Weed eater engine conversion

[Lastflight]

Originally Posted by GOOSE316

Let me say this has been a learning process.

Ordered a motor, kill switch, fuel tank, and cover from monsterscooterparts.com.

On the first shipment I got the motor and kill switch. I then called back, and had to wait another week to get the tank. When I got the tank , the cover wasn't in it....so another week.

Issue 1. The fuel tank was exact and had to be shimmed out with 2 nylon spacers in order to fit the motor, not really a big deal, just another trip to truevalue.

Issue 2. The electric start worked great, however the way it was assembed left a little be to be deisred. The pull cord did not engage the electric start which made it useless. I had to dissasemble the electric start and not only grind off the 4 screw studs but I had to grind the circular spacer that attached the pull start to the electric start.

Issue 3, The carburators on these things take a not very standard throttle cable end... looks like a small cylander...not your standart elbow connector.

Issue 4, The fuel tank leaks like a banshee

The next issue or obstacle would be... and nothing of anyone's fault really is the Honda Clutch kit that OrphanedCowboy reccommends doesn't exactly fit. It needs shimmed out with 4 1/8 spacers in order for the clutch bolt heads not to rub the clutch housing...not a biggy but locked the motor up when I first started it.

Its all built and assembled minus the trigger/throttle handle i'm still waiting for on ebay...been longer than it should have been.

The motor did start right up, however, the cover for the carburator that reads CHOKE ON and OFF is backwards, when the choke is positioned on, its actually off... kinda funny.

I like the idea of a weed eater engine, but finding something that would be more readily available would be a better choice. In my opinion.

Wow, sounds like a pain in the butt. I have been on the fence for a while on whether or not to take on this same project. Your experience makes me think I might wait and pursue other optioins.
Thanks for the info and keep us posted on how the final product works!

[portacruise]

How do the long tail shaft section bearings hold up? The older models used wooden bearings with lots of grease under pressure. But I was always afraid the wood would swell and cause the shaft to sieze up...

Porta

Originally Posted by Paraprop

1. engine after sales:
My wife is an official Honda dealer. We do carry all the spare parts for our engine. We do even tune those engines for racing applications.
By the way if you use Chinese clones, you can use original Honda parts to replace the weak chinese parts.

2. Those props have proven themselves here in Thailand in the most difficult environment for several decades already. This technology is nothing new here. The only innovation is that we came up with a good aluminum cast design for the coupling unit. But even this unit is already proven for 4 to 5 years of heavy use by all trades on the sea, rivers, canals and lakes.

Here in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Burma, the people make their living with such small boats and use them everyday the whole year round. Honda has taken over the market because of reliability and availability of a good distr. network.

[Cosmonot]

Here is the least expensive big brush cutter available in the US.http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdet...item=EF%208530
Still pricey but half the cost of a Stilh.

[poule d'eau]

Originally Posted by Paraprop

1. engine after sales:

By the way if you use Chinese clones, you can use original Honda parts to replace the weak chinese parts.

All of the honda clones I ever saw would not inter change any "wear" parts. Mostly carberator and ignition parts. Parts for these clone motors (honda clone) have always seemed to be hard to come by, then pricey when you do find them. If you have a particular "clone" motor that parts will interchange on I am all ears.

[poule d'eau]

After a pot of coffee and some looking and reading. The "off shore" stuff seems to be some what hard to get parts for as far as servicing and PM work. So, with this in mind.
What do you guys think about a twin set up using the 30+cc motors? I would think it would provide as much if not more thrust than the single 52. It would be easier to find parts for the most part. The smaller cc motors are in high abundance. If you strained one of the little devils, just pull it off and throw a new one on, short of carb and ignition work.
The down fall is that two is not always better than one. Having fooled and toyed with a bit of "deuces" in the past. It can make twice the headaches.
I have not checked the weight of the two smaller ones against the larger motor. I am looking at this for either my 12' 6" 4 Rivers and/or my old 14" j boat.
Like I say, just a thought and more of a project for next year.

