Thread for alternative engines

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Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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I'm starting this for people who either don't want a kit engine, or who want to experiment with other engines.

I've been looking around, inspired by mistaking a naked Bike Bug for a concrete /rescue cutter, at cutters like that.

Most easily available engines are bulky along the like of the crankshaft, but some of the disc cutters aren't. This means a drive roller direct to a wheel can be added in place of the cutter, or a sprocket or pulley can be fitted. They're also usually above 50cc, powerful, and engineered for long reliable service under conditions of poor care or maintenance. My Mk2 may well get one of these.

I also found there are petrol driven angle grinders with 90 degree bevel drive gearboxes. Although you'd have to work out your own drive from the disc mount, at least it can be a handy unit to experiment with in different locations. The down side, if it is one, is the low cc of the engine, but since they appear to have a standard 4 bolt mounting pattern, a bigger engine is possible.
 

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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Well, I've taken the plunge with a minimoto and 3:1 box, but we're bitten by the bug, and kits are too easy.

Tillers/cultivators often have a 90 degree reduction box, and I've seen numbers like 90:1 stated. That might just be a little too low geared even for me.
 
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cannonball2

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Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
The twin engine kart reminded me of the twin and even triple Mac and West Bend engine karts of my youth. Direct drive even! Chainsaw derived of course!
Im kicking around a build based on a twin R/C engine. They have become relatively cheap and pretty reliable in the last few years.
 

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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In searching for info on the Norman engines, I ran across the Stuart Turners, and also an odd one I'd never known about. Royal Enfield made a flat twin 350 2 stroke genny engine.

Surely, in all the production of America, there must have been a flat twin 4 stroke by somebody?
 

Ludwig II

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The "Albion", by a character called Bodger. Steel plate crankcases are just one solution to the problems in his way, but it works. I don't have those skills, but you don't need to be constrained by convention, when what you're doing is so far from mainstream anyway.
 

msrfan

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Sep 17, 2010
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Southern California
Good thread Ludwig. I like alternate engines also. This 24'' Schwinn has a Stihl 4hp backpack blower motor which was a challenge to mount, but shows promise. It is a 4Mix engine that is a 4 stroke running on mixed fuel. The Comet drive didn't work so I installed a Cobra gokart clutch and will be experimenting with a larger carb soon.








I also have some water pump motors that are really compact and deliver 3-4 hp.
Alternate drives interest me. Like using an outboard boat motor lower section for a shaft drive bike.
 

curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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minesota
Onan,Kohler, and Briggs all had flat top oposed , Onan is no longer made in fact no longer make the flat top engine. Onan is really expensive to redo or even to get parts.....Curt
 

Intrepid Wheelwoman

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Oct 29, 2011
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I used to own an Onan flat twin which was used to drive an ex-army generator set. I had a Norman flat twin too, but when my marriage broke up my ex sent them both off to the scrapper along with a lot more of my treasures.



Sorry Ludwig I even had a handbook for the Norman, but that didn't survive my marriage either. :(
 

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Citi-sporter

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Jun 16, 2014
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North Bend, Or,
I keep thinking a Ryobi 825r 4-stroker would make a nice little bike assist engine. And I'm mean 'assist' in a generous way because these are pretty limited in their overall power levels. I'm guessing they're not much over 1 hp.



They are so prevalent at repair shops because they tend to stop running on E10 gas, it would be interesting to have the skill and machine tools to make a boxer twin 52 cc engine out of a pair of cylinders/pistons from the Ryobi
 

curtisfox

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Dec 29, 2008
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minesota
I keep thinking a Ryobi 825r 4-stroker would make a nice little bike assist engine. And I'm mean 'assist' in a generous way because these are pretty limited in their overall power levels. I'm guessing they're not much over 1 hp.



They are so prevalent at repair shops because they tend to stop running on E10 gas, it would be interesting to have the skill and machine tools to make a boxer twin 52 cc engine out of a pair of cylinders/pistons from the Ryobi
That's a awesome idea,have to give it some thought. I have a 4stroke Troy that I use for yard work and love it so smoth and quiet.......Curt
 

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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In a few weeks I'll be over in Norfolk to pick up an ancient bicycle, and a possible engine for it or another bike, but we won't know what it is until the accumulated layers of tools and bits are dug through to reach it.
 

Ludwig II

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Jul 17, 2012
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I just thought of something. Those little 2 stroke "throwaway" generators that give 650w or thereabouts, they have a 63cc reed valve engine in them, optimised for torque. If somebody's burnt out the lecktrickery side by asking too much of it, that's a nice little unit in there.

From the 650 Sumo manual:
780w 2 STROKE GENERATOR SML34GEN

TECHNICAL DATA

AC output 230Vac ~ 50Hz
Rated power 0.65kVA
Peak power 0.78KvA
Phase Single
Power factor cosø=1
Displacement 63cc
DC output 12V, 8.3A
Motor 1.8HP, 2 stroke
Fuel tank capacity 4.2L
Fuel type 50:1 or 40:1 of unleaded petrol and two stroke oil
Spark plug type F5TC
 
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mat_man

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Jan 29, 2011
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athens ga
The most common version in the USA is the Harbor Freight 63CC 2 stroke generator.

Unfortunately the generator housing is cast as part of the engine crankcase. (see pics)
The shaft out of the engine is taper fit to the generator section.

Harbor Freight 63CC generator manual
http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/66000-66999/66619.pdf
 

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