670 engine swap in Marathon

catfish918

Hey guys I will be swapping my 295 with a Predator 670, in a 93 Marathon, I'm giving the cart a 4" lift. On the motor mount, what is a reasonable amount to drop that motor platform. The next thing that I will have an issue with is clearance from the top of the motor up to the area below the seat, (metal brace the body sits on). Due you put some kind of bumpers in so the frame could never hit the top of the motor. Maybe I'm in left field but it just seems like the thing to do.

BGW

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sho305

I don't know on that particular swap, but you have to juggle the mount itself some you can drop in the cradle and it can depend on if you get rid of the stock rubber motor mounts or not (or what mount you buy and how it goes in), then you have the cradle itself you can drop usually this is done to level the engine back out depending on lift amount it can get angled a lot. So you have to clear the seat or whatever is up there with the new engine plus when the rear suspension compresses the engine will move up and forward, so depends on how tall the new engine is. If you put a huge lift on with usually 24 or larger tires many move the whole cradle back to center the tire better, when they lower the cradle to level it out you about have to with large lifts. Normally the shocks limit how far the suspension can move, sometimes you can see the movement on the shaft and then take shock loose and lower the cart that far measured at the shock to see where the cradle goes to. I mock it up when I do a swap and check where everything is at, but I did clones and they are pretty low engine to start with. But in G2/9 the head is not far from the frame behind seat so I know what you are saying.

There are lots of ezgo guys on here than can help or have posted about it.

catfish918

Thanks sho, I'm concerned I'll forget something really important. Such as the clearance on the top side of the motor. Maybe the best thing I can do is mock it up as you say and then lower the frame down to motor and see how much upward travel the motor will have. I may add some bumpers anyway just too make sure in case it's a really tight fit. I thought would drop the swing arm what is needed to level the engine. Sho when you drop the cradle do you build a shield around the engine case to protect it from road hazards, (Rocks, Sticks, anything that might accidently get jammed up in the cradle)? I know if I do that it could cause a cooling issue, I don't know how hot it gets where the engine is. I have a lot to learn as this my first cart.

sho305

You are on the right track, just put a floor jack under the rear bumper you can move it anywhere once the shocks are off, though if you have leaf springs you have to deal with those too or put a lot of weight on the cart. Otherwise you make sure the drive belt is lined up nicely, make sure other things fit like airboxes, exhaust, starter/gen if you have that, and so on.

Remember the engine is closer to the cradle pivot so it will move maybe half what the axle does, and part of that movement is forward its not all upward...so it does not move as much as you would think.

I made my mount out of plates so they cover most of the block bottom on my clone. The rest is open but wish I had something under the drive belt it can get wet or get sticks in it, that is only issue I have had with it. I like it all open because it gets hot and heat stuck in there. I was going to put an airdan under it to help make air go up and in. Make sure the air intake area for engine is open for air there.

It also depends on where you ride, I am in woods and get sticks but I don't climb boulders or anything. I can drive over a 12" tree without hitting and if it did that is frame there. It will hit centered I have to be careful of that. Only the diff hangs down on this and should have a guard but trails here again don't have big rocks or anything like that. It is mostly dust and roots and small rocks sometimes, lot of sand and dirt and leaves and sticks. That is why I put 2" pvc to the front of my cart and the airbox is hooked to it.

catfish918

Really good information sho, I think I might be able to get headed in the right direction. Maybe It will turn out great, I hope so.

catfish918

Sho i really appreciate the guidance, it really helps. As a matter of fact most all the guys on the site do there level best to help. I'm glad this site exists, a benefit to me for sure.

sho305

Carts are a ton of fun! This site is best at that far as I know, so I try to help when I have time. Always good to look for some usually harmless fun. I don't do dangerous stuff with carts anymore lol.

Don't be afraid to get right in there and do it, ask here if you need to there are a lot of people that can help. But right, you don't want to do it wrong and have to take it back apart. Been there, but you learn every time. This place will help you avoid most of those problems. Lot of stuff is on here someplace, but it is hard to find. None of this BBS (forums) stuff is easy to search.

This is the thread on my swap check out the photos and see some of the stuff I did: http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/clone...-clone-bb.html
That was before kits and bought mounts. That was the second one I did the green cart was the first there is a thread on that one someplace.

catfish918

You nailed it, I over analyze everything it seems. One the habits I picked up in my career. Sometimes I drive myself crazy when I don't have a solution or haven't given things the proper planning and everything goes wrong. Hopefully with the help everyone has given I can prevent some of the issues that some of the guys have had to deal with, Thanks.

sho305

Measure twice, cut once....and KISS, those two about the best advice. Carts are pretty simple and overbuilt engineering for longevity. But still easy to screw something up because a swap is completely outside what it was designed for, so keep it simple and double check before you make it permanent. That is all I do. And yes, scour this place for info lol. Maybe easier for me because way back I built large industrial machines out of tubing, so welding up something is no big thing to me. And yes I have un-welded many things lol. I got a near new office chair from work that someone broke the seat mount. I welded it back up all nice and found the lever for height does not work. It lined up great but had a little bend in it I didn't see. Have to put a cut off wheel on the grinder and cut all the way around the tube now and get it the right height for the lever and try again. I should have tacked it and tested but was in a hurry. It is good to weld where you can cut it back off if possible.

catfish918

Excellent point sho.