SHIFTER KART START UP RECOMMENDATIONS
The following steps should become a ritual before beginning each day of driving. These steps will help ensure unnecessary damage to your equipment and wasted track time.
PRIME THE FUEL SYSTEM:
(This step is necessary if you have drained your fuel tank, changed carburetor jetting or stored your kart upright.)
The first thing you should do is remove the spark plug.
Put the spark plug wire on the spark plug and rest the plug so that it is making contact with the engine. The electricity from the magneto must have somewhere to go.
Put the engine in gear and spin the engine over by turning the rear wheels. Watch the fuel line. You should see the fuel coming from the tank, through the fuel line and fuel filter to the Magic Can and into the carburetor. When you see fuel reach the carburetor stop spinning the rear wheels.
Put the spark plug back in and now the engine should start quite easily. (Be sure your spark plug wire is back on, there is nothing obstructing the intake or exhaust.
AFTER PRIMING:
The engine should now be in 2nd gear. Have someone stand at the front of the kart to operate the throttle. Now turn the real wheels and it should fire right up.
Once the engine fires, put the gearbox in neutral.
Now remove the radiator cap. You should see water swirling or flowing past the top of the radiator. If you don't, then stop the engine immediately. You probably have some air somewhere in the system. Once you have got water flow, put the cap back on.
Let the engine warm up for a couple of minutes. Put your hand on the engine cylinder as it is warming up. The cylinder should slowly get warm. If it gets hot quickly, then something is wrong. Shut the engine off and check your cooling system again. (Especially if the water in the radiator is cold.)
