Experimental FE350 in progress

[buggyAl]

Getting ready to try something different! I am currently working on a Club Car Kawasaki FE350 CW, The clutch side counter weight link rod seized to the crank causing the motor to stop. I had to cut the link rod with a die grinder to remove the crank. I took the crank to a local engine machine shop be polished and see if it was salvageable. Not so lucky, so I investigated the link rod size on the FE290. The shop is now in the process of grinding the link journals on the FE350 crank to match the FE290 link rods. The weight balancer guide on both motors is the same part number, the weights are completely different, and the FE290 link rods are just a few tenths shorter in length. The pins that hold the link rod to the weight are the same in both motors.

Has anyone tried this?

Anyone see any obvious flaws in my thinking?

Looking for input.

[JohnGordon]

Hi there. Just wondering if you followed through with this and how it turned out.

Thanks.

[CP241]

The other option is to lightly spit weld the oiling ports closed and remove the weight and link rods all together.

It will have a bit of a vibration at lower RPM but once you get to about 10mph or faster, you really don’t even notice it anymore. Engine runs just fine.

I know it’s not ideal, but really not much option on the FE350 short of buying a new crankshaft. IF you can find one. And if you do they’re very pricey. It’s a shame the link rods aren’t available separately like they are on the 290.