Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!!

chazdo2 · 02-22-2012, 11:41 AM

I have an old Yamaha G-8. Motor seized,body and frame everything else in decent shape. I have been toying around with the idea making it a little hot rod for the grass and the ice. Going to keep it low to the ground wont need any suspension more than stock. My question is should I purchase a used motorcycle engine, snowmobile, Briggs Vanny? I can get snowmobile and motorcycle engines fairly cheap where I am. As far as cost and fabrication hoops to jump through what is the best way to go and also the cheapest? Can you give me the plusses and minuses of a snowmobile motor and a bike motor. Same rear clutch as oppose to maybe a direct drive chain and sproket like a motorccycle? Ease or difficulty of each project?

DOOmsman · 02-22-2012, 11:50 AM

My two cents be aware a sled engine makes its horsepower
at higher rpms and you need to keep the expansion chamber
close to the same length and size.

sho305 · 02-22-2012, 06:45 PM

I'd say the easiest is a sled motor, and yes you do need to keep the pipe intact to get the power. It is noisy and stinky lol, but already has a clutch on it. Even a 340 was capable of over 60mph maybe 70 in good tune, over 80 for 440s....so seems like that is enough power. Even a little 250 bravo would do like 50mph, but people get one and take the pipe off or chop it all up, then it don't work that way.

I'd say a lawn engine is likely easier yet, but you don't get the big power. You can build one up but that takes cash.

Don't forget a polaris ATV engine that has a clutch on it too.

Bike engines are sweet but one of the harder builds to do. Check out the G1 on ebay someone posted in yamaha section.

What? You callin me a wizard? What is that? LOL

rifter · 02-22-2012, 08:15 PM

Snowmobile engine with the clutch still on it is the easiest, I put a Yamaha 440 in a EZGO Metalist, just built a motor mount and wired it up -done. It ran 50 MPH but it was taching 7000. I ran the twin cyl exhaust through twin Harley mufflers probably killed most of the power and didn't quieten it much either but it looked cool.

sho305 · 02-22-2012, 08:51 PM

This guy might have kept the pipe on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=j1Lt8zJutZs

chazdo2 · 02-23-2012, 07:23 AM

Thanks to all of you guys again!!!!! great advice!!!!!!!!!

chazdo2 · 02-23-2012, 07:27 AM

One more question do you reccomend the fan cooled ( price) or the liquid cooled? Do the fan cooled heat up too much? I would think the older " free air " would not be a good idea. Which way is the way to go on a budget?

rifter · 02-23-2012, 11:38 AM

Mine was an air cooled engine, I didn't have any kind of extra fan on it, I left the engine shroud on it and it cooled fine.

sho305 · 02-23-2012, 11:59 AM

On a budget fan cooled for sure. Liquid makes more power if you keep the pipe, is a little quieter, but you have to plumb and buy a radiator so why bother and it will likely cost a little more. No don't do free air, and that would be an OLD engine lol.

Mikesn31 · 02-27-2012, 02:39 AM

Love the pipes Rifter!

02-22-2012, 11:41 AM	#1
chazdo2 Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Central New York Posts: 812	Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!! I have an old Yamaha G-8. Motor seized,body and frame everything else in decent shape. I have been toying around with the idea making it a little hot rod for the grass and the ice. Going to keep it low to the ground wont need any suspension more than stock. My question is should I purchase a used motorcycle engine, snowmobile, Briggs Vanny? I can get snowmobile and motorcycle engines fairly cheap where I am. As far as cost and fabrication hoops to jump through what is the best way to go and also the cheapest? Can you give me the plusses and minuses of a snowmobile motor and a bike motor. Same rear clutch as oppose to maybe a direct drive chain and sproket like a motorccycle? Ease or difficulty of each project?

02-22-2012, 11:50 AM	#2
DOOmsman Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Reddick IL Posts: 11,220	Re: Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!! My two cents be aware a sled engine makes its horsepower at higher rpms and you need to keep the expansion chamber close to the same length and size.

02-22-2012, 06:45 PM	#3
sho305 Vegas modded 420 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: West MI Posts: 15,445	Re: Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!! I'd say the easiest is a sled motor, and yes you do need to keep the pipe intact to get the power. It is noisy and stinky lol, but already has a clutch on it. Even a 340 was capable of over 60mph maybe 70 in good tune, over 80 for 440s....so seems like that is enough power. Even a little 250 bravo would do like 50mph, but people get one and take the pipe off or chop it all up, then it don't work that way. I'd say a lawn engine is likely easier yet, but you don't get the big power. You can build one up but that takes cash. Don't forget a polaris ATV engine that has a clutch on it too. Bike engines are sweet but one of the harder builds to do. Check out the G1 on ebay someone posted in yamaha section. What? You callin me a wizard? What is that? LOL

02-22-2012, 08:15 PM	#4
rifter rifter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Orlando Florida Posts: 4,055	Re: Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!! Snowmobile engine with the clutch still on it is the easiest, I put a Yamaha 440 in a EZGO Metalist, just built a motor mount and wired it up -done. It ran 50 MPH but it was taching 7000. I ran the twin cyl exhaust through twin Harley mufflers probably killed most of the power and didn't quieten it much either but it looked cool.

02-22-2012, 08:51 PM	#5
sho305 Vegas modded 420 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: West MI Posts: 15,445	Re: Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!! This guy might have kept the pipe on http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=j1Lt8zJutZs

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02-23-2012, 07:23 AM	#6
chazdo2 Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Central New York Posts: 812	Re: Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!! Thanks to all of you guys again!!!!! great advice!!!!!!!!!

02-23-2012, 07:27 AM	#7
chazdo2 Gone Wild Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Central New York Posts: 812	Re: Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!! One more question do you reccomend the fan cooled ( price) or the liquid cooled? Do the fan cooled heat up too much? I would think the older " free air " would not be a good idea. Which way is the way to go on a budget?

02-23-2012, 11:59 AM	#9
sho305 Vegas modded 420 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: West MI Posts: 15,445	Re: Advice needed! Sho, flint, rifter, rest of you wizards!! On a budget fan cooled for sure. Liquid makes more power if you keep the pipe, is a little quieter, but you have to plumb and buy a radiator so why bother and it will likely cost a little more. No don't do free air, and that would be an OLD engine lol.

02-27-2012, 02:39 AM	#10
Mikesn31 Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 206	Love the pipes Rifter!
Mikesn31 Gone Wild Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 206

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