Westbend engine help

Neck

Neck

Growing up is optional
#7
#7
That's weird, all my 580 cranks have male threads sticking out past the flywheel, what the heck is holding the flywheel on the crank?!
 
manchester1

manchester1

#8
#8
The fly wheel has a key way. The starter cup just bolts on by screwing in the crank. I just put it all back together so I remember where the parts go. :laugh::laugh: Here is a few more photos, I don't think it is a 580. Very tiny engine.

 
Richard Trotter

Richard Trotter

#10
#10
If my memory is working, The 2723 was made for a McCulloch lawnmower that was a total flop, leaving many of these motors in surplus. Art Ingels built the first go kart in 1956 using this motor which opened the flood gate of kart racing.
 
bigrob

bigrob

#12
#12
Hey Karen love the little 2strokes
Easy to make puller from a scrap of steel
Three holes for flywheel bolts and one in middle with a nut welded on for push bolt
 
M

mrtwister

New Member
#13
#13
hi ., thats the strangest west bend ive ever seen .. i have over 35 west bend 580s eight or ten 700,s and around 20 west bend /us 820,s never seen a taper crank on both ends .. specially on a left side engine CW rotation .. its deffinatly industrial engine and id almost bet only 2" bore so it be a 510 not 580 .. when you tear it apart messure bore if its 2 1/4 you have a 580 then its worth buying a 45.00 straight 3/4" crank .. plus if you put a 3/4 straight crank you can put almost any clutch on it .. west bend go kart /mini bike engines come with 9/16ths straight shaft very hard find a clutch reasonable ..
heres how id pop off flywheel but its me ..!! and not 100% correct way .. cant hurt the crank its junk anyways ..and cant use it in mini bike or go kart .. even if you swap out the the driver with #35 or #41 chain the clutch thats on its to weak for mini bike or kart .. find an old socket that fits in hole of flywheel and sets on end of crank bolt your puller on and run it up against the socket and pop it off .. kinda a two piece puller ..


when you get it tore apart let me no i can give you many leads on parts .if your interested ..
 
KustomKartKid

KustomKartKid

Administrator
#14
#14
mrtwister said:
.. cant hurt the crank its junk anyways ..and cant use it in mini bike or go kart .. .
Click to expand...
ummmm.....that's a bit presumptuous on your part...especially given that the motor you see came off a belt driven Tom Thumb mini bike built in the 50's - 60's and the V-Plex belt drive clutch you see on it is almost impossible to find.



If that's the best advice you have to give...maybe it's best for you not to give advice.
 
Outlaw Ace

Outlaw Ace

#15
#15
Buy a steering wheel puller from HF, it's the easiest way to pull that flywheel and probably cheap as well. I've used mine to pull aluminum blower fans from briggs engines that ran yard vacs and ventilation blowers.:thumbsup:
 
H

Havasu Dave

Moderator
#18
#18
KustomKartKid said:
ummmm.....that's a bit presumptuous on your part...especially given that the motor you see came off a belt driven Tom Thumb mini bike built in the 50's - 60's and the V-Plex belt drive clutch you see on it is almost impossible to find.



If that's the best advice you have to give...maybe it's best for you not to give advice.
Click to expand...
Wasn't that engine the first two stroke to be used on karts in the 50's?
 
KustomKartKid

KustomKartKid

Administrator
#19
#19
Outlaw Ace said:
Buy a steering wheel puller from HF, it's the easiest way to pull that flywheel and probably cheap as well. :
Click to expand...
Ace beat me by a minute......and yeah harbor Freight will probably be the cheapest date.....and Havasu mentioned a harmonic balancer puller...same thing...

All the early Westbend powered karts used "industrial" engines...

Westbend only started embracing the idea that they were "kart" engines when they saw what people were using them for and realized they could make a buck off it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top