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Hi KS! I looked into those kits and everything looks great except the stock type carburetor. I really don't like those carbs. Did they send you an alcohol or gas version? Most alcohol versions come with a larger main jet and emulsion tube or "nozzle" (depending on what you like to call it). If an alcohol carb is used with gasoline type fuels not only do you have to change the main jet to a smaller one, you also have to change the emulsion tube. That could be your issue? But I'm just guessing though. You'll get it ironed out.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes I did specify gas and from what I can tell on the packing slip it was for gas. I spoke with ARC some on the issue and they said that the large low speed jet is a must to keep from overheating, but I guess that just goes against my conventional wisdom. I always thought the low speed jet is irrelevant at full throttle. So I am wondering if I need to reevaluate the main jet. Or just go mikuni but the top plate and throttle cable setup would have to change. I’m probably gonna keep tweaking to get this one to work. That would be nice if it’s as simple as they got the main jet wrong and sent me an alcohol configured one. I am also a little under impressed with the power. I got higher rpm with my stage 2 212 than with this, but the stroker crank could explain some of that.

That's why I'm not crazy about the stock carbs. There's just not a lot of power to be had from those things. They need to have the venturi reamed just to start building one for performance, then the fuel delivery passages aren't the best for making power either. Building a stock carb for performance is almost like building a new carb from scratch! (I know you know what I mean) I'd much rather go with either a Mikuni or PWK clone for gas or if I was kart racing and running Methanol, the Tillotson double stack carbs sure are hard to beat. Those little Methanol Tilly rascals are the closest thing to fuel injection I've ever played with. (Don't let them idle though, you'll end up with lots of Methanol in the engine oil!) OK, back to the carb at hand: It's always a good idea to make sure the fuel passages are clear first. Even in a brand new carb weird things can happen, like a metal shaving accidentally dropped into a fuel passage during the machining process. If it's still acting up after you've verified the fuel passages are clear, then I'd go with a larger main jet and keep reading the spark plug to see what it needs. If you don't have a hand full of jets laying around, you can use a pin drill or torch tip cleaner to go up one size at a time on the stock jet until you get it where it needs to be. Hang in there you'll get it. It may be worth mentioning that I have found other odd things clogging fuel passages in problem carburetors before. While trying to get the bugs out of one I found it was actually a bug clogging the passage!

@@KentuckyFriedFixes from the looks of it the main jet is the same as the one I pulled out of the stock carb. But it’s slightly larger than a .032 piece of safety wire. Maybe .037 or a 95. Would you recommend going above that for this level of build? Or does that seem plenty large and I need to be looking elsewhere for my issues. Thanks for all the replies btw.

Hi KS! Jetting is a tricky business. What works here for me may not work for you because of the difference in location, (temperature, humidity differences) and altitude. The most common things that cause most overheating issues: Either the fuel mixture is too lean (a lean mix could also be caused by a vacuum leak), or the timing is too far advanced. I'd have a look at the spark plug first. Everybody has their own way of doing things when they read a spark plug and here's mine: To accurately read the spark plug, I first remove and clean the plug so it looks like new (or install a new plug). Reinstall the plug, start the engine and make a few laps on the track (or ride around the yard while trying to always stay above half throttle). After completing a few laps, shut down the engine immediately without allowing the engine to idle. (The idle circuit is usually richer and it can mask your ability to get an accurate spark plug reading, so don't let it idle at all during this process.) Remove the spark plug and have a look. Some guys wait for it to cool off first, but I've learned how to keep from burning my fingers so I pull my spark plug immediately for a look. Check the color of the spark plug porcelain (insulator tip) and ground electrode to determine the jetting. White = too lean, Black = too rich, A nice Milk Chocolate Brown color = perfect. If the plug looks good and the engine still runs hot, it's likely time to start looking at reducing the ignition timing at the flywheel key.

