Sno-Runner engine hop up questions

Carlos

New Member
#1
Exhaust
I'd like to get a military exhaust if any of you guys have one.

But if the less restrictive, power restoring military exhaust is made from un-obtainium is there a go kart exhaust that does the trick for the Powerbee 820 that one of you guys have successfully fitted?

Thin head gasket

Also anyone know anything about the thin head gaskets the military one's were evaluated for?

Would this be something available from one of the Go Kart specialists that stocks old West Bend/Powerbee 820 parts?

Tillotson Carb mods

Any details on the Tillotson carb modifications that the military versions used? ... Anyone tried these little tricks?


 

CarPlayLB

Well-Known Member
#2
There's this guy on OldMiniBikes...he goes by CarPlayLB ...send him a PM...I am sure he has a thin head gasket for your engine...and all the other gaskets too!
 

Carlos

New Member
#3
Thanks

I just answered my own questions on the gasket

175529-032 is the thin .032" gasket ... apparently as standard they come with 2 head gaskets one at .032" and one at .062"
 
#4
carlos ., I have 30 or so west bend 820.s we even have a couple son runners ..

pm me your address ill send you a .016 that's what I use in all mine ..then you want a little bigger tilly id go with a 314a gas carb best all around tilly kart etc.. carb they make ..then exhaust ..ill look at one my sno runners see what theres room for if theres room put a 49.00 gem box on it theres couple vintage kart places to get them ..you will be shocked at what them three things will do ..then ill tell ya about cutting the flywheel and the port timing work you can do its pretty simple ... Im almost 110% sure your motor has all 3 exhaust holes same size ... the middle one needs raised .040 I raise all 3 to .070 up too .100 but 100 kinda kills bottom end then put one red spring one brown spring in clutch it will kick in 4500- 5500 you will laugh your a$$ off trying to ride it.. they rip ..cant even keep the ski on ground ... lol
 

CarPlayLB

Well-Known Member
#6
woops sorry carplay ... I skipped over your post somehow I don't wanna step on anyones foot here ..

I opolgize
Damn you MrTwister...stealin' my thunder! Now my children will have to continue to eat Top Ramen 3 times a day!:laugh:

We're just all trying to help each other...no harm done!:scooter:
 
#7
carplay ., im exactly one week into a severe heart attack and a stint placement ..I still cant see real good .and I can still smell burnt chest hair where they jump started me ... lol .

carlos and carplay kinda looked the same ..

im more of a vintage kart collector but I still have 15 or 20 minis left ..

id be happy to help anyone I could be it on two .,three .,four or 6 wheels ...
 
#8
carplay ., im exactly one week into a severe heart attack and a stint placement ..I still cant see real good .and I can still smell burnt chest hair where they jump started me .
Oh man Steve, I am so sorry to hear this. I wish you a speedy recovery. Dang man.

I still have the Fox Kart you sold me. Still in primer. Runs okay with a 580 on it- well, it DID until I decided to adjust the carb. :laugh: I do laps around my neighborhood with it, after a couple of six packs. Takes beer to be able to fold up my body into a pretzel so I can ride the thing.

Sorry to thread jack Carlos. But it's your fault I started adjusting my carb in the first place. LOL! :laugh:
 
#9
dave ., thanks for the kind words .. 580,s can be like a woman ..one minute they work good ..but then if you start twisting thers screws you mights well forget it ..lol

heres a couple simple things to try throw a fresh plug in it even if it looks good turn in both hi and low jets then back each out 1 and half turns each ..if its ever gona run it will start with those settings if it don't atleast start and kinda run ..next thing is make sure reeds are closed ..I don't run air cleaners only stacks and once in a great while ill get a little dirt ( small pebble ) holding one or both reeds open ..

thanks again everyone for the kind words
 

Carlos

New Member
#10
First things first ...

Steve I wish you a speedy recovery and I hope the smell of burnt chest hair declines as your vision returns!

Steve and Dave, thanks for the 820 info, it's exactly the kind of stuff that I want to hear!

2 days after I picked up the Snow-Runner I got my hands on a Sno-Rabbit too!
So it's now one as a restoration and one as a Sno-rod.

 

Carlos

New Member
#11
Steve,

I had a quick look on the www for a 49.00 gem box ... couldn't find anything.

