Modifying Car Engines for Go-Kart Racing in 7-Easy Steps
If you are looking for a way to modify the car engine for go-kart racing then you need to keep in mind the engine horsepower which normally should be between 5 to 50 horsepower depending on how powerful you want the engines to be. Of course, you need to research your Go-Kart and know which type of engine you want. On the other hand, car engines come in a wide range from 80 horsepower for a four-cylinder engine on a passenger car to over 1500 horsepower for a racing car.
Engines for Go-Kart Racing
So needless to say, if you want to modify the car engine to suit go-kart racing then your best bet is to reduce the horsepower. With that cleared out let’s go through some of the steps you need to follow for modifying the car engine for go-kart racing.
Prerequisites: This is an important one and unfortunately often overlooked. But before you go on to modify the engine, you need to decide on what type of engine you want. Are you looking for a lower-power four-stroke engine with 5 to 20 hp or do you want to have a two-stroke engine with a range of 60 to 90 hp? This decision is relevant to your next steps. After that, please make sure to clean it up properly by getting rid of any dirt or debris. Next, you need to change the oil from the engine and replace it with fresh oil.
1. Replacing Air Filter
The air filter helps to filter out any impurities in the incoming and makes sure that the engine stays free from any impurities. As you are done cleaning and replacing the oil, the next step should be replacing the air filter since it’s an easy one. Just locate the air filter, rotate the filter, and replace it. You don’t even need to go to the mechanic for this.
2. Changing the Exhaust System
What you get changing the exhaust system is an efficient flow of air after the engine’s combustion process. As the exhaust system is changed you can have more flow of air through the system and that will lead to the more efficient functioning of the engine.
3. Changing Carburetor
The carburetor helps in the mixing of air and fuel to maintain the correct ratio for combustion inside the engine. Of course, the combustion ratio differs between the car and the go-kart and since carburetors are such an integral part of your racing experience with a go-kart, you need to change it.
4. Replacing Engine Camshaft
The camshaft is responsible for opening the exhaust and inlet valves of your engine at the right time. This synchronization is the key factor in determining the air-fuel mixture for the combustion process and how much power is even generated by the engine. So, if you are looking for a way to improve the engine’s efficiency then replace the camshaft with a more powerful one.
5. Replacing the Fuel Filter
Just like the air filter we discussed earlier, the fuel filter helps to filter out the impurities from the fuel. To keep the fuel free from any debris is crucial to ensuring that the air-fuel mixture is done perfectly and the combustion leads to more power. So, to get the best performance from your go-kart, replace the fuel filter with a more efficient one that delivers cleaner quality fuel and keeps the motor in good condition.
6. Installing Fuel Tank
This applies to gas-powered go-karts. This is to ensure that the engine gets a constant power supply to keep running. Now, where you put the fuel tank varies by the purpose of the go-kart but since the concern is for racing karts, we suggest you put the fuel tank near the back of the kart or in one of the side panels. The material is high-density polyethylene (HDPE). However, if you are driving a basic kart, just put it in the kart’s front, and for off-road karts, put it in the back with the engine.
7. ReplacingRadiators
This is mostly applicable for the racing go-karts because during a race since the go-karts move quite fast, the parts tend to get overheated, and to refrain damage, you need to install a radiator so that the parts remain cool and the engine heat is dissipated properly. This will protect the engine and ensure better performance for your go-kart.
Duramax Turbo Diesel Engine
Alright with that, you are good to go for modifying your car engine for go-kart racing. But here is the thing, normally we wouldn’t recommend you modify a car engine for go-kart racing because car engines are suited for heavier performance and go-kart engines exist that are built specifically for that purpose. Besides, the engine troubleshooting guide varies by engine type and this is the same between Go-karts and cars. However, by following this guide you can modify your car engine for go-kart racing.