LO 206 Engine Builder & Manufacturing

Peter21X

Member
Hi Racers, In looking for an engine builder and buying motors we got great and consistent information and there are exceptional and ethical builders across the country.
The one builder in California which gave us some different info which I want to get feedback on. He claimed to purchase "Canadian" LO 206 motors to prepare for race engines. His claim was their quality control was superior and performance was the best. Aren't all LO 206's built and assembled in Milwaukee, Wi? Is this performance advantage true?
He also claimed to have "special" 206 heads which flowed much better than average and were upto 1 full horsepower over most stock heads. Would a full 10% gain be possible while remaining true to the rule book?
It sounded like fishy info to me. Is it on the level?

BTW, the engine people who contribute on here are very solid and I respect you all. We have grown rapidly from 1 Cadet Kart to adding an adult Kart. We acquired 2 Hyper Motors, 1 Comet Motor (IKF Duffy Winner) and 1 Kart City Motor (IKF Duffy Winner), all lightly used but solid enough to start with for 2021. This is from asking around and getting feedback. Thanks to everyone who took me from limited knowledge to slightly above that... I appreciate you all.
 
Personally , I don't trust outrageous claims , especially when I'm already doubting there validity . Sounds like you got a pretty good line up already .
 
Peter
I'm sorry i haven't been here for quite a long time but it was a VERY busy racing season.
Peter, you are correct. There was a song many years ago called California Dreamin and i'd say it applies to answer your question above.
Please feel free to call, text or email me and i'll be happy to help you with what ever your questions are or needs.
I'd also be happy to explain to you how we prepare or refresh the LO 206 engines.
Best of luck
Jim
 
Thanks for answering Flattop and Jimbo! I do think I know the answer but was interested in seeing whether I was correct or partially correct or totally ignorant.
Now I drove a Kart today and confirms I got the bug...
 
1 full HP. Not the first time I've heard this btw.
This kind of stuff discredits the whole engine platform and should be addressed.
Think about it like this -- IF this were true, AND the parts deemed legal by qualified tech, THEN everyone and their brother would be ordering engines from this same builder.

Not saying that this guy didn't find "some" meat on the bone, but 10% in the head alone is a pretty far-fetched claim if it still can pass a solid tech.


-----
🏁Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
Carlson Motorsports on Facebook
31 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
I’ve built a few Canadian engines and hundreds of American engines this year. The Canadian engines were so much better! Just kidding they ran the same. 😉

If/when someone has a full HP over the competition everyone in the country will know it within a few races. That is simply not the case. We won our share of races this year and don’t suspect any foul play at the bigger events regarding engines. Please don’t give it another thought that someone can legally get a full HP extra out of a head over a random new one. It’s not possible. Thanks Briggs and Stratton for making it easier to focus on driving and setup.

Gary Lawson
Comet Racing Engines
 
As mentioned before. Run it for a few days to heat cycle the head then have one of the fine gentleman on here (like Jimbo or Brian) touch up the valve seats. That's where its at. I spent half the summer thinking I was getting every last bit of horsepower out of my son's until I realized the biggest gain is in the driver, then the gear, then chassis. In that order. We do sprint racing and 1 or 2 sloppy corners causes us to lose more lap time then the extra horsepower would ever get us. Now that doesn't mean I will stop trying to find a better setup, I just won't beat myself up if he doesn't place first...
 
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To set the record straight, every 206 engine assembled originates out of one location. Incorrect information (some would scream false) to think Canadian engines might be better. Here's why.

Briggs ships engines out of inventory, to Italy, China, Germany, United States, and MANY other destinations, including Canada. The reason Canadian engines are marked w/ a Maple Leaf and identified differently, to protect Canadians against distributors from other countries, by undercutting their MSR (list price). Mr. Paul Cooke put that in place w/ Briggs, and it's been honored ever since. All Briggs 206 engines arrive at the warehouse in Canada, then STAMPED at that time w/ the Canadian Signature.

If someone tells you different, they're confused.
 
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Animal/LO206 parts are very consistent in their manufacturing, sure we all had our favorite heads before everything went to the RT1, and of course the only head allowed in LO206 is the RT-1. There is nothing to be gained by mixing other parts. A few years back there were several individuals that were claiming that their animal/LO206 engines only get the best hand selected parts. I contacted them to buy all those scrap heap parts that they had rejected. Oddly enough none of them got back to me.
 
I haven't been on in a few months. I have spoken with a few of you over the past few months. Its funny how your "knower" sets off alarms when we hear fantastic claims? This claim did that.
Reputable engine companies I know are more knowledgeable and precise Engine tuner/assemblers with the LO 206. With the rules, we cannot tear down the short block and alter what's in there nor the induction system. They all use their powers for optimizing what is there and the difference between the reputable is negligible.
Every single builder has told me "it's the nut behind the wheel" so to speak. Track time and kart maintenance are the most important thing. Grand son, Kaleb (8) has been on track nearly every week-end for the past three months with a variety of LO206 plants. He is still 2-3 seconds per lap from competitive race lap times for the Jr. 1 division w/ green or blue slide on Santa Maria Kart Association track. It ain't the motor.
I see it as an age and experience thing, a developmental thing and or (gulp) a talent vs expectations thing.
Times gained a wee bit when switching from our initial Top Kart (2007 vintage) to our new to us 2020 VRL Cadet model. Again, I think its time, experience which makes the difference, although the new chassis and components are a step up.
For what its worth, we bought the 2020 Duffy Winning kart as it rolled off track that day from Nash Motorsportz, then bought the torn down Kart City motor, sent it to Terry Nash at Hyper Engines in Riverside. We bought a used but complete winning Comet Kart Racing engine from a Duffy winning engine rotation. We had Hyper build another motor from a new short block and "blowed up motor". We also have his original, 2015 ancient Hyper racing engine that purrs like a kitten, (an old kitten maybe) but not bad as it turns out. Grandson had a favorite with tryouts, but times? A 10th or two different - on different days. We have three engines that should last a few years while he grows and matures.
The lesson, I think is don't get overly caught up in the new engine or chassis race.
Nobody likes running at the back but Kaleb, gets out of the kart with a big grin and goes looking for his buddies to hang out with. Maybe, just maybe, that is the point of this karting thing. The grin and smiles, the grin and smiles.
Thank-you all for your help, opinions and comments.
 
If you got engines from a duffy winner I'd want to know his chassis set up rather than own his engines.
see my note at the bottom... I know there is more to it than motor or chassis alone... everything counts, including skill and ability
 
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