How Fast Can A Go Kart With A Lawn Mower Engine Go
That is a super question. I am glad you are thinking on such things. I asked this question, too…. what I learned as my answer : it depends. It can vary based on the engine, based on the go kart itself, and more. Now, what I noticed is this —- if you take out the engine from a 100 hp ( horse power ) motor ( that usually gets up to 150 miles per hour while in its original lawn mower ) , then you can easily find yourself going up to 100 miles per hour in 30 seconds. That’s fast, when you think about that. Not shabby at all…
Keep in mind this as well : The engine for most go karts is made to be able to fit within 6 to 8 hp vertical shaft engines comfortably, and this just simply means that any push mower with… for instance, a 12 to 22 hp engine should accommodate well. How loose is the throttle linkage in your new lawn mower - converted go kart engine? If you do not know at all what is being referred to here, then just know this : That part you can easily tweet or adjust with a wrench, pliers a saw and more. BUT if you do not know how to DIY this part, and have never done it, then it’s best to hire some expert who can do it reasonably. Find someone particularly skilled and in full knowledge of lawn mower engines.
This is one of those things where you won’t just “wing it and succeed”. It’s done right, or it’s done wrong. And it requires very precise work…. and pristine details at each step of the way.
If your lawn mower’s engine is from 5 to 7 hp, then rest assured that in most cases ( like 9 / 10 times, he he he heh heh ) , it will actually fit in your go kart’s engine area just fine. It’ll accommodate nicely within the frame and not take up a whole ton of space either. So it’s a win – win situation.
But anything larger ( like that 100 hp engine I mentioned earlier, he he he he heh…. or heck, even something like a 13 to 22 hp one ) can ruin your go kart’s transmission space. So keep that in mind. When you want to put in a bigger engine, get a proven pro to do that for you. Don’t “guess around” with a DIY approach.