which would be better on a 1/8 mile track

all 3 would be fast with the right tires and setup. but i would take the honda. it could be 450 and still be fine

mike
 
I believe we run a few 1/8's here in Pennsylvania. Wankel, 131, Brc 150, 250 2 stroke would all be right there from what I have seen. My opinion is the bigger motors favor the bigger tracks. we have a guy with a 450, put him on any track near 1/4 mile and He is just plain awesome. Smaller track have been a struggle so far for him.
 
big power is nice. But the weight of the power and where that weight is, is what makes a struggle sometimes. puts a lot of weight over the rr tire. Our chassis were not designed for that at all. Small tracks need the kart to operate much closer to the designed intention. Big track let you kinda fudge it. I've yet to drive big power with no tranny but that's the current project to cut the tranny off my 450. Hopefully its not a mistake.
 
Wankel HANDS DOWN , it is a rotary and less moving parts and most important it is all torque w/o tranny. On small tracks they are rockets on the large track the JAWA 500cc model 889 air cooled is the BAD TO THE BONE
 
dont forgetabout the 1/8th mile properly built Techumsah Star ! when these engines are built for a 1/8th mile track and properly tuned and carburated just rite theycan make a beleiver out of just about anyone
 
I say the K30 setup at 150cc is a pretty good running engine. Not saying I'm good racing one but I watched my dad win a bunch of races with one. Actually the one I have sitting here in my living room is the one he won with a lot. They are pretty fast and now with the billet piston avalible they are pretty reliable.
 
Mike you are so correct , that is my favorite power house for flat heads. I bought one of Clements open Star and after driving it after and lap the field , when I came into the pits . A racer handed me cash for the motor, I sure hated to see it go. It was a monster of serious power
 
GH.... I made a deal a while back for my Fully Open Clements built Open Star . it Jeff Clements personal engine that Mike got from him . mike rebuilt it for me and I miss that HOSS . but i got a enclosed trailor for the deal and just couldnt pass it up :) but i am fully confident if i want another Star engine just the same or better Mike will build it for me ;)
 
wankel without a doubt. best torque curve, stout HP, and practically maintenance free... i know people who got near to triple digit races out of theirs.
 
GeorgeHenry said:
Mike you are so correct , that is my favorite power house for flat heads. I bought one of Clements open Star and after driving it after and lap the field , when I came into the pits . A racer handed me cash for the motor, I sure hated to see it go. It was a monster of serious power
Click to expand...
When and where did this race occur? What other racers were in the field??
 
GeorgeHenry said:
Mike you are so correct , that is my favorite power house for flat heads. I bought one of Clements open Star and after driving it after and lap the field , when I came into the pits . A racer handed me cash for the motor, I sure hated to see it go. It was a monster of serious power
Click to expand...
The OHV version of that engine (9, 10, 12 hp OHV) will smoke any Star ever built. Of course I am assuming that both of the engines are properly built. That is 3" stroke, correct piston choice, correct carb work and good head/port work.
The work is all standard race engine work. I'm not talking about moving the crank or bore centerline or any of that truly "trick" stuff.
 
Tho not in your menu, I'd pick the JR model 15 billet extended deck block.
With a stroker you can get near 400 cc's of hi-fast rev, long lived engine, that is an absolute
terror on the short track like you have mentioned.
AND....that is a forever block.....and is relatively inexpensive for this quality item.
 
interesting read. Whats a star weigh compared to a honda 390? Reliability between the two at say 40-45hp?
 
Out of the engines you listed, the wankel is the one i've seen finish the most races. Reliability is important. You can't win if you don't finish race. I've seen Jawa's and 450's break and drop out of the race, anything from a chain to the carb falling off. Of the three, I'd buy a wankel with 11000rpm rev limiter, drop a set of dual alcohol carbs on it and then work on tires, chassis, and tires again. Although this year I had my best luck on small tracks with a 125 sudam @ 370lbs.
 
The Wankel's break a lot.
I saw one well known team sending 2 or 3 of the things back to Florida to be fixed.

Also, the Wankel is pretty much a clone engine, and cannot really be improved upon inwardly.
Carburation and various externally alterable facets can be juggled, but there's no changing the innards, to enhance, or "innovate" more power.

I DO think that Charlie has a handle upon the necessary upgrades and preventative maintenance.
I'd certainly recommend Charlie (CRS) as the "go to" guy when it comes to Wankel.
He knows the ropes.
 
I'll second the Charlie recommendation. He built my wankel, I only put a set of dual carbs on it. I still had temperature issues with the gas setup, even with the $26 a gallon MR12. I never said they don't break, I've had to send two back to charlie myself. Both times were temperature related problems. But from my experience racing them, they don't break as much as an engine that has been adapted to work on a kart.
 
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