Kohler 38HP @ 3600 RPM MOTOR

[minibajaman]

A CVT is basically a must with an industrial engine. *In fact I don't know what else would be used, unless he really wanted to modify some kind of bike or atv gearbox to work with it (I have seen it done before). *The torque has its advantages, you can gear the car higher with a smaller final drive sprocket to save space or increase ground clearance while retaining top speed.

[voodoochikin04]

last post was quite awhile ago.. *but i had a small one seater semi offroad kart, no suspension, just fat tires. i had a 20hp twin kohler magnum engine, the industrial one. ran at 4200 rpms when full throttle. i had a comet torq a verter on it. *it worked very well. i think the axle sprocket was like 60 tooth and the jackshaft was both 10, or something. (long time ago).. * but it had plenty of take off, even on street, when tires dont slip. *we had it up to 62mph, but it was pretty shakey on that kart. * i think you should go for it.. *unless youve already found a different plan, since you posted this. * -Matt

[THUMPCRAFT]

I am still deciding between the big block briggs and stratton or the kohler.. any suggestions?

[jonzer12]

An industrial motor with a CVT setup works very well. *I am using a similar motor in my trail buggy build.
These types of engines are heavy but they are dead reliable, fuel effecient and typically put out twice the torque of a similar horsepower bike engine. *On top of that as mentioned they are self contained units. *Extremely easy to design a buggy around one.

I think kholer makes a better engine than briggs but in reality both will last a long time and take serious abuse. *Go with whatever is cheaper.

I think they are great for trail machines, maybe not for sand or open country, high speed use. *If you go briggs, you can
also visit briggs performance and turn your 25hp twin into a 70 horepower screamer. *Not cheap tho, about $1500 for a rebuild.

[buggito]

In pismo all the rental sandrail have these kind of motor, they have around 20 of them , some have cvt and other a chain drive with centrifugal clutch. I think they are strong but heavy, the good thing parts can be found everywhere.

[rxpo]

I dunno guy's....unless I'm mistaken, these are simple carbuerated engines.

For the weight vs. torque vs. HP vs. price vs. reliability under exteme abuse conditions -- as we normally subject them too --- there is no substitute for a bullet proof Japanese fuel injected crotch-rocket engine !! *Fuel injection with gas under pressure...know what I mean???

$2,500~? * You know what this would buy!

My last project with a new briggs engine proved to be tempermental swallowing gravity fed gas during a bouncy ride...

[LiveWire]

There are fuel injected industrial engines. Note that if you remove the governor to rev it higher, make sure the flywheel is not cast iron. Within the pulling garden tractor circles, people have had their foot torn off by an exploding flywheel. The modified classes all require steel flywheels.