My first project

[HoughMade]

If I understand your question about the lawn mower engine, you want to take a standard vertical crankshaft mower engine, alter the carb mounting, and turn the engine so the chrank is horizontal. If this is not what you are saying, I apologize. If it is, don't do it- it will not work, at least for long. These engines are splash lubricated and if you turn the engine 90 degrees, oil will not get splashed where it needs to be and it will seize fairly quickly. To run horizontally, an engine should be designed that way.

Welcome! You are correct to consider weedwackers or maybe even a chainsaw...the problem is that if you get the engine for cheap, there is a lot that goes into making it work well and relatively safely....that being said, if you have the mechanical moxy, you can make it work!

 

[delorean_mac]

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. I am picking up my 28 cc weedwacker tomorrow, so we'll se how it goes.

 

[delorean_mac]

Well, I got the weedwacker, which turned out to be 31ccs. I have to go to Home Depot to buy replacement fuel lines and something to mount it to the bike, but after that, I'll start putting it together! I'm thinking about using pipe to mount to the frame and put the motor on. I'll also need a wheel for the shaft, since I'm using friction drive. I don't know how I'm going to mount the wheel to the shaft, though.......

 

[sparky]

My friend used to have a GoPed back in the day with a friction driven motor right above the tire. The super cool thing about it was the motor was on this hinge thingy that lifted once you pulled an older shifter type lever (one that didn't click). The way the engine spun, it just pulled itself & the tire downard. It was definitely very cool.

 

[delorean_mac]

I was thinking about puting a hinge on the motor, but it would be too hard, considering I'm trying to do this all within a $30 budget and I can't weld. Well, it's time to go to Home Depot to my stuff.. lets see how it goes!

 

[hellbilly]

Welcome and good luck. Let us know how it goes.

 

[delorean_mac]

My stupid Walbro carb isn't working, now I have to take it apart... yet another setback in this project that is getting longer and longer. I'm wondering... how long did it take everyone else to make their bikes?