Engines for a fun kart?

My dad, after watching me race for the past 3 years, has decided to take my old kart and get himself in it. However, we need a motor to use. I was wondering what the general opinions are? We don’t want to use my Yamaha’s but we don’t want anything expensive.

Our current thought is get an LO206 for him to play with, and if there’s a 206 cup race when I don’t have any planned races we can throw it on my chassis to race in that.

Any thoughts on other engines that may be nice? No requirement for it to be a current engine, just something low maintenance cheap(er)

I don’t think you can get much lower maintenance than an LO206. As far as I understand the change the oil periodically, some say every day, others don’t. Check the valve lash occasionally. If it breaks (which is very rare) you buy a new one.

One word of warning is they can be a little boring to just drive round on once he gets used to them or for anyone coming from something faster. However for racing in a large grid there is nothing better.

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That’s all I’d be doing is running the 206 Cup races.

As far as he goes, with no racing experience other than a 24 Hours of Lemons car (1993 Dodge Shadow FTW), even the Yamaha was a bit much for his first time out, so I think it’ll fit fine. He’ll only be running occasionally during practices and when he wants to go for Yamaha we’ll get a new one for me to run and he can steal my old one.

I forgot valve lash and oil changes are a thing on those engines, not that it’s difficult to do or anything

You could use a predator/clone in near stock form. Keeping revs under 5800 keeps them running for a while.

Overall though, I think the 206 (or at least a stock Intek\Animal) will likely net you a better $/lap cost even though it’s a little more upfront. Like you pointed out, running an actual 206 gives you an option to run events with it.

Otherwise, you could try and pickup an old flathead.

For gear changing brap, you could nab a CR80 for around $800 if you shop around. A lot more work compared to a 206 of course. Both off the track and on. :brap: :tired_face:

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Yea, my vote is to go with LO206. I have a spare old “fun” kart and I did the same thing. Plus I now race LO206 so it’s a backup. No maintenance besides oil change. I change my oil after every couple of events or if it rains.

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I’ve thought about grabbing a CR80 to have some fun before but without a shifter chassis I feel like finding all that equipment would be a lot of work, much less the maintenance for it as you mentioned.

Yeah its extra work for sure. You dont need front brakes, so that helps. But you do need to fenangle something to shift gears as well as use an axle with a reinforced inboard section for the drive sprocket.

They are a hoot though, light and nimble compared to 125’s so they handle real nice. It’s like having TAG lightness with (most of) the punch of a shifter.

On the higher output, but lower cost side I can’t really think of anything. They are eother cheap to buy and expensive to run (100cc eg FA motors) or expensive to buy and cheap to run (Biland\SA250 four stroke)

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I’ve always thought Formula A stuff was so cool, not really sure why. Maybe it’s the direct drive I like but something about it has a charm I like. There’s a video from a few years ago of Jordan Lennox-Lamb when he was with CRG driving a FA on a true 90’s chassis

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They are truly a unique driving and racing experience. Sound great, look great on the track and with the aircooled models, pretty unforgiving. Racing them was as much playing chess with your carb setup and choking to keep you engine together was much as it was about outright speed. :brap:

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If I could find a used OTK for under maybe $700 I’d be totally down to grab one just for the hell of it

My dad got a Leopard last year as his first toy. He decided it was a little too quick for him so he’s getting a 206 this year.

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Does he plan racing yet or just turning laps?

Just turning laps. He doesn’t believe he has any desire to actually compete, although he also said he would not be getting a kart for himself when we first started racing and, well, look at where we are now.

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That was for TJ :blush:
Not what’s going on with replies…

He wants to race, but after his first few sessions I think he’s pretty aware we need to work on consistency. Not with lap times, but with staying on the track.

His first day out ever he was only 3-4 seconds off the TaG Masters guys at Badger. The old man might be a hotshoe and we never even knew it!

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Damn. That’s legit for not being in the seat. [quote=“tjkoyen, post:15, topic:224, full:true”]
He wants to race, but after his first few sessions I think he’s pretty aware we need to work on consistency. Not with lap times, but with staying on the track.

His first day out ever he was only 3-4 seconds off the TaG Masters guys at Badger. The old man might be a hotshoe and we never even knew it!
[/quote]

My wife always said she learned a ton from watching me drive. Not sure if she meant good or bad, but either way she’s within two seconds of me in a four cycle around Stockholm.

There’s definitely something to be said for watching driving (for 15 years in his case).

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