kt100 from can to pipe??

jav Montilla · Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2010 12:46 pm Post subject: kt100 from can to pipe??

Hi everybody!
I will start by saying that I'm new at the forum and new at karting. So please excuse my ignorance and have some patience with me!
I have been racing the 1/4 for a long time but I always wanted to race karts.
Well I got my kart a few months ago, a 04 Margay brava 1.4 with a yamaha kt100.I was told that the engine was blueprinted a year ago. It was original set up for 15 year old with the 4 hole can. Still has a good compression for what I been told "around 150 Psi". I'm racing it pretty much the way I got it except for a bigger sit moved back a little and 10/86 gears. I get very good grip but it seems to be locking a bit of power.
Anyway here is one of my dumb questions,
I'm think of switch classes to run with the pipe but I was told that I can't. Some of the guys at the track say that if the engine and the carburetor were built for the can, you can't use the pipe on them. Is this truth?
I will appreciate your feedback!!
Thanks

al nunley · Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Posts: 3037

If you were my friend, and you asked me what to do, I would say stay with the Can. Learn to drive. I know you're probabaley thinking your a good driver now, but trust me, almost nobody gets good in less than a year, and sometimes longer. If you think you're a little slow with the Can, you can bet you're going to be slower with the pipe. Compared to the competition that is.
Buy a "good" compression gauge, (pep boys doesn't sell a good one) and check it often. 150psi is not that bad, but I would check it. Our best was 160 or maybe a little more. 161-163.
You have so much to learn and the pipe is just going to make it harder. If it was easy, it wouldn't be so much fun.
_________________
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
All else being equal; Compression is the Holy Grail.
45 years, in and around karting

Jim White · Joined: 21 Jul 2001 Posts: 994

All you probably need to do to run it as pipe engine is to check the "squish" it can easily be adjusted by adding a thicker head gasket. It may not get you every last ounce of power that a "pipe" engine can produce without other mods but it will be pretty close.
Do a forum search for squish as this same question has come up before.
Good luck! Very Happy

jav Montilla · Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2010 5:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the good advice!
I know I have much to learn!
I'm going to stick with the can for this year but I will like to try the pipe in a practice day.
What about the carburetor?

Jim White · Joined: 21 Jul 2001 Posts: 994

Carbs going to have to be set richer for the pipe. More power+more fuel. Start rich and work backwards.