Hi Anx! It sounds like the # 120 main jet should be big enough to get you started. Make sure you have prepared the carburetor according to the description before putting it on the engine. The pilot jet is very important but it needs to be running first so you can tell by the adjustment screw whether you need more or less pilot jet. Usually the factory pilot jets on these are larger than you need. Most of the time when you run into starting issues for the first start, it's caused by either an air leak (vacuum leak) where the carb mounts to the intake manifold, or the slide is not installed into the bore correctly. Verify the slide is installed all the way into the bore of the carb and you can move it up and down with the throttle. Verify the carburetor is aligned with the intake manifold and the internal O-ring is not sitting to one side or the other. Once everything is verified in place, spray a shot of carb cleaner down the throat of the carb and see if the engine starts. If it starts then immediately dies, you may have a fuel supply issue. Verify the carb fuel bowl has fuel and the float level is set correctly. The main thing to remember is don't panic. It's not voodoo or magic, you can do this. One step at a time until you get it where you want it. Again, you can do this.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes already done everything you described just wanted to make sure it was the pilot jet

Ho Josh! You are 100% correct! Adding the 2 stroke oil will NOT increase the octane of the fuel. Adding some 2 stroke oil to gasoline makes the fuel "heavier". It has more to do with increasing the specific gravity of the fuel and nothing to do with increasing octane. The octane can be increased with a few common additives. When you make the fuel heavier, you slow the burn and reduce pre-ignition. Normally (as I'm sure you already know,) these little engines don't require high octane fuel. The only time you run into issues is when you increase the compression and/or advance the ignition timing when building a performance or race engine. Thanks Josh I appreciate the discussion from sharp guys like you!

Those Holzforma saws are too expensive for me.

It may be a valve adjustment issue. If the valve lash gets too wide, the compression release will not work. Start with the easy stuff like checking the valve lash, then work your way up the list from there.

Hi Angel! My son received the Certificate of Title for this one in the mail just a few days after the bike was delivered. No issues at all with the registration and licencing.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes 🙏 thanks

Hi Maddogg26! At 02:46 I explained clearly about the idle screw and it needed to be turned with a screwdriver for adjustment and pointed out where it is (on the side). There's no external shoulder on the idle screw to grab onto like other carbs, so a screwdriver is required for adjusting the idle speed. Perhaps I wasn't as clear as I should have been but my demonstration of exactly how the idle speed is adjusted and how it moves the slide up or down seems to be pretty clear to most guys. I apologize if there was any confusion or if you got the impression that I wouldn't know something as simple as where to adjust the idle speed.

Hi Melvin! The Ghost does not have an internal governor assembly, it has a rev limiting coil that tops out at 6,200 RPM. And that's quite a bit above 3600 RPM (and the limits of cast iron). I give an honest review of what you get for your money with the Ghost 212 engine. I also voiced my opinion about cast iron flywheels on this engine since it is advertised as a "Kart Racing Engine" Cast Iron flywheels are dangerous and not only can kill, but they HAVE killed as a matter of fact, not opinion. Karting tracks have made them illegal for that reason and require safer options to be installed prior to racing at their tracks. So, when I saw a cast iron flywheel installed on an engine advertised as a "Kart Racing Engine" I was a bit disgusted. My opinion is the price paid for this engine is too high for what you actually receive, essentially a stock standard block Predator 212 Hemi engine with a few inexpensive performance parts thrown in without any thought of safety. It's ok if you have a different opinion of the Ghost 212 engine, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong, or that I've misrepresented anything about the Ghost 212 engine. Honesty is sometimes not easy to hear, or agree with, but honesty is what you get from this channel.

Thank you! This video was mainly just a quick install and tune for this engine. I had no idea it would attract this much attention. I will do a better one that includes the pre setup on the carb soon.

Welcome back! I watch a lot of TH-cam videos on the TV myself. I can only comment when I'm on this computer though.

Tech issues whenever tech gets the opportunity to bitch slap me it will 👍 while gleefully laughing at me mockingly 🤣😂

Argh 😡 still issues hahaha oops pay no attention to this Louise person !!! It is Rawbs world if you remember me that's who's really talking

@@LouiseDaykin LOL! Rawb it's good to see you posting! We'll have some cool stuff coming up soon. Waiting on parts to arrive from China now. (They must have shipped them via row boat)

Hi Nishat! If you'll check out some of my engine build videos during the final assembly I usually demonstrate how to adjust the valve lash properly in the video.

Hi Sidney! I usually shop online for the best prices and shipping for my parts. There are a few places I routinely buy parts from, but Dyno cams is the only one of those vendors that has ever been kind enough to send a Super Thanks for review of their Ducar engine so I won't mention anyone else. Thanks!

