today's repair

[locohead]

The kids had friends over today and we wanted to fix the cart. The 10 tooth clutch (i think , its the small one) sprocket had 5 missing teeth. I found a farm store open today that had a 5/8" hub (same as mine) but about 1/4" too long. We welded a 13 tooth sprocket to it and installed it after the new set of bearings. New sprocket ran into the large sprocket. Fortunately, we noticed that we could lower the axle a little bit to make more space. We were able to move the larger sprocket to align with the new one. But now I was 3 chain links short. I bought a six pack of new links but failed to notice that they didn't come with the little spacer bushing whoopers. Found new ones at ACE Hardware. Everything back in order except the new slightly longer sprocket made the belt off center. The kids rode it around for about 45 min. and were super happy because it seemed a little faster. Then the belt broke.

There is a 1/2" spacer on the outside of the pully just before the nut. Can I put the spacer on the block side of the pulley? That will put the pulley into closer alignment with the clutch pully (i think) that is adjacent to the new sprocket.

Next, I need a recommendation for a good book, website, video, anything that will teach me the names of all these parts so I can better describe them. I think the boys and I are going to do "small engines" in 4H this year so we can learn. We are into these go-carts and maybe later buggies for the long haul. We are embarking on a new journey. Any recommendations would be super helpful. I have learned soooo much in my first week here. It really is a great site!

[satoys]

I'm new to go Karts also, and I've found reading the manuals are a great help, even for the ones I don't own... they all seem to be the same basic principals. I've found one for just about every model on the web, the engine ones are the best ones, since that is the hardest part for me.
Here are the Manco manuals http://www.gokartsrus.com/parts-manu...2_245_276.html

[x-bird]

You should be able to swap the spacer; mine (6.5 Tec on a Yerf 3203) has it on the engine side. You should have the belt alignment as close to perfect as is possible. If it is off, it'll grab and overheat on whichever side its riding against too much. You want to align from the inside of the pulley. If you take the outer pulley side off both the clutch and driven you can place a straight edge between the two and adjust the engine/jackshaft until its spot on.

[locohead]

Satoys,
Wow that is just what I need! I am downloading the refinery engine manual right now. Thank you - that is very helpful.

X-bird,
I don't understand what you mean to adjust the pulley from the inside. All of your advise has proven invaluable to me so far. I really want to understand. Also, moving the spacer to the other side was helpful - got me a tiny bit closer but no cigar. I was thinking about a longer bushing type spacer and a longer bolt. Will that weaken the pulley being 1/2" - 3/4" further from the engine? The engine can adjust front to back but not side to side. Thank you!

[x-bird]

it's not that you're adjusting from inside. Instead you remove the outer half of the pulleys so you can place a straight edge from the driver to the driven on the inside surface of the pulley. Then move the engine/jackshaft plate until you get the two pulleys aligned with each other. tighten the engine/jackshaft up, put the outer pulleys on and you're good to go. Aligning them by sight is so-so, and aligning them with a straight edge from the outside surface of the pulley doesn't work because they're different thicknesses. also if you can, post some pics of the spacer/shaft/engine area.

[x-bird]

Sorry if I confused you loco, I didn't give enough info and follow through. I have a saying, some things are simple, but not easy, and some are easy, but not simple. This is one of the latter.

I've attached a picture. What this method does is allow you to set the driver and driven dead on square to one another. The picture shows it with only the driven pulley outer removed, but doing it with both off is the best way.

A.Square the two pulleys. There is a slight concavity to them, so look down from the top and make sure that any gaps you see between the straight edge and the pulley's outer edges are equal. (as you can see in the picture, mine is not squared at the moment.)

B. Use permanent marker or a scribe and mark the edge of the jackshaft plate on the frame's mounting plate and mark the engine's edge on the jackshaft plate.

C.Reassemble the pulleys, install the belt, set it to proper tension, then verify your alignment marks and tighten it all up.

Hope this helps clarify things. Once you get the alignment marks in place, you should be able to use them at any time to realign things if you take it all apart.

[locohead]

Hey XD-bird,
Sorry its been so long in responding. I had been too broke lately to even buy a few cheap parts! LOL. Your picture really helped. I never could figure out how to adjust the jack-shaft to align the pulleys. Here is what I did instead. I had a machine shop cut down the small sprocket hub about 1/4 inch. Then the upper pulley (is that the clutch pulley? the one with the centrifugal force springs in it?) was still a little too close to the engine side. So I got a spacer (bushing thing) that was a little too long. I measured the distance it needed to be to bring it into good alignment with the lower pulley. I cut it down with a Dremmel tool and now the inner plates of each pulley are aligned very well. But the upper pulley only fits about 1/2 way onto the shaft. I bought a longer bolt to make it reach and that seems to work fine for now. I am a bit worried about the pulley being only half way on though, but the bolt is tight and is NOT lob-sided when it spins.

The small sprocket went from 11 teeth to 13 teeth and increased speed considerably. Thank you for all your help. It really is great to have smarts friends! I also squashed the axle rod whooper in a vise. It straightend about 95% good but broke the weld. It is also repaired and both tires are aligned again. Everything is running great.

I had also got a belt close to the original length but not as wide; nor was it cogged on the inside. I found one slightly shorter in length but a tad wider and cogged on the inside. It grabs a lot better. How do I make sure the belt is at proper tension? Its supposed to be loose right? I can squeeze the belt between the pulleys and touch them pretty easily.

I'm still a major rookie but learning a lot every day. A broken machine is a lot of fun! LOL We are going to take "small Engines" in 4H this year. Lord Willing, I will learn all the names of the parts. Haha. We will be rebuilding an old engine that doesn't work. I hope to learn a lot!