[John Mulvihill]

Wow!!!!

I’m impressed.  Which Arduino board are you using?  Mega?

Which display are you using?

I’ve been contemplating a multiple IR temp board for clutch, brakes and tires.

Please keep us (or at least me) updated on your progress.

Here’s a long term project for you: Strain gauges on rear axle for an onboard dyno.

Thanks,

John

Racebrewer

 

 

 

[John Mulvihill]

Hi

Mileage on the vehicle may make a difference. Change the ATF often (and correctly-not all shops do.  You need to get all old ATF out of the system and many shops don’t do it right. Sometimes only half.

The bigger the diameter of the tires on the trailer the better.  Radials have less rolling resistance than bias.  Keep tire pressure high. Balance the tires.  They will last longer with less drag.

Aerodynamics of trailer also make a difference.  Move air around the wheels like most tractor tire rigs with panels and suck in after the wheels.

Keep trailer as narrow as you can to keep it behind the tow vehicle.

John

 

 

 

[John Mulvihill]

If you really want to go the Piston Port route under the current rules, I’d look at a pair of K71’s (AKA KPV, HPV).

Better quality than a Yamaha KT100.  Not much more expensive to rebuild.  Still uses a Walbro WB3a so tuning is similar.  Each motor is about 5 pounds heavier than a Yamaha. And 3-5 more HP each.

Under current engine rules the K71 is very close to a Comer P51.

Since the TaG 125’s came in, there are a lot of K71’s available used.  I bought 4 for under a grand.

John

 

 

 

[John Mulvihill]

Been a couple years since I worked on a 51………..

Make sure the gap is equal all the way around and not binding on the pins.  Put the nuts back on the ends of the crankshaft and tap on them until it comes apart?

John

 

[John Mulvihill]

Blue Loctite and a left hand nut!!!!!!

[John Mulvihill]

A regular nut (or a longer coupling nut) with blue Loctite will work.  Make sure that it is tight enough and occasionally re-tighten.

Red Loctite can screw-up threads since it is supposed to be permanent.

I’ve been forced to use the bottom half of two piece starter nuts many times and given proper tightening and blue Loctite I haven’t had problems.

John

 

[John Mulvihill]

Great weekend except for the weather.  Lots of effort went into the weekend.  Ever been to a Brazilian cookout?    Nom Nom Nom………….  And, of course, Lefty’s Brewing had Pilsner and Coffee Stout.  YUM.  Didn’t get any of the coffee stout though……  Sigh  (Lefty, please save me a growler!!!!!!!!!)

The track is tight with lots of late apex corners.  Bring vitamins and your muscle relaxer of choice.<LOL>

It felt like the old days at Bryar when it was a much more friendly and sociable event than all of the current events.  Great time, even with the weather issues.  Perfect for any single engine kart.  125’s could show what they were made of…..  Duals and 250’s might have an issue unless they pucker up……  They’d probably sound like old Can Am cars

Now I need to drag out one of my old laydowns and rebuild the motors.  Need a new helmet and a Mychron 5.

Oh,,,,  great lunches were available at the track.  Much appreciation to those gals putting them together.  Very tasty…. And, there were two breakfast places on the way to the track (Mickey’s was one).  Seven Barrel Brewing (Beer and food) was in Lebanon (excellent stout and IPA) and great food.

When is the next one?????????

John

 

When is the next one????????

 

 

 

[John Mulvihill]

I work on both US and foreign karts.

American cable housings (3/16ths nylon tubing), I slice with a single edge razor.  The foreign (bicycle cables) I cut with an extremely good pair of side cutters (Channel brand) which cut cleanly and I then force a pointed scribe into the end, so there is no binding.

The inner cable gets cut with the side cutter and the end gets soldered about 3/8ths inch before it frays.  Solder then cut might work better.

Fill the tubing with TriFlow (Teflon lube) before inserting the inner cable.

John

 

[John Mulvihill]

As an alternative to stringing…….  Consider a short Craftsmen laser level tightened to the back wheels (spacer off of the wheel required along with a threaded rod through the axle) shining forward along the length of the kart on each side.  Check toe on the wheel using a ruler fore and aft coming off of the wheel with the ruler held at 90 degrees.

Doing that you create a line running down the length of the kart similar to the string set up but quicker to do.

John

John

[John Mulvihill]

Always a Mychron 2T.  Exhaust helps with tuning.  Water temp to get motor to proper temp for best power.

John

 

[John Mulvihill]

Double bag in dark green trash bags.  Suck air out of bags with a shop vac and keep in a cool place.

John

[John Mulvihill]

Hi

 

Worked on a similar set-up last week.  No foam, but there was a horizontal baffle above the bowl to dampen fuel sloshing.

The problem that kart was having was in the return portion of the double pumper.  It wasn’t pumping enough back to the tank until rebuilt and then it was fine.

John

 

 

[John Mulvihill]

Always go for a 2T.    Being able to see exhaust AND cylinder head temp in an air cooled motor is the way to go.  Or exhaust and water temp………..

AIM actually has people at major races to help out competitors.  Never saw anyone from Alfalfa.  Replacement sensors are easily available from almost every kart shop/dealer or can be borrowed from others.

Racestudio software can do a lot.

When you go to sell, a 2T will have a better chance to sell.

John

 

[John Mulvihill]

Common problem with automotive wheels, too.    Tire shops have a black goo that seals tires to the rims, maybe you can bum some from the local tire shop.

 

John

[John Mulvihill]

Hi Ace,

What exactly is the chassis?   The CKI laydown karts I’m familiar with use a 36″ wide nose.

What is the clearance between your tires and the brake rotors?

 

John

 

[John Mulvihill]

Ditto.  We have been trying to reach him with no luck.

Anybody have a current email or phone number?????

No luck with his old phone (box filled) and no response at old email.

I hope Pierre is OK.

John

 

 

 

[John Mulvihill]

Hi Ace,

Just a passing thought.

In regards to a headrest not mounted to the back of the seat:  Don’t make the headrest too solid, as that can be problematic in a rearward collision such as a backwards spin into a solid obstacle.  You need some give.

John

 

[John Mulvihill]

Good thread.

I really want to get a clear  understanding, could the folks who answered “No” please give an explanation of why they don’t want a Spec fuel.

Thank you and much appreciated,

John

 

[John Mulvihill]

Hi Glenn,

 

Not Walt, but here is my opine.

I usually tear things apart at 6 hours (road racing).   If I find that the ball bearings are no longer mirror shiny, I replace (usually).   I also go 12 hours on the crank pin roller bearing unless it looks funky or the rod looks like it has run hot.

 

John

[John Mulvihill]

I believe that Keith Shampine may have left WKA (second hand, unconfirmed, info), so I’m not sure who is left to update anything.

[John Mulvihill]

To me, it looks like AKRA will be there to support Road Racing no matter what happens with the WKA.  Sounds like a win-win.

[John Mulvihill]

I think that Bergenfelt Racing makes a nice one.

[John Mulvihill]

From AKRA:

“We have no intentions of starting additional races at this time as I stated above. We are talking with existing groups who are looking for options that better serve their racers and enhance their current programs.

Thanks,

Bill McCutcheon
AKRA,Inc “

[John Mulvihill]

Hi Len,

If the nut and ignition rotor have been removed it should just slide out of the bearing.

It might require a couple taps on the end of the crank.  Use a hard plastic hammer or thread the nut back on half way and tap squarely on that.  You need to be careful not to damage the threads on the crank.

John

 

 

 

 

[John Mulvihill]

The Frost King tape can also be peeled off without damage.

 

 

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