Which Vintage go kart stores would you recommend?
Are there other exhausts that are good if I can't get a Gem?
I also found a Van Tech exhaust ... Are they any good?

Carl
 
#12
In 2002 I had a Sno Runner restored. I got all the NOS parts on eBay from a guy in Charlevoux ? MI. Put on whatever performance parts I could get. It went pretty good for the 5min I rode it. Sold it cause I just had knee surgery and didn't want to crash and go thru it again
 

MikeBear

Active Member
#13
In 2002 I had a Sno Runner restored. I got all the NOS parts on eBay from a guy in Charlevoux ? MI. Put on whatever performance parts I could get. It went pretty good for the 5min I rode it. Sold it cause I just had knee surgery and didn't want to crash and go thru it again
Yep, Charlevoix. Here is his website: Home Page
 
#14
carl ..ok I lied twice to you ..first off I looked and im out of .016 head gaskets I have a stack an inch thick of .032 gaskets .. and second lie is the gem boxes are now 59.00

gary doelmont is the sno runner and rokon parts and info king ..he has parts for both ..fillman machining LLC

the gem boxes and other west bend parts are californiavintagekarters.com

I emptied out my pm.s so I can now receive more pm,s

sorry to have misled you ..
let me know how you make out ..

also you can find many many parts sources on vintagekarts.com look in the sub section parts resource section

p.s. unless your running alky the 032 gaskets are fine ..im thinking the .016 with 2 cycle mix might build to much cyl. head temp ..
 

Carlos

New Member
#15
Still good info Steve ... Thanks

Please tell more about cutting the flywheel and the port timing work.
The clutch spring mod (one red spring one brown) are you running that with the Hi-Po 15 tooth clutch or the std. 17 tooth?
 

MikeBear

Active Member
#16
Still good info Steve ... Thanks

Please tell more about cutting the flywheel and the port timing work.
The clutch spring mod (one red spring one brown) are you running that with the Hi-Po 15 tooth clutch or the std. 17 tooth?
You might want to really consider getting it up and running AS-IS, to make sure it all at least runs. Then make your "enhancement" mods.

That will go a long way towards helping in case your mods cause problems. You would then at least KNOW that it ran properly before the mods.

Just a suggestion...
 

Carlos

New Member
#17
The Sno-Runner is up and running, that one I am going restore to standard.

The Sno-Rabbit needs a recoil insert for the spark plug, so I plan to do a more in depth rebuild ... this is the one I want to modify and make into a So-rod.

The Charlevoix snorunner.com site is great for all the standard parts I'll need, but I think some of their performance stuff (in particular the military exhaust) has sold out ... that's why I'm interested in what the vintage go kart guys have been up to with the 820 engine. Plus I want to go a little further than the military spec.
 
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#18
One other Power Bee/west Bend 820 question

With the thinner head gaskets such as .016" or .032" are you guys running a colder spark plug than the L90?
 
#19
carl ., sorry been awhile .. ok on cutting the flywheel im fortunate enough to have a pretty good little machine shop . I jig mine up on the end mill and take off nearly all the fins But we run them on karts sometimes 60 to 80 pmh so they get plenty of air to help cool motor ..I wouldn't advise cutting yours you might see tiny tiny tiny bit quicker throttle response but
the over heating issues will ruin any and all affects of the mod ..

the port work has to be very very critically measured the first thing people do is start hogging away ...bad bad idea ..the port timing is the main deal on a 2 stroke id say high 80% or more of 820,s ported are done incorrectly ...the angle of ports are so criticle and if changed by even a degree sometimes make a motor way slower ..there angled to direct the fuel mixture at a perfect shot twards the top of piston changing the angle say by enlarging the hole shoots the mixture either straight across to exhaust or straight into side of jug bounces back and sprays more gas out carb than goes in motor ..decrease in performance instead of increase ..

theres alot more to it but I knda hit the most important issues

cant say as ive ever herd of that spark plug I run only champion L78 or L82 same plug in ngk is brhes8 hot and brhes 9 is cold
 
#20
When you said cut the flywheel I assumed you would loose material on the backside at the outer edge, I don't want to remove the fins, I'm good without lightening it.

Porting a 4 stroke I can do and get results ... hand it to a pro I better results.
Never done a 2 stroke so I'll get it done by someone who knows what they're doing!
 
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