3 cyl. Or rebuild?

[mike bar]

Ok guys,to be short and sweet, I have a 18 magnum which is getting weak and has a hard job pushing the supertracks. The govenor was unhooked when i got it and not quite sure if it has anything to do with the power issue but lets just say when i correct in the steering it is dramatic change in rpm's. I don't over rev it but don't know if other guy before me did. seems to work harder than it did last year. I can get a pontiac firefly engine for 200 bucks(whole car actually) The owner claims the car was working great but would not pass inspection. I don't know the year but i do know it has a throttle body. I would love to have the power to spare if needed like slim has. I find the kohler runs to hot but maybe if it was rebuilt it wouldn't have to work so hard.I would like to talk about this before I jump into it.

What would you do? Thanks, Mike

[Beeman]

Ummm.. I'd just dive in and put the 3cyl in there. You won't regret the power and you won't regret the fuel injection. Also - you can probably get $200 out of the car at the wreckers even with the engine removed.

[smog]

if you have the mechanical abilities and a welder, go for the 3cyl.

[mike bar]

I have to admit, the earth would probably come to an end by the time i would get her figured out. My brother said he would be willing to help out. He is more mechanicly inclined than me and has done several motor jobs on his past vehicles,including changing motors in his saturn 3 times in 2 years. so as long as i have his help i would feel pretty comfortable. The only thing that really worries me is finding someone to fit the clutch to the engine and would prefer a carb over fuel injection, just because of the simplicity of it.

Beeman, is there much to hooking up to the computer?

[Rock Doctor]

The only thing that really worries me is finding someone to fit the clutch to the engine

Any good machine shop could build you an adapter plate without any problems.

I too would lean toward the 3cyl, but for simplicity, and would also prefer the Carbed model.

RD

[Beeman]

I'm not sure what Slim has going on in his, but I used an automatic transmission in mine (btw - I won't be doing that again!) so I just took out the full wiring harness, computer/s and hooked it up that way. I imagine the standard wiring is easier than the automatic. I actually find fuel injection simpler than carb.. than again - I never did get the hang of tuning a carb.

I think there is someone on this board that will machine the adapter to fit the clutch on the engine - I remember seeing the post but can't remember who it was.

[racerone3]

member "mark m." has built a (really nice) clutch adapter for the kubota 3 cylinder in Hydromike's attex tank trainer. He had also done CAD drawings of the adapters for the Geo 3 cylinder engine (firefly might be the same), but I'm not sure if he had built any of them yet. send him a pm and see what he can do for you.

[Slimpickin]

I would use the flywheel from a standard tranny. You can then use the pilot hole to center the shaft. I would cut off the transmission shaft to the right length if it was one inch but preferably one and one eighth. I would then take the flywheel and shaft to a machine shop and have them make a bracket to fit over the shaft and bolt to the flywheel. Have them weld the bracket to the shaft. Most any machine shop should be able to do that. You would also have to get them to cut a keyway and put a hole with threads in the end of the shaft to hold the clutch on. It might be easier to have them build a whole new shaft.

Slim

[mike bar]

I don't even know what size my clutch shaft is yet, but i will measure it before i talk to machinest.I assume from you guys that either 1" or 1 1/8" will work? When i talk to the machinest what are the obvious questions i need to ask? I am going to email the guy with the car to see if it's a standard or auto.

thanks, Mike

[Slimpickin]

The machine shop can bore out the clutch to 1 1/8. I think you will need all the strength you can get.

Slim