to the aftermarket ones? That is something I will find out sooner now since the manifold is finally finished. Originally I had planned to rotate the carburetor slightly so the low speed needle is easier to access. But it was not until I did a trial fit the other day did realize it was not necessary to even do that. So scratch the first adapter. It will still work, bit I dont plan to use it on one of our main engines right now.
On the second adapter, I went ahead and finished it out like was originally planned before second guessing myself and making changes without confirming everything first. I made some assumptions that turned out not to be as I thought. Just from thinking it thru too much in my head. But that is what my brain does sometimes when I do think too much. Maybe just over analyzing things without actual hands on the parts in question at the time.
One day in Algebra class, my brain shut down on the equations. I wanted to beat my head against the chalk board. Why is that stuff so impossible for me to figure out? So instead of focusing on the problem in class, like I should have done, my brain went on vacation and started working out problems on the manifold. That is when I realized a potential problem. But it was so easy to resolve that problem right then. I worked out all of the bugs in my head and really proud of myself too.
So when the two spacers were machined out, I had already worked out the problems going forward, just in case there was a problem. Since I didnt bother confirming if I even had a problem yet or not. But if I did, it was already resolved. Why cant Algebra work out this easily? Except the problem wasnt worked out since there was not a problem to begin with. So applying this same strategy on my Algebra would still end up with the wrong answer.
After Steve drilled out and counterbored the first spacer is when I realized none of the problems existed, so wasted all of that time and have a spacer not exactly like was originally planned or wanted. But it will still work just fine. Only slightly more complicated than needs to be.
On this second spacer I spent a lot of time checking and rechecking everything to make sure I didnt stumble into something unforeseen. Before finalizing it, I checked everything over again and again. This time there would be no surprises to work around. I have to admit it turned out so much better than I had first planned.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=5079]](https://www.vintagekartforum.com/attachment.php?aid=5079)
manifold with new carb adapter
On this adapter I went ahead and finished it out removing all unnecessary material. Cutting this to match the reed assembly took like forever, but well worth the results. So one carburetor adapter is now finished and ready to put to use. I needed longer studs using this adapter, so decided to use a couple of 2 inch long 1/4-20 bolts and just cut the heads off. Then used a die and cut the fine threads on that end. Everything worked out great.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=5080]](https://www.vintagekartforum.com/attachment.php?aid=5080)
modified manifold and stock manifold
You can see how much work was done to grind out the passage. The first stock manifold I already did this to is one that got scrapped when too much material had already been removed when trying to fit the chainsaw reed petals. I spent a lot of time with the Dremel to get so much aluminum ground out. But there is still plenty of meat around the opening. I sure like seeing the results and hoping it will be just as impressive out on the track. Time will tell. Our next practice day has to be getting closer every time I make progress on the engines like this.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=5081]](https://www.vintagekartforum.com/attachment.php?aid=5081)
manifold adapters
Not much difference in these two adapters except the outside material removed. I can still use the first one without rotating the carburetor by filling in the counterbored holes with Devcon Epoxy and redrilling. That is if I decide not to rotate the carburetor on one engine. Still not sure if it is worth the extra work to do this now.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=5082]](https://www.vintagekartforum.com/attachment.php?aid=5082)
manifolds Palmini and modified
Finally the finished product. You see the stock manifold opening is smaller than the Palmini. Also using the six petal reed does not need an opening so big. I am now more confident that this adapter will work reasonably close to the hotrod parts sold in the magazines.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=5084]](https://www.vintagekartforum.com/attachment.php?aid=5084)
manifolds with Tillotson carburetors
This has got to be my most favorite picture to add in my journal tonight. On the left is the Palmini manifold with a Tillotson HL-93A. This carburetor was found in the pile of junk we worked all day for from Gasset. Originally it came on a McCulloch MC6 and then as a replacement for the MC5 and MC 10 carburetors. It was the largest carburetor Tillotson made until earlier this year when the new model HL-115A first came out.
You see the modified HL-66A carburetor on the right that originally came of Franks big monster Power Products AH-82 engine he blew to pieces. This cartburetor iwas originally smaller than the HL-93A. Frank is still unaware it is not the new HL-115A from the last time I showed it to him. He assumed I gave up modifying these carburetors and spent the big bucks purchasing a new one.
You can see how much the air horn and venturi have been opened up comparing them to each other. This modified carburetor worked so well on our second practice day out. But I have not tried it yet for a race. Since it did make such a difference, I am already modifying three more of these for our engines. Just hope it does not take too long to get them finished at school next week.
