I’m giving x30 a go

What’s the down and dirty of need to know? Planning to do a couple of races at x30 masters. 100 senior just to much carnage for me. Got a deal on a new x30 to slap on the spare chassis. Plan for the first half of this year is to just put in laps to get more familiar with motor/power delivery.

However at the regional/club level I’ll be focusing on 100. But that kart will be sitting at another track. So the x30 will be at my local track for practice/club races

Seems counterintuitive to switch from 100cc to X30 to get away from the carnage…

But driving-wise, they drive very similar. The tire is likely going to be softer on the X30 I would imagine, which will require you to be more precise. I found when I was running both that the MG Red was more forgiving and the MG Yellow was easier to over or under-drive. Getting to the limit is a more exact science on the harder tire.

Otherwise grip:power ratio feels similar to KA on a harder tire so shouldn’t be too much different.

You’ll go through more tires and brake pads as well.

1 Like

For sure. That is kind of the notes I was thinking as well. And I plan to run x30 masters. Cause I’m old. I was on the fence but with the drop of 15 lbs to 385 it made it kind of a sure thing.

May not be specifically x30 thing but the electric starter can be finicky. I would recommend having a manual starter around, just in case. Plenty of desperate choking of the airbox on the grid, iirc.

When I tested the 100, it felt the same as x30, just like 90% of the speed. Compelling race engine.

1 Like

The very first start of the day with a dead cold engine and a dry carburetor is really tough on an X30. I recommend using jumper cables from your car to avoid flattening the little lead acid battery.

2 Likes

Have fun. It is a hoot. I find X30 racing pretty simple. Some of these things are completely obvious:

  • get a Mychron with 2 temperature inputs (2T)
  • make sure you have (distilled) water in the radiator
  • water pump belts in place
  • completely tape an extra water pump belt to the axle, don’t leave part of the belt loose, it might grab something like mine did when it grabbed the Mychron lead
  • have your engine builder mark the baseline settings for your H and L jets – they normally do
  • roughly use 1350-1390 as your high EGT reading and 800 as your low EGT reading. These can vary some based on things.
  • block the radiator with tape if you are below 130 water temp
  • consider using an o-ring chain. Not mandatory but many people recommend them.

Once you have had enough fun locally, join us at a USPKS race, they are fun. 400 lbs though. I have 47 lbs of lead on my kart.

Are you going to do some Padholder cup races?

Very minimal. Focusing on tri cities in the 100 mainly to get the kid more experience at a new track

Pad holder is a waste of time in the x30 vs the IMUSA motors.

Tracking those. And already have it all squared away I think. Appreciate the notes. Can’t wait to get this thing under way.

1 Like

Damn Paul, how much do you weigh if I may ask? I know I am bigger than the average 40+ yo, but with no lead I scale out around 398 with the kart/no lead and 206 personally.

2 Likes

At 41 years old, and 215 lbs, I cross the scales at 400 lbs so I don’t have a need for additional weights either, so your not alone there Greg. I had a 5 lbs puck on my front end, but that was due to scaling and a suggestion from the one running the scales.

The whole 390 lbs thing had me wishing I wasn’t in masters. 50lbs of lead is painful without an electric kart lift. But that’s on me for overdoing getting to race weight. Damn kids on rental karts.

This would benefit some sort of pre-drive check. I have blown an engine due to running it without coolant. I have also had the hose dis-attach and the cap to the rad come undone mid race, too.

Check fluids.

1350 to 1390 doesn’t seem too high for EGT? I was always under the impression that it should be around 1150.

Can you explain the tape an extra water pump bel to the axle? This is new to me.

I have my 2 mychron warning lights set to 65 deg C and 85 deg C water temp. First light comes on reduce rpm and back to pits. Both on stop on track immediately.

I don’t wear readers when driving so the mychron might as well be in Farsi. 🥸

1 Like

155 on Sunday, 158 on Thursday

1300 range with new pipe 1100 with old pipe. Don’t ask me why though. That is what my engine tuner told me.

Extra belt taped to the axle so you don’t Have to pull the axle when a belt breaks. Of course you can use the braided ones with the hook so you don’t have to pull the axle to replace a belt but everyone I have talked to recommends not using those. Not sure why.

1 Like

I bring my son to lift the kart. WI races are easy as he is a Bucks fan and went to the games in the evening. When he is not there, the scale area after my session usually clears out as soon as people see me looking around for a hand.

1 Like

I use the ones that you fuse together with a lighter. Ran a whole year with the same belts, only changed em because I thought I should, not because they broke