Go Karts were first invented in the 1950’s and ever since have been a great source of fun for kids of all ages, some of today’s best Indy, NASCAR and Formula 1 drivers got their first dose of racing in a go kart.
The most important component of a go kart (besides the driver) is the engine. When it comes to a go kart engine there is some basic information that everyone should know, any great kart starts with a perfectly paired go kart engine or should I say, every kart has an ideal engine that will give it and its owner the right mix of value, performance and reliability for their specific needs. Every kart is different so thankfully there are a lot of options when it comes to a go kart engine.
Price: A go kart engine can range in price from a few dollars at a junk yard or garage sale to several thousand from a high performance racing shop.
Horsepower: Today’s choices for a go kart engine are actually very diverse especially when it comes to horsepower. But when it comes to a go kart engine isn’t more horsepower better? Not in all circumstances. If you are looking for a fun go kart it all starts with the go kart engine. Too much horsepower can provide not enough low end or produce too much speed. Too much speed, how can that be a problem? Unless the kart’s frame, steering and most importantly brakes are matched perfectly to the go kart engine the kart will be hard to control, parts will break and worst of all it will be a nightmare to stop. So when selecting a go kart engine make sure it is matched to your kart or the kart you are planning to build. If you have questions about what go kart engine works best for your project consult a professional builder or shop. People work in the kart business because they love go karting and most reputable shops won’t steer you into the wrong go kart engine.
Brands: The most commonly used go kart engine brand is Briggs and Stratton; you can say that Briggs and Stratton was the birthplace of the go kart engine. Briggs began business in 1910 and by the late 1980’s the B&S Model 13 became the first Briggs and Stratton go kart engine to be sanctioned in kart racing. Growing in popularity a Honda go kart engine is known for its reliability and performance. With modern karts being less rugged and more technical than their predecessor’s lightweight reliable Honda engines seem to the fastest growing go kart engine choice. Tecumseh a great choice in a go kart engine is Tecumseh. Tecumseh offers several versions of their famous Overhead Valve go kart engine including a 5.0 horsepower go kart engine, a 6.0 horsepower go kart engine, and a 6.0 horsepower go kart engine with electric start. These are great engines but the electric start model can run upwards of $400.
So make sure you do your homework and find the best value on a perfectly matched engine for your kart and you will have miles and miles of fun times ahead!
Traditional Go Kart Engine: If you are looking for a way to build a more traditional go kart, the homemade classic for as little as possible, the key to building on a budget is to find an affordable go kart engine. Typically the budget builder looking to stay in budget will want to go with a used go kart engine.
I bet if you looked around it would not take you very long to find a great go kart engine that you can get for around $50 or less. Old lawnmowers are a great place to look, especially with advancements in fuel sipping “green” lawnmowers, many great higher horsepower mowers have found their way into pawn shops and garage sales.
Finding a decent go kart engine at a garage sale or pawn shop is easy but we recommend that you do research on what go kart engine is right for your project and jot down the desired specs before just purchasing a used mower to be a donor for your new go kart engine.
It is important to know how much horsepower your kart can handle and match the go kart engine to your project. It is also important to have the size and specs of the go kart engine you are looking for before going out and buying a donor mower. There is nothing more frustrating than buying a mower, scrapping it and only then realizing that the way the new go kart engine mounts to the frame that it just won’t work, or that the space is so tight your new go kart engine is always burning you elbows!