Well journal this is enough for one evening. It is way past my bed time. I got up early this morning and spent most of the day working, so that is all for tonight. But tomorrow I want to get right back on the engines so they might get assembled and it will be time to plan a practice day to try everything out. Then back to the drawing board if all this work turns out to be a total failure. But that is not going to happen. Well I sure hope it doesnt happen.
As I was about to call it a night, my hand was already reaching for the light switch in the garage. My eyes kept focused on the chainsaw now proudly sitting on the shelf. I have no doubts of getting it to run. But the time to tear it apart and fix is more than I really want to commit to right now. Sure it would be cool to chop down the dead tree in the back yard. Then turn it into cookie slices. But....
I pulled my hand away from the wall and opened back up the garage door to get a breeze flowing thru. I had a very long day, but it was not so late that I could not get something done constructive in the way of our kart engines. I was thinking if my dad had taken me to the kart track just one year earlier, then maybe we would be already racing and very competitive by now. But realistically, my ability to do this work so far was accelerated only after the accident.
If I had not taken Mr Cates up on his offer last spring during break, it would not be very likely we would have anything running or even acquired by now. But by finally getting enough nerve to take those first laps, nothing like what happened after the crash would have taken place at all. I am nearly positive without that one mishap, neither me nor Steve would have fast tracked so quickly and be this close to racing. That is considering we had nothing before that first visit to the track.
It took all spring, then hard core working thru the summer just to manage repairing and copying the original Cates kart. Now we have both of them running very well and handling like a dream. Well, with the new tires from Chris, my kart will again be driving like Steves kart already does. Those old Tex-Con tires were just too worn out, and I didnt have enough money saved up yet to replace them.
If we did not finally get that first race behind us right before school started, I would have never met up with Chris. Then not having the opportunity to do the upgrades on his kart. If not for the crash, I would have not stopped in at the Gasset fix-it shop either. Without that one day stopping in after shopping with my mom, all of those junk engines would not be sitting here all over the garage floor.
Is this just coincidence that everything fell into place the way it did? Most of the projects me and Steve find ourselves involved in usually starts out this way. We find something thrown away then drag it home to tinker with. But it usually needs some parts, so the project get sidelined until another piece of junk makes its way here. Then we find the parts needed from the other non-running whatevers that show up and eventually get one project finished.
Most of the time we manage to resurrect older mowers, edgers, a couple of tillers, bicycles, and even a chainsaw ocassionally like I now have sitting above my head on the shelf. So many things we have put time into then bringing them back to life and useful again. A lot of things have been sold. Some of these projects have been sacrificed, just to learn more about how things work or dont work, or even used as a chance for one of us to blow off some steam.
With some time left tonight, I decided to make an attempt at finishing out something that is holding me up getting the engines finished. While looking around, I found my eyes focused once again on those intake manifolds. After initially getting the adapter pieces machined out in shop class before school, I ran into some complications that really were not that difficult to work out. It just took time. Time I seem to be finding less of every day.
I ended up second guessing myself over what I thought was originally going to be the spacers needed to adapt the Go-Power six petal reed cages to work on the stock intake manifolds. I got mostly finished and hit a snag. But it was not anything as complicated as I first made it out to be. But got sidetracked on other things at the same time. Then working all day today put the brakes on making some more headway.
So tonight would be perfect if sticking strictly to finishing out these manifolds. No other distractions to keep that from happening either. I have one Mountain Dew left in the fridge and should be some M&M's in there too. I like to eat them nice and cold. So first I take time for a good sugar fix, then make some progress tonight.
OK, a few hours has passed and now is very late. I need to call it quits since my brain is about ready to shut down. But I wanted to follow up here in the journal while fresh in my mind what I did manage to get done tonight. At first I kept getting side tracked, like usual, thinking about other things that might help out, but stopped in time before my hands took over. Some nights out here they take over and I cant stop whatever my hands want to do.
After I finished up with the modifications to a stock intake manifold, now thinking if this much time was really worth saving the ten dollars it would cost just to buy a new Palmini or Go-Power manifold instead. My grandfather always harps on how valuable experience is and you cant put a price on a real education. So I am thinking I got more than ten bucks worth of an education and experience adapting this manifold over to use the new parts on.
