Some small engine questions...

[PowerTrike]

I've been working on a cheap Go-cart. I plan to use a small engine out of a pushmower. I have one that needs some TLC and one that i found at the local dump and I got it runing great. Anyway why is it that they need the blade on to run. I mean they seem to have to have some kind of resistance when starting the engine. If i take the blade off either mower and pull a ton of compression will build up and it will jerk the recoil back very hard and it won't start but if i put the blade back on it will start fine. Why is this??? Would I have to incorporate some kind of mower blade into my cart? :? I plan to hook it up to a 5sp "tranny" with Neutral (where i would start it) from an old ryding lawnmower. Everything is ready to bolt in but the engine won't run w/o resistance. wtf?

Any help or comments appreciated thanks :)

[yamaha200E]

first of all i hope trailprotrailpro not planning on turning it sidways. :shock: and cheak the tranny for a diff if it does it not goin to be verry good in mudd. and i dont know bout the motor but if trailprotrailpro whanting a go-cart motor i got a couple ill sell one to yea that need a carb thats it. its a 5hp briggs. ill let it go for $25 + shipping&handling. kyle

[PowerTrike]

Oh no. It will be straight up and down like any vertical shaft engine should sit. I'm really not expecting too much from it (no mudding). Its just something I would like to "putz around with" in my spare time. I do have a horizontal shaft engine (5hp Briggs also) in good shape but what i've got set up requires a vertical. Thanks for the offer anyway.

[cmracer15]

i had a buddy that did that exact same thing..except he used a 12hp ridin mower engine. the thing was pretty cool. dont know wut to tell ya bout the blade off the shaft deal? it dont need the blade on it to run. maybe because its an older engine that needs a tune up, the extra momentum of the blade still turns the engine after u quit pullin causin it to turn over more thus starting it. when its jus the shaft there is nothin to keep it spinnin after yur dont pullin. I bet if u clean the carb and do a valve job it starts w/o the blade.

[FullBore]

A lot of small engines can be hard to start without a blade on them, its because they we're designed for use with a blade and so need a blade to work as a flywheel bcause they have a lighter one. just get a flywheel off another engine, make sure it'll fit on the bottom shaft below your pulley, break off all the fan fins and bolt it on ensure it has a key to stop it from turning., you should then have a well balanced twin flywheel briggs, and with the carb properly set up should idle at about 4-500rpm! that's slow!
the only downfall is it'll have poor throttle response but will be VERY hard to stall!

Nat