Hi Nishat! You are likely experiencing either an advanced timing issue from the new flywheel you installed or the valve lash is improperly adjusted. It's always a good starting point to check the valve lash first. When the valve lash is off, the compression release cannot work properly and it will "feel" like it has too much compression. Some kickback every now and then is perfectly normal for a mild performance build but if it starts pulling the rope out of your hand more often than not, you may need to reduce the ignition timing a bit by adjusting the flywheel counter-clockwise. Most guys accomplish this by either lapping the flywheel and delete or file the timing key, or, they purchase an advanced timing key and install it backwards so the ignition timing is reduced, rather than advanced. These little engines run better with an advanced timing but pull starting them is another matter. High Performance builds usually use an external electric starter to overcome a highly advanced timing (and a sore arm from kickbacks).

@@KentuckyFriedFixes ok thanks

Good deal Zac! I haven't bought any 224 Predator engines this year (so far). I wonder if they're using loctite on them now?

@@KentuckyFriedFixes I’m not sure maybe I’m just weak but it definitely won’t come off easy for me

@@zac.bolin01 My first two were loose. It was easy to remove the flywheel nut, almost as if they'd put it on finger tight then just gave it a light snug. If yours is tight, you're likely good to go. BUT, I would still recommend a remove and retorque of the flywheel nut so you can add a drop of loctite to the threads, in case it doesn't have any.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes I tried for a while all i was doing is just bending the fan so I gave up lol

@@zac.bolin01 One of those crankshaft holders would be nice to have for that! (I don't have one either).

I don't mind running an engine briefly inside the work shop. Of course my shop has a large sliding door and windows that open.

The 224 Predator engine is manufactured by "Ducar"

@@KentuckyFriedFixes Hmm, lol.

That's a good idea!

Good deal! Those Chinese pullies are terrible.

Hi Chuck! Why did I build this combination? It has a forged steel crankshaft and it cost $49.95 for the 179cc engine. The LCT 70mm block cost me $20. This was a budget build experiment that was MUCH cheaper than a budget Predator, but I have those on the channel as well.

Hi Chuck! Nope, you're wrong, the fuel filter is installed exactly as it should be. If you've been installing yours differently from the one in the video, it's backwards.

You'll need the intake manifold. The carburetor will not bolt directly to the head. The intake manifold has the mounting pattern for the carb on one end and the mounting pattern on the other end fits the head.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes any link to that at all

@@sgthgr8jr13 The link to the carb and intake is at the top in the description. I think they're around $35 now for the whole kit. Incudes the VM22 carb, intake manifold, gaskets, mounting hardware and an air filter. Oh. and a set of main jets too!

Hi Robert! The Ghost uses the Honda clone taper. The regular Predator 212 flywheel is not supposed to fit the taper correctly. Aside from locating the Honda clone taper flywheel with the internal charging magnets, you'll also need to install the charging coil(s) on the block under the flywheel. If you're not sure if your flywheel will work or not, you can always lap it in with some valve grinding compound to check the fit. If the taper is wrong, it won't lap in correctly and it's easy to see.

Hi Kaizu! Most of the time it's a valve lash issue. Try setting the valves on .003 (three thousandths of an inch or the metric equivalent) If the valve lash is not set properly, the compression release on the camshaft will not work. If you have increased compression OR installed an aftermarket flywheel, timing and fuel octane could be an issue. The easiest way to correct that would be to delete the timing key and move the flywheel counter clockwise just a tiny bit OR purchase an aftermarket advanced flywheel key and turn it around to retard the timing instead. Can you remember if the piston was below deck or above when you installed it and how much?

@KentuckyFriedFixes i did is it safe to start even with it pulling that hard?

I really can't know if your engine is safe to start or not? Since I didn't build it, I'm kinda in the dark. That's why I asked if the piston was above deck or below (down in the hole). It's really important to know these things because if there's not enough distance between the top of the piston and the bottom of the head (quench distance) you could have mechanical interference causing an issue. A lot of guys get into this situation with the .010 thick head gaskets. If it's not any sort of mechanical interference and you have the valves adjusted correctly (that means you did not accidentally set the valve lash with the exhaust valve on the compression release bump of the cam.) It should start and run fine. But I need a little info to go on before I can be of much help to you.