The next question is will it work anywhere near as good compared to the aftermarket ones? That is something I will find out sooner now since the manifold is finally finished. Originally I had planned to rotate the carburetor slightly so the low speed needle is easier to access. But it was not until I did a trial fit the other day did realize it was not necessary to even do that. So scratch the first adapter. It will still work, bit I dont plan to use it on one of our main engines right now.
On the second adapter, I went ahead and finished it out like was originally planned before second guessing myself and making changes without confirming everything first. I made some assumptions that turned out not to be as I thought. Just from thinking it thru too much in my head. But that is what my brain does sometimes when I do think too much. Maybe just over analyzing things without actual hands on the parts in question at the time.
One day in Algebra class, my brain shut down on the equations. I wanted to beat my head against the chalk board. Why is that stuff so impossible for me to figure out? So instead of focusing on the problem in class, like I should have done, my brain went on vacation and started working out problems on the manifold. That is when I realized a potential problem. But it was so easy to resolve that problem right then. I worked out all of the bugs in my head and really proud of myself too.
So when the two spacers were machined out, I had already worked out the problems going forward, just in case there was a problem. Since I didnt bother confirming if I even had a problem yet or not. But if I did, it was already resolved. Why cant Algebra work out this easily? Except the problem wasnt worked out since there was not a problem to begin with. So applying this same strategy on my Algebra would still end up with the wrong answer.
After Steve drilled out and counterbored the first spacer is when I realized none of the problems existed, so wasted all of that time and have a spacer not exactly like was originally planned or wanted. But it will still work just fine. Only slightly more complicated than needs to be.
On this second spacer I spent a lot of time checking and rechecking everything to make sure I didnt stumble into something unforeseen. Before finalizing it, I checked everything over again and again. This time there would be no surprises to work around. I have to admit it turned out so much better than I had first planned.
manifold with new carb adapter
On this adapter I went ahead and finished it out removing all unnecessary material. Cutting this to match the reed assembly took like forever, but well worth the results. So one carburetor adapter is now finished and ready to put to use. I needed longer studs using this adapter, so decided to use a couple of 2 inch long 1/4-20 bolts and just cut the heads off. Then used a die and cut the fine threads on that end. Everything worked out great.
modified manifold and stock manifold
You can see how much work was done to grind out the passage. The first stock manifold I already did this to is one that got scrapped when too much material had already been removed when trying to fit the chainsaw reed petals. I spent a lot of time with the Dremel to get so much aluminum ground out. But there is still plenty of meat around the opening. I sure like seeing the results and hoping it will be just as impressive out on the track. Time will tell. Our next practice day has to be getting closer every time I make progress on the engines like this.
manifold adapters
Not much difference in these two adapters except the outside material removed. I can still use the first one without rotating the carburetor by filling in the counterbored holes with Devcon Epoxy and redrilling. That is if I decide not to rotate the carburetor on one engine. Still not sure if it is worth the extra work to do this now.
manifolds Palmini and modified
Finally the finished product. You see the stock manifold opening is smaller than the Palmini. Also using the six petal reed does not need an opening so big. I am now more confident that this adapter will work reasonably close to the hotrod parts sold in the magazines.
manifolds with Tillotson carburetors
This has got to be my most favorite picture to add in my journal tonight. On the left is the Palmini manifold with a Tillotson HL-93A. This carburetor was found in the pile of junk we worked all day for from Gasset. Originally it came on a McCulloch MC6 and then as a replacement for the MC5 and MC 10 carburetors. It was the largest carburetor Tillotson made until earlier this year when the new model HL-115A first came out.
You see the modified HL-66A carburetor on the right that originally came of Franks big monster Power Products AH-82 engine he blew to pieces. This cartburetor iwas originally smaller than the HL-93A. Frank is still unaware it is not the new HL-115A from the last time I showed it to him. He assumed I gave up modifying these carburetors and spent the big bucks purchasing a new one.
You can see how much the air horn and venturi have been opened up comparing them to each other. This modified carburetor worked so well on our second practice day out. But I have not tried it yet for a race. Since it did make such a difference, I am already modifying three more of these for our engines. Just hope it does not take too long to get them finished at school next week.
Well journal this is enough for one evening. It is way past my bed time. I got up early this morning and spent most of the day working, so that is all for tonight. But tomorrow I want to get right back on the engines so they might get assembled and it will be time to plan a practice day to try everything out. Then back to the drawing board if all this work turns out to be a total failure. But that is not going to happen. Well I sure hope it doesnt happen.