Hopw would I build a go-kart out of a vertical lawn mower engine?

Question

I have an extra engine lying around, how can I put it to use? It's one of those vertical ones, so.... I thought about putting a gear where the blades used to be and having the gear drive my wheels. Is there an easier way to do this?

THanks

Answer 1

sorry but although you could do it it wouldn't be cost productive. first you would need to change to a heavy flywheel, vertical shaft engines use the blade to get the necessary mass that the flywheel provides and vertical shaft engines use a light flywheel and the blade to get the necessary mass. so you would have to purchase the correct heavy flywheel for your engine, not cheap, then as already stated you would need to find a pulley to fit the vertical shaft, not so easy as most of these engines use a 7/8" shaft and pulley's for this size are not common. you'd be better off finding a used horizontal shaft engine.

Answer 2

Seems like it's more work than it's worth. But this guy claims to have a solution (first link.)

Bottom line: you can't just flip the engine on its side, it won't last long due to its lubrication issues. It also needs a flywheel to replace the function of the blade. In looking at the dude's site, seems like he uses a twisted belt to a jackshaft that then drives a clutch and countershaft horizontally (second link.)