Craftsman 179cc

#1
So I may have screwed up, and probably posting in the wrong section, but here goes.
The grandson blew up the 212 in the go kart last time he was out to visit. I live 200 plus miles from a Harbor Freight. So I can't just pop in to get a replacement engine. And they are never in stock it seems. I've stopped at 2 and had a couple buddies stop when they have been by one. No luck getting an engine. So I decided the next best thing would be whatever the thrift store had. I bought a snow blower with a 179cc Craftsman for $50. I got it running mostly with a carb cleaning.
So here is my oops moment. It has a 7/8" shaft. I'm not seeing any options for a clutch for it. Am I not looking hard enough? Did Craftsman do something crazy and machine a 1" shaft down to 7/8"? I'm not an expert but the engine looks like a Predator with an electric starter on it. It had no air filter, because snow blower. So I put on a filter I go from Gopowersports
 

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#3
http://www.maxtorque.com/

You can contact them directly to get a clutch in your size.. I remember reading about it here on oldminibikes.com.
That lead nowhere. I called them who sent me North American Clutch with a phone #. Who sent me to a distributor, who only has 5/8" 3/4" & 1".

Maybe I can machine the shaft down to 3/4" with a file, while it runs. Then cut a groove back in for the key way. Not sure how sketchy that would be, but looks like the only way to use this engine. Any other suggestions?
 

Triley41395

Well-Known Member
#4
That lead nowhere. I called them who sent me North American Clutch with a phone #. Who sent me to a distributor, who only has 5/8" 3/4" & 1".

Maybe I can machine the shaft down to 3/4" with a file, while it runs. Then cut a groove back in for the key way. Not sure how sketchy that would be, but looks like the only way to use this engine. Any other suggestions?
Maybe make a sleeve with 1 inch diameter .060 wall tubing .cut a slot for the key and get a wider key. I personally would not try to file it.
 

mustangfrank

Well-Known Member
#5
That lead nowhere. I called them who sent me North American Clutch with a phone #. Who sent me to a distributor, who only has 5/8" 3/4" & 1".

Maybe I can machine the shaft down to 3/4" with a file, while it runs. Then cut a groove back in for the key way. Not sure how sketchy that would be, but looks like the only way to use this engine. Any other suggestions?
Too sketchy, best left to a machinist to turn down the crank on a lathe...OR...put an adapter sleeve on it if the keyway is already 1/4".

Sleeve-78-1x220 Unbranded Engine Maintenance & Repair Engine Shaft Adapter - Sleeve, 2.20" Long, to go from 7/8" shaft to 1" shaft (smallenginewarehouse.com)

Disclaimer: I have never used one, just passing the info along.
 

Triley41395

Well-Known Member
#6
Too sketchy, best left to a machinist to turn down the crank on a lathe...OR...put an adapter sleeve on it if the keyway is already 1/4".

Sleeve-78-1x220 Unbranded Engine Maintenance & Repair Engine Shaft Adapter - Sleeve, 2.20" Long, to go from 7/8" shaft to 1" shaft (smallenginewarehouse.com)

Disclaimer: I have never used one, just passing the info along.
That's exactly what I was talking about. I didn't know that they sold them. I'll try to remember that.
 

mustangfrank

Well-Known Member
#7
That's exactly what I was talking about. I didn't know that they sold them. I'll try to remember that.
There are other places, cheaper too if I remember right also. I was going to try one on a 7/8" generator crank I have because turning that down to 3/4" would leave most of the 1/4" keyway and require an adapter key (3/16").
 

SAS289

Well-Known Member
#8
I used a 7/8" to 1" crankshaft adaptor recently to repower a small riding mower. I seen it as my only option to use a still decent running engine. The arrangement I ended up with is very rigged but is holding up after a month or so of mowing. Engine is a V60 Tecumseh from a 71 Ariens that bolted onto an old Snapper from the same era.

Like mustangfrank is saying, the keyway is the important thing here.
 

toomanytoys

Well-Known Member
#9
I third or fourth the adapter. We repowered a Massey mf7 with a predator. 3/4" to 1-1/8" adapter and it worked fantastic. 7/8" to 1" should be easy enough.
 
#10
Disclaimer: Don't do what I do, but it wasn't sketchy at all.

I decided to machine down my crankshaft while running. I used a flap disk on a die grinder. No way that is going to get me wrapped up in it. Then polished it with Emory cloth. Not real sketchy either. The keyway then wasn't deep enough so I used a dremel and took a hair out of it.
Only issue is the shaft is longer and clutch sits about 7/8" out from original engine measurements. I'll have to drill new mounting holes.
I'll know next week when the grandson comes out if its going to work or not. 20210715_181600.jpg 20210715_181550.jpg
 
#11
So the snow blower engine acts funny. It revs up and down after it warms up. When first fired up is ok, but after a bit it starts going up and down. Its stock with the governor etc on it. All I did was add an air filter from a gopowersports stage 1 kit. I tried the jet also but it didn't make any difference in how it runs. I'll try again to add a video to help describe the issue.
 
#12
So the snow blower engine acts funny. It revs up and down after it warms up. When first fired up is ok, but after a bit it starts going up and down. Its stock with the governor etc on it. All I did was add an air filter from a gopowersports stage 1 kit. I tried the jet also but it didn't make any difference in how it runs. I'll try again to add a video to help describe the issue.
Well the grandson got here today. I pulled the carb and cleaned all the passageways again. Everything is open. It still surges. Brand new spark plug. So I swapped the carb off the blown up 212 on the cart onto the 179. Its doing the exact same surging. Is there something on the inside of the governor that could be sticking/ broken/ messed up? I've never removed a governor or messed with anything on the inside of the motor, so I don't know what's in there?
 

Lizardking

Well-Known Member
#14
Well the grandson got here today. I pulled the carb and cleaned all the passageways again. Everything is open. It still surges. Brand new spark plug. So I swapped the carb off the blown up 212 on the cart onto the 179. Its doing the exact same surging. Is there something on the inside of the governor that could be sticking/ broken/ messed up? I've never removed a governor or messed with anything on the inside of the motor, so I don't know what's in there?
Make sure you clean the pilot valve holes with a thin wire like a bread tie.

The pilot holes might be open but not enough to let the correct amount of fuel flow through.
 

SAS289

Well-Known Member
#15
Well the grandson got here today. I pulled the carb and cleaned all the passageways again. Everything is open. It still surges. Brand new spark plug. So I swapped the carb off the blown up 212 on the cart onto the 179. Its doing the exact same surging. Is there something on the inside of the governor that could be sticking/ broken/ messed up? I've never removed a governor or messed with anything on the inside of the motor, so I don't know what's in there?
Is there another hole on the governor arm that you could move the spring to that would add a bit of extra tension to the spring? Is so you would be moving the spring to a hole on the governor arm closer to the blower housing.

I had a no load surge on a 196. Swapping the throttle spring out helped. I suspect that one throttle spring had slightly more spring tension than the other.

And is this a no load surge? How does the bike run under load at full throttle?
 
#18
Is there another hole on the governor arm that you could move the spring to that would add a bit of extra tension to the spring? Is so you would be moving the spring to a hole on the governor arm closer to the blower housing.

I had a no load surge on a 196. Swapping the throttle spring out helped. I suspect that one throttle spring had slightly more spring tension than the other.

And is this a no load surge? How does the bike run under load at full throttle?
All at no load. I'll try this later today and report back
 
#20
When I pull the tank to mess with the spring on the governor I will change the fuel line. I don't think it is the problem because it seems to flow good, but I will eliminate it as a possibility
 
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