Chrysler Power Bee
- Thread starter Neck
- Start date
The lower caged rod bearing is good in industrial applications (7000 rpm max) The caged bearing has been failing in karting applications where you see high rpm's. The loose lower bearings are much better in both applications. If you are using this engine in an application that will be seeing high rpm's use the stronger rod bolts that are available from US Motor, not cheap ($32.00 pair) but they are reusable, the std. rod bolts should be replaced each time you remove them.
we did have a problem at Santa Maria with the caged needle bearings it exploded!.....the older 820s i dont think have the cage.....Tim at cat kart racing in newhall Ca also has quality 820 parts......you may want to look at the type of crank end on that fire pump......Louie you may want to tell them about the huge VKA vintage kart event Oct12 13 14 bakersfield Ca
Bakersfield VKA Vintage Kart event, lots of open track time. February 1st,2nd & 3rd, 2018, Riverside CA, this is the biggest VKA event on the West Coast, usually 60-70 karts in the show, 80-100 karts on the track. Big raffle, dinner, show awards Friday night. Go to the Vintage Karting Association website or facebook page for more info. Or you can contact me at louiemtb@aol.com
The girdle holds the barrel from separating from the lower end of the block. These engines are early style, pre copper head and Vintage 820 blocks, when ported there is not much material to hold the cylinder from separating at the port belt, the girdle holds it together. 610 West Bends do not have the problem, they have a smaller bore so there is a lot more material to hold the cylinder together. The new style 820's and 610's have a beefed up cylinder especially in the port belt area, it does not seem to be a problem in the new engines. I also use girdles on my Power Products as they were notorious for separation.
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West Bend Aluminum Co. introduced the 820 in Dec. 1961, the 610 came out Feb. 1962, West Bend engine division sold to Chrysler Marine in 1965, Chrysler sold to Brunswick (Mercury Marine) They changed the name to US Marine, in 1991 Brunswick sold to Wisconsin Oven Co., name changed again to United States Motor Power. All the engines are the same as the first ones produced in the '60's with some exceptions, ignition, carburetor, better flywheel, improved rods etc. Power differences for different applications was done through compression ratio (head gasket thickness) and ignition timing. The engines that are produced today by US Motor are the brainwork of Dave Bonbright who worked with US Motor on the design, They have the same exterior dimensions, but have an improved stronger block, pistons, crankshafts, heads, intake manifolds etc. are all interchangeable with the original engines. Different pto variations are available for karting applications (stepped, 10 deg. taper, 3/4 inch straight) The new engines have a nikasil cylinder liner. The race versions, Copperhead, Vintage 820 have the large intake reed manifold, the large Tillotson HR184 carb. Horstman style head, boost ported, single ring piston. In stock version the industrial engine is bullet proof, the race version is also although they are used under strenuous applications. The original version of the 820 in stock version will not need a girdle setup, they are a very stout engine.
Who and where is Joe?
Louie
Who and where is Joe?
Louie