ez go marathon gx390 engine swap.

natew121

hey to all,
long time reader 1st time poster here. kind of got bit buy the golf cart bug . i have been given a gx390 that runs really well only one year old. Just went out and bought a 1987 2gp 2 stroke marathon. from what ive read without a rear axle swap i wont have reverse. well to me that isnt a problem it will just be like all the go carts ive owned. what i was wondering and from some information i have gathered from reading the fourms is i was thinking about using this for the rear end https://www.denniskirk.com/_.p087291...0872911.sku-as they talk about in another thread - about putting bike motors in.-http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/bike-atv-engine-swaps/53705-sprockets.html

and as for the engine side. i was thinking this http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200415728_200415728?cm_ite=233516&cm_pla=G o-Karts,%20Electric%20Bikes%20+%20Scooters%3EGo-Kart%20+%20Minibike%20Parts%20+%20Accessories&cm_c at=Google&cm_ven=Aggregates< as this is the biggest front sprocket i could find .

just looking to drop this engine in one way or another dont mind not having reverse. any help would be great.
thanks nate.

BGW

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natew121

no one ? .. not a single person has information about swapping in a clone and doing a chain drive setup?

joepowe8

I dont think chain drive will work very well. I think you'll need a belt drive with a clutch. Also, depending in it your going to lift it and stuff, you'll probably regret not having reverse. I would imagine most golf carts are a lot heavier than go carts. It will be harder to push backwards.

natew121

well im going to pull it all out and see what it consist of. i think it can be done . well see ive seen a few videos were people even convert electrics with 6.5 hp clone engines on them . plus eventually im getting a four stroke axle . the carts body was in to good of condition for 350$ to pass up the engine is shot and i got a free motor gotta make somthing happen.

invalidsession

It's just easier and more convenient to use the reverse rear axle. 6.5hp clone engines are already down on power from the original by almost 30%, I fail to see the point of that option unless you live in Iowa or Illinois where there are very few hills to surmount. Doesn't the 2PG have a front facing rear axle ? (pardon my ignorance) If so, you will have to mount the motor laterally instead of longitudinally which will also be a royal pita. It can all be done but I would honestly suggest getting a 4 stroke rear end and mounting the new motor in a more conventional fashion. Why re-invent the wheel ? BTW, what does a cart weigh ? A golf cart nose down on a slope requires a helluva lot more effort to pull around than does an "engine on a bicycle frame" Go-Cart.


Chris.

natew121

its not a 6.5 hp? its a gx390 honda which is a 13hp engine. as we speak getting heads milled/ported ,billet crank and high compression pistion and a bunch of other stuff looking to make around 20-25hp which is a huge jump in hp. i think ill be able to make this work as my brothers a welder . so fabing things up wont be to big of deal . and i am getting a new axle around christmas time . which will be chain driven or might just swap the whole rear end off his yamaha banshee not sure yet were going to make somthing work though .

kzunell

The Clutch you listed is rated to 13 hp not sure how long it will last with 20-25hp. Also you do not get the different gear ratios that the belt setups provide. belt setups are a constantly variable transmision basically. Chain and sprockect only gives you one gear.

carguymn

Try Surpluscenter.com, they sell new utility vehicle diffs with FNR, even have an auxiliary output for a PTO.

Here's a link to one:

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.as...ame=powerTrans

they have 2 different axles this style.

Best bang for the buck is the Maxtool 16HP engine with electric start. Carbs are pretty poor but can be tuned somewhat. Check affordable go karts site for more info on the Honda clones.

I installed a 16 hp clone in my early 90's EZGO, this was already a 4 stroke cart, but install should be similar.

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/clone...omax-16-a.html

natew121

yep figured i might as well just wait and save up a little bit more and get the axle from surplus. and get the most out of my cart and plus a my clutch was toast so a new clutch plus a new drive clutch that was also toast and and cpp clutch adaptor deal will be way more than axle & sprocket thats what ill be doing within the next week or two.

kzunell

OK here is the problem you have. If you use the chain and sprocket set up you will have no transmision. the thread about using the bike motors they have a transmission built onto the motor. The original clutch set up on the cart is actually a variable speed transmission (as motor RPMs go up the gearing starts to change as the pulleys change size). Carts are heavy and need gearing to move. try driving a car or truck or bike and leave it in just 2nd gear the whole time. You are going o end up buying the parts and doing it and then you are going to end up having to buy all the correct parts anyway.