Animal/Intek: minimum for the maximum?

[Tom Stephens]

As I read and ask more about these engines, I need more answers
If I go the Animal/Intek route, I would like to do so with the minimal investment and minimal mods for the max HP I can obtain without going whole-hog - I'm not talking about the ultimate max HP.
Of these items listed below, which (include any or all) would give me what I am looking for:
1) change to Tilly carb
2) change cam
3) put on head with the bigger valves
4) special exhaust (which one?)
5) billet alum. rod
6) billet alum. flywheel
7) porting
8) doing anything to the block?
9) other suggestions?

With all that in mind, does it matter if I start with the Intek or Animal?

Tom Stephens
www.kartfinder.com

[Rodney Ebersole]

Tom, The inteck @ about 220.00 compaired to the animal @ about 400.00 sence you are moding it with all the billit goody's there isn't any reason to buy the Animal which has a motorsports piston, rod and head which will be used in the stock classes as they develope rules. You seem to be at the edge of going whole hog with it. How many HP's do you want? I think they will be stronger than a limitted flat head useing similair rules like stock valves,head and crank, any piston, any rod, any cam, with a tilly carb. Do you race 4 cycle now? If so what classes do you race in.

[Tom Stephens]

Rodney, I'm at the crossroads of 2 and 4 cycle. I really like HPV but I like the idea of being able to have fun working on the 4 cycle.
Don't have my kart yet, have been running some indoor and some outdoor, trying to decide what I want for next Spring.
I would be happy to have 14-18 HP. Even though faster is always more thrilling, and I will be trying Rotax Max before I buy, for myself, there is a limit on how fast I need to go (oh, how many would argue that point!)
Honestly, (not in the Gary Condit style) I like the name and paint scheme on the Animal and can get one for $386.
The only trouble with the Intek/Animal is that there are no classes for them where I will be running. If I do 2 stroke, I will be doing HPV.
If I end up with Animal rather than Intek, to get 14 HP will I have to change piston? Can I get that HP from doing 1,2,4,5,6,7 above?

Tom

[Rodney Ebersole]

In my opionion, yes I think you could get 14 HP out of an animal and still use its piston and rod. But anything more than that I think I would go with the intech and the billit rod . A semi stock animal I don't think will give you the same thrill as a HPV. Plus as a new karter it might be best to start in an established class in order to get some help from other racers at the track. That Rotax max thing might be a way to go. I know a guy here that the serclip came out of the piston and they fixed him right up on a warranty deal. Plus that on board electric start could make ya fat.

[Bob Vehring]

Tom, On one of the first mod Inteks we put together heres what I did, short block was completly stock, you can check rod clerance and ring end gap if you want, but if you are just geting started, and not confident doing these things stock will work. I used a Dyno 308 cam, there are both (356 and 275 lift) available now), IMHO cam choice is very dependent on the type of track you plan on racing, too much cam and performance suffers on a tight sprint track, bigger cam offers alittle on big tracks, I still use the 308 the most. For intake man. I use the ETB/Panser witch is comercialy available, and is a very nice piece. Carb is a .820 Zama, This is the carb that comes on a Blue Wazoom, just happened to have one on the shelf and it worked perfectly with out being touched, also have used some tillys, that were laying around that came off a L.M. flathead, think its a 368 but would have to check to be sure. Pipes come from Dean Robertson, have used both the "cane" and the "snake", seems I'm using the cane the most now, but again this will depend on the track, Dean can tell you whitch will work best for you. Heads, heres where the fun starts, on tight track slightly smaller ports work best. The ind. head has a ramp in the Intake port, this allows more choices in designing your port, on all but the smallest tracks the Animal head will work just fine and comes with a better ex. valve. We race at many diferent types of tracks, I have several heads ready to go, small ports, bigger ports, some uncut one at .020 one.040 cut off the surface, at under $40. complete with valves,springs ect. and under 10 min. to change its easy to dial in to whatever type of track your at. Now, witch block to buy, here are my thoughts, I like the ind. head to start with if you need alot of low end power, other wise either head, haven't seen any dif. between daul bearing crank/block vs dual, either way use the Animal rod, I have never used a bilit rod or flywheel yet but would like to try a rod a least for enduro tracks, Animal comes with lighter flywheel most other parts you will change anyway. Now that I made this sound really confusing I'll try to sum it up, a alky carb between .800-1.00, dyno 308 cam porting and pipe should give you what you want, depending on if you have any parts allready or can find some used cost should be about $600. including motor. We always are faster than Yami pipe light with this set up and beat most Hpv's, of course this is depending on driving and chassis set up skill. Bob

[Tom Stephens]

Rodney re: "Plus as a new karter it might be best to start in an established class in order to get some help from other racers at the track." Now you're trying to be logical and I don't want to hear that Yep, that is definitely true, I have to weigh that fact. I have no doubt the Rotax will be a thrill, I'm glad I don't have the $5000 right now to plunk down for a new setup! I am still thinking I will be able to resist it. I surely appreciate yours and Bob's comments and suggestions. Where is anyone else? I know, this is predominantly a 2 stroke forum. I just happen to like both 2 and 4!

Bob, my thick skull is starting to get the picture! I will be running on asphalt 1/2 mile sprint tracks. From what you said I could do the Intek with:

1) an alky carb between .800-1.00. What will be the effect of using the stock carb, modifyied to use alky?
2) dyno 308 cam
3) porting
4) Robertson pipe
5) ETB/Panser intake man.
6) Animal rod

or...could I get the same results with the Animal, with the only problem for the 1/2 mile tracks being the Animal head?

Oh, can I use the starter rope with this configuration or do I have to go to electric start?

Tom

[ August 25, 2001: Message edited by: Tom Stephens ]

[Bob Vehring]

Tom, Briggs makes a jet kit to convert stock pz carb to alky, this carb works good,but with the 308 cam and porting the carb is a little small to take advantage of the other things that increase flow, remember, something is always going to be the limiting factor, or chocking point. Right now we can easily bolt on a bigger carb, intake man. and cam and open up the ports for a supstancial hp increase, but now the limiting factor becomes the valves. As of now bigger valves require a lot of work, stock vavles are spaced wide in the head, close to the walls, bigger vavles would require either moving vavle C/L closer together or increasing the bore size quite a bit, these things will come in time but right now the things I listed should get you a honest 16 hp. Don't worry to much about the ramp vs no ramp head, either one should get you there. Its not just the lenght of your track but mostly how tight your turns are, also you can raise your clutch engagement to compensate for slight loss in low end.I switch my motors over to elec start, it is possible to still pull the rope but any thing that raises comp. makes this job harder and they sometimes kick back, pulling the rope through your fingers, this usually results in a string of obsenities coming from your mouth and you find yourself doing a funny little dance on the grid Bob