@KentuckyFriedFixes what does that mean piston above or below sorry i dont understand i just followed youtube videos 🤣 sorry bare with me here

@@kaizupiano7826 Hi Kaizu! It's easy! When the piston and connecting rod are installed in the block and onto the crankshaft, you bring the piston up to top dead center, (that's as far as it can move up in the cylinder bore and just before it starts to go back down). If the top of the piston does not reach the top of the cylinder bore, that means the piston is below the cylinder deck (some guys will say the piston is "down the hole"). Likewise, if the top of the piston rises up and above the cylinder bore, then that is considered "above deck" (some guys will say "pop up"). The reason it's important to know how much distance is between the top of the piston and the cylinder head is if your piston was above deck say .010 and you used a .010 thick head gasket, that means you'd have "0.00" distance between the piston top and head. That would be bad. On these engines you really don't want less that about .035 inch clearance. This clearance is called "quench".

Hi Don! I used this one on the Ducar 212 engine Build. There's a clip of it running either in the last Ducar 212 engine build video or the fuel pump install video. Maybe both? It runs great! It can really pop if you have the fuel screws turned up. These little Tilly clone carbs are awesome runners. Add an extra plate and double stack for more fuel if you're building a fire breather. I love these little carbs. Closest thing I've found to fuel injection performance for a small engine. The manifold came from Turk Brothers on this one but EC carbs or ARC probably has them too. The intake is roughly $50 and that stinks, but still worth it. (Or you can make a home made intake cheaper, just remember to include the small vacuum hole for the carb pump) Although this one is set up for gasoline, the Tillotson alcohol carbs always made the most power for my open kart. I love them.

Hi Dragan! This one had oil everywhere underneath and it turned out to be a bad O-ring seal on the Primary drain plug causing the issue. If your primary case is leaking, you'll need to replace the gasket. It's not a big job to do so, but I'd be sure to check the O-ring on the drain plug first.

Hi Andrew! It sounds as though you may have a couple of things going on. Don't panic. Always go back to basics when diagnosing problems. Does it have spark? Did it shear the timing key? Are there any issues with air leaks (vacuum leaks) at the carburetor or intake? Is the valve lash adjusted correctly? Is the carburetor tuned correctly? This engine build combination and parts work together very well. There will be LOTS of compression made from the piston rising around .010 above deck and unfortunately there will be some kickback every now and then. Fuel octane is important on this build as well. You'll need at least 95 octane and 100+ would be better. Mine works fine with premium 93 octane with a few chemical additives and some synthetic 2 cycle oil mixed in. Your timing may need to be decreased. An easy fix would be to run the engine on Methanol fuel, this lets you get away with high compression and increased ignition timing, but if you're using gasoline, you'll need to make sure the octane is high enough and the engine is getting enough to run properly. Remember, if you use an aftermarket billet flywheel, those have an increased timing of around 34 degrees built in already even if you use a stock timing key.

Thanks for the insights! I am trying not to panic lol. I just put a new spark plug in, I haven't grounded it to see if it sparkles outside of the block, I'll try that today. I lapped my flywheel to my crank, just like you did. So no timing key. I did retard it maybe 6 degrees because it's a billet flywheel with 34 degrees. I don't think there was an air leak because I've got a gasket between my manifold and block, and then the rubber o-ring between my carb and manifold. Is there somewhere else an air leak is prone to be? Or an easy way to check for an air leak? Also I had a friend lash my calves so I believe those are good. I have a nibbi carb on it and I've never tuned a carb before, I know how to change out the jets but I have no baseline of what jets to put in. If you have any tips on jets to use I would greatly appreciate it. I did buy some octane booster for the gas in this bike but I haven't added it to the fuel yet. Could my problem be a combination of carb tuning and fuel octane?

@@andrewchavez9009 Hi Andrew! I've not used the Nibbi carbs. I like the looks of them though. DIYWilly has a Nibbi carb video I believe. I'm not sure what jet sizes to recommend for those and I don't want to tell you wrong. The best way to check for an air leak is to spray a little carb cleaner or brake cleaner around the intake while its running. Of course you'll have to get it running first! If you think the carb may be too lean you can try a shot of carb cleaner in the throat of the carb and see if it tries to start. If it does, then you know you have a problem with the carb. Regarding the timing, it only takes a small amount of movement of the flywheel to advance or retard the timing when the key has been deleted. If it's too low, it won't start or run very well. I'd try running a stock timing key until you get the starting issues solved. Then you can fine tune your timing with a key delete afterwards.

Ok, thanks for the helpful tips I will try to put my timing pat to stock and go from there... I'll let you know how it goes!

