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Feb 28, 2016 23:43:46 GMT
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Here we embark on another little restoration project. just bought myself a kart from a friend (currently for sale) that has given me the bug for these machines. but the other day we heard of another which was a little more special... and as it arrived in the back of his van. Had to refit the hubs and wheels  The Mac Minarelli 125cc engine   the tachometer that goes all the way up past 11!  Lovely expansion Pipe  Proper dellorto carb that put's most 125's to shame.     The handle on the column is the sequential gear shift, 6 speeds, and apparently if you've got a mile of tarmac you can get to about 3rd gear    Next to my other kart    And a picture of the insane ports on this motor, factory ported and polished it's a proper race built 125.  So the parts we're currently missing are the front disks which seem to be floating on splines on the hubs, and a battery as it looks to have been sitting for a few years... the rumor mill also tells me that this kart has been recorded running at brands hatch at 126mph which is yet to be proved. but looking at this engine it may not be too far out of reach. any info would be massively appreciated as i'm in the dark about the make of this kart and where to get parts... |
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Feb 28, 2016 23:51:07 GMT
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Is that a Rotax 125 engine? I'm not up on Kart engines but if it is they go very well, if you strip it don't forget to mark the relation between the disc valve and the crank if it isn't already dot punched.
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Been informed it's a Mac minarelli but don't know 100%
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,563
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Hi, I've got a few old karts among my collection of stuff. One thing I would suggest is that before you decide what you are going to do with the kart is to sign up with the British Historic kart club either on Facebook or their website to see what you have got. What was classed as a historic kart used to have been built before 1983 I think but this has changed a bit since I was more involved. If yours is old enough you will be able to take part in Historic kart events. Originality is the key thing especially if you want to take part in the race series. There is a bit of a gap between what is classed as Historic and what is allowed to take part in current racing so if a kart doesn't fit into either category you might struggle finding somewhere to use it. This is the club website. www.britishhistorickartclub.com/ |
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mylittletony
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,339
Club RR Member Number: 84
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Feb 29, 2016 10:35:57 GMT
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Looks fairly lethal! If you can only get 3rd after a mile, I'd suggest going for a bigger rear sprocket - looks tiny! That should perk it up a bit  |
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Feb 29, 2016 11:15:59 GMT
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I'll be sure to sign up with the historic kart club, think it's viable, everything looks factory built and plenty old.
And i have a selection of rear sprockets to change the ratio if needs be :L
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Keep with the updates please. I'm going to bookmark this one.
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Sure thing! Rebuilt the pulse fuel pump that was all cruddy and removed the lines that has gone solid. turns out it's off a volvo penta? whatever that means. and checked the coil worked which it does.  Also started Mucking about with the brakes, i've got two front calipers and a rear to un-seize The rear brake has these threaded adjusters for getting the fit of the pads and disk just right.  I'm missing a pad retaining clip but for now i've made a new one out of some spare wire i had, works okay but not perfect. and the seized Brass piston, eventually removed using hydraulic pressure.  The o ring was a bit knarled up so i'll buy a whole new set, not worth taking the risk really. Then the investigation into why it hasn't got spark. check the coil and it sparks well when given 12v and removed. then checked the coil input lead when the ignition was switched n and the CDI box was only outputting .3v to the coil... that'll be it then, not sure what to do now as it's an ancient german unit with 5 wires exiting it, and all the ones on ebay are cheapo chinese jobbys. might throw one on as a test as they're only like £10. and if it solves the issue then why not. |
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Volvo Penta is the marine engine/drive part of Volvo.
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,563
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I think thats the same brake calliper I have on mine. I fitted the pistons out of a later calliper that had proper square seals on them. Although they are almost identical they were made by different companies, I can't remember the names at the moment though. I think the last set of seals I got for my master cylinder turned out to be Land Rover clutch master cylinder ones. This is the company www.powertrackbrakes.co.uk/ |
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cheers for the info guys, i'll give them a call about the caliper seals, they look like normal o-rings but could be fitted with square seals i suppose, and the master cyliders work a treat so i'll leave them be for the time being.
Once i get the thing running it'll be stripped right back and we'll get the frame powder coated
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Before you scrap the CDI check the pick up (pulser) coil that triggers the spark if it has one, on some bikes if the main bearings are worn there is enough movement to stop them sparking.
Is it a Motoplat system?
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Paul Y
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,948
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I shortened my lifespan by about 20 years after piloting a 250 shifter kart round Brands. It was worth it. Enjoy your new toy. P.  |
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Before you scrap the CDI check the pick up (pulser) coil that triggers the spark if it has one, on some bikes if the main bearings are worn there is enough movement to stop them sparking. Is it a Motoplat system? It's an old krober unit, and the main bearings on the engine are spot on, the coil isn't getting 12v with the ignition on which is why i think it's fubar'd, and i tested the voltage on the (magnet pickup thing)? and it was 0.3v until the magnet swept by and then it dropped to 0v as it earthed. which is how i assumed it worked? |
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Mar 17, 2016 14:08:02 GMT
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Bought myself a casoli cdi unit and wired it up as it should be and still no spark... i'm getting a bit tired of mucking about with electrics as these should be nice and simple!
Any help would be appreciated as i'm totally stumped.
I've got a 12v car battery hooked up
Casoli CDI has 6 wires
red - power
green - ground
green - ground
blue - crank position sensor
yellow - +ve coil
black - killswitch
All hooked up like this i seem to get -17v to the coil wire??? and when hooked to load it drops to 0v
the crank sensor seems to make 0.3v when metal is passed near it (working)
the coil sparks the plug when i connect 12v directly and let go. (working)
but i don't get anything from it when it's all hooked up, so i assume the box is toast?
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Mar 17, 2016 21:11:34 GMT
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Sorry if I'm being a bit thick but why is it running a battery does it not have a generator to run the ignition?
I can tell you how to wire it if it was a bike but with a battery it sounds like you are just hooking up a +12v from the battery to the cdi?
The only other thing I can think to try is to swap over the wires on the pulser trigger coil, one is usually earthed and the other connected, not quite sure why this should make any difference but it does when using Honda bits on other bikes
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Last Edit: Mar 17, 2016 21:18:26 GMT by dodgerover
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Mar 18, 2016 11:49:39 GMT
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Only other thing I can think of is do you need a different coil to match your new ignition box, not all CDI coils are the same.
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Mar 19, 2016 12:40:30 GMT
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yeah maybe a new coil will fix it. the kart ran a DC cdi box when we bought it... all be it non functioning. and the engine only has a pulser attached to it so maybe scavenging an ignition off another engine will work?
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Mar 19, 2016 16:46:03 GMT
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The cdi will control advance curve and rev limit so I imagine the original is designed with the engines port timing etc in mind.
Id be tempted to try and bodge a 6v magneto ignition on it for now.
depends if this is all just for fun or if you intend on getting 100% out of it.
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Mar 19, 2016 16:47:53 GMT
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Just thought, cant you get generic complete cart ignition set ups?
I'm sure thats what some folk use on racing bsa bantams.
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