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What is better for a go-kart engine, petrol or electric?

If so where can I find a small, working, cheap one? if electric how can I recharge it. I live in Australia so I want no shipping of the engine. I also need a way of accelerating/braking. Can you help?

5 answers
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Aug 14, 2009. 4:02 PMdpr says:
I have the same problem. After reserching the problem i found out thta gas is unreliable but has better ttop speed than a eletric. The eleatric motor has faster aceleration and with some tweeking has a better top speed than a gas. Only problem with a electric is that its heaveir and its needs circutry.
Jul 27, 2009. 8:52 AMtraz1132 says:
i am making a petrol one as i dont know alot about elaetric gokarts i have a petrol strimmer engine but i stumbeld upon a problem when i need to brake i will not be able to as strimmer engines keep on spinning is there a way to stop this? cheers
Jul 14, 2009. 11:24 AMlemonie says:
Petrol is much better in terms of power to weight. But electric has fewer parts to cause problems. I'd go with petrol - see what you can find in the way of small motorbike / moped / scooter engines and what the prices look like? L
Jul 14, 2009. 12:26 AMthinkdunson says:
gas is so much easier. trust me, worrying about the batteries would make the project just not at all worth it. an easy way to brake a go-kart is to just have a metal lever to literally push down on the tire as you push down the brake. extremely simple to make.
Jul 13, 2009. 8:04 PMLetsExplodeSomething says:
me and a friend were just discussing this and planning it out neither of us wanted to bother with gas but it sounded like the easier idea.

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