Briggs LO206 survey

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My understanding was that the sealed block was disposable at some point and that would be a $600 rebuild vs $4-500. if your referring to having the head rebuilt isn't that about the same? what do you get for $150 that sounds a little too good to be true. if there is no power advantage yet there is a quality/rebuild $$ advantage why not let the l206 run with the clone? the minimum it would do is force the builders to drop their prices to be competitive. i'm interested in saving money and not sending so much money overseas.
The sealed block lasts forever if you change the oil. They loosen up and get faster with age. A new sealed short block is about $300 (plus the labor to change out the parts).
 
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My understanding was that the sealed block was disposable at some point and that would be a $600 rebuild vs $4-500. if your referring to having the head rebuilt isn't that about the same? what do you get for $150 that sounds a little too good to be true. if there is no power advantage yet there is a quality/rebuild $$ advantage why not let the l206 run with the clone? the minimum it would do is force the builders to drop their prices to be competitive. i'm interested in saving money and not sending so much money overseas.

You "can" dispose of it if you choose, but there is no reason to unless you experience catastrophic failure. The short blocks do get better over time because of the very conservative build specs and ring package used. We had an engine that was from the very first run of LO206s win a feature this year (FWIW, the series still allows old seal engines where they run.)

Too good to be true? I dunno - ask our customers.
A "freshen-up" consists of Removing the head, cutting/touching up the seats and valves, cleaning the cylinder and crankcase, new head gasket, new valve springs, ultra-sonic clean the carburetor, align the carb and intake, set the coil air gap and ignition timing, set the valve lash per your engine and class, bench tune the carburetor, new inlet needle, new bowl o-ring, new valve cover gasket, new 3910X plug, new fuel line, new fuel filter and probably another item or two I'm missing, but that's the general deal for rebuilds on these engines. I think most builders are on the same page as we are. Same level of work and same price ($150+-.)
The power is found primarily in the head and carb tune. Most club racers have their 206s gone through once a year (over the winter.) National level competition is obviously a bit more often.
If you want the engine dyno tuned, it's an add'l $85 (incl. fuel and your choice of oil.)

We get $200 labor alone to rebuild a clone, and I'd rather not touch them.
 
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If there is no performance advantage between the clone and the 206. why not convince the tracks to let the 206 race with the clone? with the price advantage I see the clone being phased out easy. if the name of the game is getting people to the track the more karts in the mix the better. If you really want the l206 engine to phase out the clone you need B&S to pay Nall, Chavous, Armstrong, and Yarbrough to just go out and win races with these things or put up big money races for l206 racing. there is more than one way to skin a cat
 
If there is no performance advantage between the clone and the 206. why not convince the tracks to let the 206 race with the clone? with the price advantage I see the clone being phased out easy. if the name of the game is getting people to the track the more karts in the mix the better. If you really want the l206 engine to phase out the clone you need B&S to pay Nall, Chavous, Armstrong, and Yarbrough to just go out and win races with these things or put up big money races for l206 racing. there is more than one way to skin a cat
Show up with a LO 206 on and race with the clones, let us know how that worked out for ya, If you actually believe the performance is equal now, you would have a different mind set after the race.
 
If there is no performance advantage between the clone and the 206. why not convince the tracks to let the 206 race with the clone? with the price advantage I see the clone being phased out easy. if the name of the game is getting people to the track the more karts in the mix the better. If you really want the l206 engine to phase out the clone you need B&S to pay Nall, Chavous, Armstrong, and Yarbrough to just go out and win races with these things or put up big money races for l206 racing. there is more than one way to skin a cat
I agree with you but..... When you race two engines against each other everybody wants to be given consideration over the other competitors to keep things "fair". One persons conception of fair is always at odds with others and it just becomes a political disaster. To me it would be fine putting one against the other at the same weight and run them, let the cream rise to the top.
 
Someone else said there was no performance advantage not me I said IF. but you cant deny that the kart counts were higher back in the days of one engine 4 levels of tune little to no money.
 
The biggest thing keeping the two engines from mixing is the 6100 rpm rev limiter on the L206.

You could mix them if the L206 were allowed the 7100 rpm limit Briggs WF pvl coil - then it might be a pretty fair battle. The carb advantage still goes to the L206. Pretty much all other advantages would go to clone, (Bp'd block, head, cam, rings, pipe, etc.) or aren't significant enough to matter.
It would be a pretty simple addition to the L206 to just change out the coil, nothing else, and see how they stack up.
I doubt that the clone guys would be so inviting...then again, I'm not a big fan of mixing engines within classes -- it has some obvious drawbacks that have been discussed at length in other threads.
 
Few years back when I was still at almost 425lbs in thenkart i ran my bp animal against the clones. Passed everyone except the top two which were battling for points but could have at any time. With all the changes to the clone since then I doubt the 206 would have a chance even with the WF 7100 coil.
 
Show up with a LO 206 on and race with the clones, let us know how that worked out for ya, If you actually believe the performance is equal now, you would have a different mind set after the race.
in the 90s i would have put Barrett Terry with a predator against a clone at Dumplin Valley and sold predators out of my trunk later that day
 
If the 206 should go away, bring back the KT100, 1 good motor will last a lifetime if you don't blow it up. Tell the sanction bodies what you want to run
 
This is a good time for everyone to remember that if we wants Briggs to hang aroubdcwe need to support them to. When I bought I new generator for our race trailer I bought a Briggs. When you buy buy a new lawnmower or generator keep that in mind.
 
You have made numerous other post how well the track was doing and you like racing with full field of karts, WHY would you try to introduce another engine ( Class ) thining the current field and adding time to the program, NO track needs more classes they need less, this option is not going to draw new racers it's going to thin current classes.
The thing is, there are California tracks that have few karts and obsolete classes. The LO 206 affords the opportunity for fewer motor classes but many age/experience divisions.
With full size race cars too, there are too many divisions without paying fans (which isn't the same with karting) but try to make up the difference from entries (back gate) and put on a poorer overall show.
Karting is participation driven more than a spectator sport so my point is in some ways more divisions seem to keep the show rolling and allow us to participate.
 
I did the survey and think the 206 motor just like it is. Even when we pay for a race prepped engine by a reputable shop, the cost is affordable and the reliability great even though we grenaded our first motor with a rod through the block! $300 bucks for a short block, $50 bucks for a valve job and bingo! A great practice motor... cant do that with any other power plant.
The TAG stuff is wonderful and a great step up!
206 is a great place to start and a great place for veterans to have a ball and not break the bank.
I ve built (assembled record setting V8's) and many "blue collar" classes run crate motors with great growth and sustainability. The 206 is a savior for at least for some classes here in California sprint karting as an fully prepped motor add motor mount and clutch for for $875 - $1300ish max!
How do you improve on that?
 
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