However the HP mods that John did to his motor does impress me.

[Mark Wo]

Now I'm not saying to not go for it cause it would make an interesting project and seomthing to talk/brag about i the swamp. My only concern would be that 2 30 cc motors would still not be abel to push the boat. The 31 cc mud motor I made worked fine for around 15-20 seconds then it would bog down and die. I don't see how two motors would change this. Each motor would still need to spin the prop against the drag of the water and I don't think these smaller motors have enough torque to do so. Wouldn't matter if you had 10 30cc motors on the back.

Just my opinion based wholly on gut feel - no science what so ever involved in the comments above.

Mark

[poule d'eau]

Mark, reading back through this thread and saw it was brought up a couple of years back. It didn't go anywhere so it either wasn't tried or didn't work. Deuces can be an issue and more times than not cause headaches.
I will start to gather parts NOW and then maybe by April or so I will have all of it to assemble.
BTW, the gas tanks fuel neck sticks staright out rather than tilted up on those 52cc motors that I have seen pics of. Seems they would leak or spit fuel.
jeff

[hoytedow]

Originally Posted by Mark Wo

Now I'm not saying to not go for it cause it would make an interesting project and seomthing to talk/brag about i the swamp. My only concern would be that 2 30 cc motors would still not be abel to push the boat. The 31 cc mud motor I made worked fine for around 15-20 seconds then it would bog down and die. I don't see how two motors would change this. Each motor would still need to spin the prop against the drag of the water and I don't think these smaller motors have enough torque to do so. Wouldn't matter if you had 10 30cc motors on the back.

Just my opinion based wholly on gut feel - no science what so ever involved in the comments above.

Mark

unless all 10 were driving the same prop shaft.

[GOOSE316]

I figured out an easier way to get the throttle cable ends that you need to attach on triggers, or carbs.

My specific issue was needed a long tubular end on the carb side, and a Round Ball type post on the trigger side...(stihl trigger).

You can get some solder that you would normally use on copper plumbing pipes and melt the solder in a some what glob on the actual throttle cable...Once it hardens you can file or sand in to whatever shape you require.

I used a galvanized piece of material, and cut out a template for what I was needing...then inserted the wire, and soldered onto the galvanized material. Once it cooled I separated the now soldered wire and filed down to what I needed.

I will say you need to use flux just like you use on copper tubing...so the solder will stick to the wire...

Just what I did... I got tired of hunting around for little pieces.

I also tried melting a duck weight (led) to recreate it but it didn't get hard enough , also tried a fishing weight.

The tin solder is hard as a rock.

[GOOSE316]

Paraprop.... what would shipping to the us involve...customs etc

[Paraprop]

One of the forum members has bought 2 units and is testing them now.
If it works out good for him, he may become my US re-seller. Please allow us some time to sort everything out.

Thx
Paraprop

[GOOSE316]

All is left is adjustng handle pitch and killing greenheads.


I am going to add a CrossBlock on the handle for the WHITE navigation light...that runs on Dcell batteries.

[Cosmonot]

Goose316, looks good. Why did you relocate the fuel tank to the handle? Did you start with a brushcutter or did you build from scratch? Let us know what type of speed/performance you get out of it.

[GOOSE316]

This was a monster scooter engine... i posted a few threads back on the issues with them.

The fuel tank CAP leaks when the cap is under the motor, the cap sticks out to the side and spits fuel when engine running...so i mounted it straight up on the handle so it wouldn't spit or leak... will also allow for a little more fuel to get sucked out... and should be easier to fill.

Also i am running 89 octane in this, it reduces smoke... 89 octane, and stihl oil..at about a 50:1 or 55:1 mix..

[poule d'eau]

fuel tank? At first glance I thought it was one of those on the go urinals . Battery box I imagine? Or knowing you a mini fridge