Gentleman, Start your Enngggginnnnne

Yes!!  the day finally came!After almost a year and a half a major milestone was achieved in the restoration of the Red Devil Enduro kart.  The engine started!With the clutch and brake tether done, I couldn't think of anything else that needed to be done.

So on Friday I injected some gas/oil mix into the cylinder and crank case to give some lubrication.  All I wanted to do was turn it over to get gas up to the carb... BUT IT POPPED AND STARTED.

Totally surprised me.  Surprised Pam.  Surprised the cats and dog (we cleaned the carpet)
Pam quickly ran out and started shooting video.  Here is a short video on youtube: 


Pam was very excited.  I was too, but thinking about a lot.  She suggested I take it for a spin on the circle.  So I donned Dad's helmet of for the ride.  But that didn't happen for a variety of reasons.. not the least that the engine needed to be broken in properly.

So I went back to warming it up steadily.  However, my ignorance of the engine got the best of me.  I was fiddling with the carb needle way too much too quickly.  Or there may be an air leak.  Here is what happened: 

I tried one more time and it "screamed" again, so I reset everything, including the idle speed screw to be away from the throttle arm. Set the HI needle to 2 full turns and LO to 1 1/2.At first it would fire ONLY with the starter turning. And lots of flooding. over several starts moved idle speed screw in a 1/4 turn and it would fire with full throttle and fingering the fuel dump tube. Leaned out the LO needle to just a full turn but still would flood with out fingering.at this point it will start with: throttle at pumping or full, fueling lean by fingering. But would die if any were stopped.
At least it wasn't  "screaming"..... and did not explode or stick.  I did go back an re-torque the head bolts.

I thought it thru a bit. Idle speed screw was "in" a few turns (I had not touched it in the restoration and did not count how many turns.).

I will be doing a leak check, and other tests.  There are some insights on carb settings by Steve O'Hara and others that I need to go back and study.  

Dad would be so emphatic about being careful turning the needles.  "Only 1/8th at a time and wait."  And he counted one half turn as ONE turn... since the needle can't be turned a full 360º.  So one turn he would count as two and that 1/8th would actually be a 1/16th.

I really wish he could have been here to see this...it would have been so much easier.  But it was still a good day.  

Tires and helmet will be ordered soon.  The Grattan test day is in 4 weeks so this better be resolved soon. 

P.S.  Yes, next time the kart will be either outside or aimed out the garage door.