by Red-85-Z51 » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:56 pm
As some of you may recall Ive got an old Carter flat frame cart than I rebuilt and modded some.
I dropped a Kohler XKE on it and so far the engine has been flawless save for a blown head gasket.
LAst week I created a 250 foot long tri oval (think Pocono), in the feild behind my house.
So I repaired my broken jackshaft, dropped on a new Hardened 16t sprocket for more acceleration and a air of new chains, and took it for a spin today for the first time.
I was turning some nice laps, figuring out where I need to modify the track for more speed, and I noticed the exhaust note changed, and a drop in power.
So I checked the air filter and it was clean, I was getting fuel flow, oil was fresh and at the full mark.
So I pulled off the track and drove around and did some donuts i nthe wet grass and it seemed normal, just low on power with a noticeable exhaust pitch change. I also noted the muffler tips were black.
I took it for some speed runs down the road every time Id go for top speed (6500 rpms) I noticed I got {flaxulation} and {flaxulation} away, even with my foot all the way in it. Then it lost power dramtically.
I decided to finish that run, turn around at the end of the road and come back home, pull the head and check things out..then suddenly it bogged, backfired violently for a few seconds, then died. had a metallic rapping sound when I pulled the rope, lots of compression, but wouldnt try to start.
I assumed I had just made some major error pushing it and killed it.
It punished me bacause I had to push it home..thats a solid 8 minute push, partially uphill, then through grass on our property to the shop. it was 90% humidity and 90*.
Pulled the valve cover and found the Exhaust side rocker stud had backed out, and the rocker nut was loose. The rocker itself was off the pushrod which was off the lifter.
Put it all back together with some loctite and it was like night and day. Full power again! woohoo I thought Id killed it!
Also, Ive got a camera, Ill scrape the dirt off the kart and and touchup the paint chips and get some pics for ya, also some pics of the track.