Go-kart engine starts then dies

The go kart was working fine and then a small explosion type of thing came out of the exaust and now it will only start for a few seconds before it does again. Any solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Everything looked okay, and I put it all back together. This time the biggest different was that I closed the throttle valve screw all the way.

Once I did all this, I started the kart up on the stand and it was idling (which it normally doesn’t do). I then backed out the throttle valve screw until the kart died. I measured this for reference sake, and then took the kart off the stand and drove to the end of my driveway. The kart pulled away smoothly and going full throttle worked without issue. I repeated the test once.

I then dialed the throttle valve screw out two more turns, and tried the same test. The kart died under wide open throttle. I then turned the throttle valve screw back in to what worked and tested the kart again succesfully.

At this stage I believe the next step is to find somewhere to further test my fixes, but I believe it was this simple. I realize this is probably newbie stuff, but that’s what I am, so I am pleased I made progress and understand the carb a bit more.

Thanks again everyone, I’ll report once more after a real driving test.

This time the biggest different was that I closed the throttle valve screw all the way.

Just so I understand you when you say, “throttle valve screw”. Are you talking about the idle screw that cracks the throttle open when screwed in or are you talking about the “Low Speed” Jet screw. To be honest, I am not sure which carb your Rok is using.

Does it have a circular disc inside the carb that rotates to let air/fuel in or is like a guillotine that slides up to let air/fuel in?

If it is a disc type it should have High & Low speed needle jet screws on one side of the carb and a throttle cable/return spring on the other? Typically a Idle Screw is on the same side as the Throttle Cable/Armature. It acts like a stop/rest for the armature as to leave the throttle plate inside slightly open. This is completely different than a Low Speed Needle Jet screw that is (of the two, high & low) located closer to the engine. It is responsible for providing fuel from idle to full throttle, where the High Speed Needle Jet screw is most affective at higher RPM. The Idle screw should not affect WOT, where as a too lean Low Speed screw can starve the engine when the throttle is opened.

I am less familiar with the Guillotine type and think you can only adjust the High/Low Needles by disassembling the carb.

There are a few types of stalling that can happen in Predator 212. The most common one is when you make a right turn, the other being when you give gas after starting the engine, lastly, your engine might be running great for a few minutes and then stalls after you give it gas.

If you’re experiencing one of the above situations, here’s are the likely reasons why this is happening:

1. If the Predator 212 cuts out at right turns, it’s due to the oil sensor
2. If the engine is cutting out once you give gas, it’s most likely due to the carburetor’s main jet being jammed.
3. If the Engine is dying after a few minutes or hours of use, this can be due to improper fuel tank venting, the valve float being stuck in one position and not allowing fuel to enter, or due to the carb being clogged.

1. Engine Cuts Off at Turns – Disconnecting the Oil Sensor

Predator 212 comes with a low oil sensor that shuts off the engine when it is not able to detect oil. This feature makes perfect sense for industrial use of the engine where the engine isn’t moving and as you may know, Predators are made primarily for industrial purposes.

However, they have gotten famous in the go-karting and mini biking world and the oil sensor isn’t such a great feature in a go-kart or minibike. When you turn the go-kart, the engine oil will move in one direction leaving no oil in the oil sensor side, which will then shut off the engine.

The solution is very simple, cut out the 2 wires that are coming from the oil sensor unit. Here’s a video from OMBwarehouse showing the process:

2. Engine Shuts Off when Given Gas

This issue is almost always due to the carburetor being clogged up. When you push the throttle, the fuel needs to climb up from the bowl up towards the venturi of the carburetor from the main jet, pilot jet, and the emulsion tube.

If any one of the jets or tubes is blocked by dirt, it won’t allow the fuel to go through it. Usually, the pilot jet getting blocked won’t even let the engine start, so if your engine is starting and dying as you give throttle, it will most likely be due to the main jet being clogged.

This is because the pilot jet is the primary supplier of fuel at low throttle and the main jet takes over at a higher speed.

The solution is to clean your carburetor. We have a step-by-step guide on how to clean your Predator 212 carburetor that you can check out.

3. Engine Shuts Off after a few minutes

Your fuel tank needs to breathe to function properly. If you feel like the engine is starving for fuel after a few minutes of usage, then it can be due to improper/no venting in the fuel tank.

Other than that the issue can be the carburetor. If your engine is shutting off after half throttle or 3/4th throttle then it’s possible that the main jet has some dirt and is not allowing for more fuel to pass through it. So once again, clean your carb.

And finally, this can also be due to the valve float of the carb being stuck in one position or the seat and needle jet of the carburetor being dirty and not allowing the fuel to enter. In such cases, you might consider getting a new carburetor.

Why does my go

How do you fix a go