Electric start Kawasaki 440 (Arctic Cat)

[Big Sal]

I'm currently getting ready to transfer a 1974 Arctic Cat 440 into my Trail Boss. do the Kawasaki 440's require anything else to make them electric start besides the motor? I was wonding if there was a support bracket or anything...my engine has a spot for a electric start motor and I want to put one on it....any info on doing this is greatly appreciated!!

[Big Sal]

Well got the 440 Kawasaki out of the sled and onto the bench....after some cleaning up I got it running....has a Mikuni carb already on it so that is a nice bonus....runs like a bear...I can wait to get it mounted... I want to build a "slider" type mount to have about an inch of adjustment for the belt, plus put on rubber isolators to keep the vibrations at a minimum and was wondering if there is any special re-enforcing I need to do to the mount for it to hold the torque from the engine without cracking....

[Bazooo guy]

If you use isolators and can weld .....the mount from the snowmobile should be good with 4 bolts to the frame.
Make sure you offset the clutches so the belt is aligned when the secondary opens. I set mine at 1/4" offset and it seems to work good.
An inch of adjustment is more than you need.......by the time your belt stretches that much the width will probably be too narrow.

[Big Sal]

I would but the mount angles the engine forward....I was going to just mount the engine upright (for fitment in the machine)...I'm going to fab some mounts out of 3" flat stock with isolators to cut the vibrations...which direction do I offset? I also wanted to ask if there is a "golden rule" for choosing a belt...since this project is custom, I'm gonna need to get a belt by length and width rather than vehicle spec, plus I'm gonna need it first to set where the mounting holes are gonna be for the engine...

[Bazooo guy]

I used this for the offset...

Install the belt when you align the engine and pull it till theres an 1 1/4" of deflection.

I bolted the flatstock to the engine and clamped the plate to the mount and tacked it in place where it was aligned.
Then remove the engine and weld the mount

[Big Sal]

The fixed faces of both of my clutches are on the same side....is that going to be a problem? I would just line them up and it should be fine....

[thebuggyman1]

That's gonna be a problem. The belt moves sideways as it climbs/decends the clutches. The fixed faces must be on opposite sides to keep the belt straight.

[Big Sal]

I know the Comet clutch setups on some of the bigger HP go carts the fixed sides of the clutches are on the same side....the belt should just move with the clutches side to side...my machine being a custom the secondary clutch has some side to side play in it....maybe who ever re engineered my machine took this into account and thats why my secondary clutch kinda "floats" on the shaft to center the belt automaticlly...

[Bazooo guy]

What is your primary clutch?
The info i posted is for a salsbury clutch.

[Big Sal]

The primary clutch is the factory one on it from Arctic Cat (Kawasaki 440 2 stroke twin)....I'm not sure of the maker...

[Bazooo guy]

Can you post a pic of your clutch?

[Big Sal]

Here is the engine I'm looking to use



This is the clutch




Here is another clutch on the parts engine



And this is the clutch on the 10hp Briggs that was in it

[Bazooo guy]

If you use the arctic cat engine offset the fixed face of the primary 1/4 inch to the right of the secondary fixed face when the secondary is pushed to the left (away from the t20) viewing it from the rear as in your pic.
When the primary closes it will open the secondary and the secondary fixed face will move towards the trans and be inline at higher rpm.
Thats how i would set it ...the secondary is self aligning.

[thebuggyman1]

If you use the arctic cat engine offset the fixed face of the primary 1/4 inch to the right of the secondary fixed face when the secondary is pushed to the left (away from the t20)
When the primary closes it will open the secondary and the secondary fixed face will move towards the trans and be inline at higher rpm.
Thats how i would set it ...the secondary is self aligning.

Big Sal:
Before you go any farther....measure the belt width of the original belt from the trail boss. If QDS was correct and you were set up for a comet 40 series clutch, the belt should measure approx 7/8" wide. This belt width is not going to work well with the artic cat primary, that probably uses a 1 3/16 or 1 1/4" wide belt.
Replacing the secondary is probably cheaper than replacing the primary...if you could even find a comet 40 series for a 30mm tapered shaft. Not to mention the smaller diameter of the 40 series will have less change in drive ratio than the standard clucthes we use.

[Bazooo guy]

Why not use the arctic cat belt......Is it 1 3/8" ?
You wont have as much top end speed because of the secondary size but who knows the gear ratio after the t20 ?
The ac engine will run best around 5 to 6000 rpm.
I would try it and if its too slow then look at using the ac secondary and relocating the t20.