@@andrewchavez9009 You'll get it.

Now that's funny. Thanks Anne!

Hi Thomas! There are two ways and two different torque readings some manufacturers are advertising now. One method uses a lubed rod bolt install with a specific torque spec and the other uses a dry rod bolt install with a different torque spec. *Always check with your rod manufacturer for their torque specs on their specific bolts and method of assembly*. For performance engines I ALWAYS lube the rod bolts before I apply the torque wrench. This is very important. This method works best for me as it guarantees there is not a dry bolt that could give me a false torque reading. Now for a stock engine rebuild or engine refresh, sometimes I may add some red loctite on those rod bolts as I have no intention of ever using that stock rod ever again. Never on the performance stuff though.

Hi Syndeko! Sure! My contact email address is in the "about" section on the channel for Subscribers.

@@KentuckyFriedFixes Sent an email :)

Hi Nik! I used the same 224 starter cup as the blower housing is wider on the 224 engines. You could replace the blower housing with one from a 212 and use the short cup as well.

Hi Brad! The stock rod is only good to about 6K RPM. Anything over that is a roll of the dice. The 265 cam I used on this build will easily turn 7K+ RPM. With that cam and a stock rod it wouldn't take long before the stock rod breaks. Now if you can limit the RPM to around 6K with a rev limiting coil, you might be ok, but still, you know what I mean. There is no substitute for a billet rod. (and a good cam needs more RPM to make power anyway.)

Hi Brad! Be sure to check the taper fit on yours. They may have sent you the wrong taper flywheel. The 224 uses the standard Honda type taper on the crankshaft. I've tried two of the cheapie aluminum flywheels (one on a 224) and so far I've had good luck with mine.

Darryl you're too kind! Thanks for your support!

Thanks Ryan! YES the Hemi pushrods are longer. Thank you for catching this! I'll update the description ASAP. Sometimes when I do the voiceovers I need to remember to put brain in gear before putting mouth into motion! This is what happens sometimes when you're unscripted. It's great to have sharp channel members and fellow engine builders like yourself to remind me when something is off in the video. Thanks again!

Hi B.O.A.B.! At the time this video was made the 224cc Predator was a new engine introduced at Harbor Freight. The Predator 224cc engine was not available in the Hemi-head configuration. This video was just a quick swap to see if the Hemi head would work with the 224cc Predator and to make a 224 Predator Hemi headed engine (the first). For big HP engine builds I do prefer the Hemi head design, even though it costs considerably more to go that route. This video was mostly a bit of fun.

I love that Ducar block! It's THICK in all the right places!

Jerred purchased the glow plug removal tool from the Leroy Diesel website.

@@KentuckyFriedFixesAwesome, and thank you for sharing!!!

@@kriztofer9968 I updated the description and placed a link to their website. Thanks for pointing this out.

Thanks Joseph! I've been watching that Bolens rebuild on the TV. I'll leave some comments when I get some more time at the computer! I appreciate you!

Hi Thomas! I've found problems happen when you don't lube the rod bolts. So I always lube mine every time to get the most accurate torque on the rod bolts. There are different specs given by the manufacturers as to what torque is required if the bolts are dry vs lubricated. As long as you follow manufacturer's specs, you'll be fine either way you choose. I choose to use a good lube on billet rod builds. (For stock rod builds I may use loctite instead depending on the application)

Hi JPVern! Those little scan tools are well worth the small investment. Mine paid for itself the first time I used it. When my TPS first started acting up, I got the same message. It also had issues running when first started. It acted like an old carbureted vehicle without a working choke. We call it "Cold collared" here in Kentucky. Ran very poorly until it warmed up.

Hi Thomas! If you use the long rod build, you'll need to measure exactly how much the piston is above deck to determine your head gasket thickness to set your quench (or squish as some call it). I'd suggest sticking with about .035 thousandths between the piston and the head. As an example if the piston is .010 above the deck, you'll need a .045 thick head gasket, .045 - .010 = .035 quench (or squish).

@@KentuckyFriedFixes ok it’s all making sense thanks again an again my guy ! So you suggest .035 quench the quench is essentially the space between the piston at TDC and the bottom side of the head?

Hi Thomas, that's exactly right. That space between the top of the piston at TDC and the flat surface of the head is the "quench". If you stick to .035 and above quench on an OHV build you shouldn't have any issues with hot spots in the cylinder.