Ok, here it is Firestone Kart Info subscribers, SwedeTech’s Corner Stock Moto write up. Nick has been lobbying hard on your behalf for a Stock Moto article from SwedeTech. So here it is….. Just Buy a Swedetech Engine.
All kidding aside, there is a huge reason why the Honda CR125 Stock Moto package has become such a popular class. Typically, your largest expense will be the initial purchase of the engine package, but the maintenance and running costs are relatively low when compared to many other karting engines. If you are saying to yourself right now, “I can buy a clone engine for $200.00”, you are subscribing to the wrong newsletter. You can put a wing on a Fiero, but it still not a Ferrari…
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If this is how you feel as you approach the apex of a corner, you may be charging the corners!
Charging the corners is one of the most prevalent driving errors in karting. I see it all time at the track and more often than not it is one of the biggest areas I address when coaching. The good news is it is easier to put the brakes on a driver than light a fire under their ass to get them going. (Yes, the pun was intended…) Still, I think not charging the corners is one of the hardest things to learn as it requires a great deal of discipline and faith that the time you feel you are giving away under braking will be more than regained by having a good exit and carrying all that extra speed down the next straight. So how can you tell if you are charging the corners and if so, what can you do to eliminate it from your driving style? Well, let’s explore…
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FKI May Preview: Go Kart Chassis Tuning – The Floorpan
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The Floorpan. Many of you may look at the floorpan as just a means to keep your feet and gas tank off the tarmac. As long as all the bolts are snug and it hasn’t been dented from a big off, all is well. Then, upon closer examination, you may think, “Wait, this is one of the only components tying the left side of the kart to the right. The middle of the kart has chassis tubing, the rear of the kart has the axle, a bumper, and bumper bar (possibly). Can I use the floorpan to tune the kart?” The answer is yes. How? I’ll show you…
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In our last SwedeTech’s Corner, we started the troubleshooting guide for clutch kart engines, addressing no sign of spark and engines that may be starving for fuel. In this edition we will continue the guide. Next month’s SwedeTech Corner will go into troubleshooting Shifter Engines. So enough rambling, let’s continue.
Before trying to restart the engine, always inspect the inside of the engine utilizing an inspection light. This can be done by removing the spark plug and looking inside the cylinder with the inspection light. Look for any damage on the piston or cylinder walls. If you see damage, do not run and consult your engine builder. You will see this statement many times in this troubleshooting guide. This should always be the first step in any engine troubleshooting. I’ve seen countless engines that had a huge parts failure or a seized top end, and the mechanic just kept cranking the engine over without looking inside to see if the engine was even functional…
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FKI April Teaser: Track Review: PKRA
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Click on image to see track speeds and gears.
One of my main goals when I created FKI was to provide you, the reader, with the tools to gain competitive advantage over your fellow competitors. For those of you coming to PKRA (Phoenix Kart Racing Association) for the SKUSA Spring Nationals, this track review may arguably be my best shot to help you gain an advantage. Why? Because PKRA is one of the most technical tracks in the country and definitely the most technical place I have driven. Luckily, PKRA is as fun as it is technical with a constant left to right flow, a big banked 3rd gear turn, challenging high speed corners, and a very timely elevation change making the kink at the back of the track tricky to take flat in a shifter. Add Phoenix’s beautiful weather (for at least 8 months out of the year) plus the fact that the track is lighted and you have an ideal setting for a kart track! So, now that I have hyped the place up, let’s unlock its secrets…
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Notice how loaded the outside rear tire is in this picture. Is it fast? Read on...
At the end of the What Does A Good Handling Kart Feel Like article (FKI – March 2012), I cautioned against tuning your kart to handle too well. What do I mean by that? Can a kart really be handling too well? The answer is definitely yes. In the pursuit of the perfect handling kart it is possible to over-stick the kart to the track. You hear about this all the time in oval racing when drivers talk about finding speed by removing downforce to “trim” the car at Indy. The same principle applies, albeit mechanically, to karts. So what exactly are you looking for to get an indication that you may have over-stuck your kart? Well, there are a couple of things and maybe the best way to explain them is to site a personal example from a race last year that was actually the impetus for this article…
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FKI March Teaser – Launching A Shifter Kart
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Waiting for the Green!!!
The Launch. Probably one of the most exciting aspects of racing a shifter kart and one of the most exciting aspects in motor racing period. Nothing gets my blood pumping more than the starter indicating to put your visor down, mashing the gas, and waiting for the lights to go green. That being said, as exciting as a standing start is, the launch is a critical component of your racing success. Master it and you will be presented with great passing opportunities before you even enter a turn. Get it wrong and you can put yourself in a hole, believe me I know. So what are the secrets to a good launch…
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Working at SwedeTech and answering the customer technical questions, I’ve been able to compile quite a list of troubleshooting tips. Most of the knowledge comes from direct hands on experience from the three of us in the shop. Feedback from customers also allows me to stay current with the engines that are used in karting throughout the world.
The information in this article will hopefully help you when the time arises. For all of us that have spent any amount of time at the track, some of these problems will sound familiar. This guide is created with a clutch or direct drive engine utilizing a pumper style carburetor in mind. So, I will quit blabbering with ‘fill content’ and get started…
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March FKI Teaser: Tuning With Bumpers
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Continuing on last month’s FKI theme of subtle yet often overlooked tuning tools, I wanted to turn our focus to your kart’s bumpers. While we have dedicated an entire article to tuning with the new CIK style rear bumpers, I realize there are still a lot of you with older style rear bumpers and their days may be numbered as more clubs mandate CIK bumpers in their rules. Subsequently, I better get this article out before the old style rear bumper becomes obsolete. This would also be a good time to incorporate tuning with the front bumper so let’s start there…
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As I mentioned in last month’s FKI, a reader requested I do an article on what a good handling kart feels like. When I read the request I immediately thought, what a great concept! Everyone talks about the changes you can make to make your kart handle better but WHAT are we trying to achieve. As far as I know, no one has ever tried to define it. While the topic is of course a little subjective, there are some things you are looking for. So, I will do my best to put into words what you are trying to feel on the track. Hopefully, by the end of the article, you will have a better idea or at least a wider perspective of what you are looking for from your kart…
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