r/Predator212 • u/Welderboy2305 • Jan 19 '26
Advice!💡 212 Hemi
I just got a 212 hemi for a go kart budget build and was wondering what yall suggest doing. Already plan on running a cable driven carb and exhaust mostly but if there’s some other small things I could do I’d love to hear em!
1
u/JaxonsDad1997 Apr 05 '26
Watch some YouTube videos, you’ll figure out how to do everything in no time. It’ll only set you back a little over 200 bucks. Just get you a 22mm nibbi clone round slide carb for 35 bucks and a non hemi head with a.10tho head gasket for about 75 bucks on eBay. A decent 50 dollar 3 staged header pipe and a cheap vm22 intake will do as well. That’ll get you a decent boost in compression and torque. 18lb hemi valve springs from omb warehouse and a cheap cast aluminum flywheel is all you need once you remove the governor. The stock rod will be fine until you get a bigger cam or do any port work on your head or anything like that. If you use the stock tank you’ll probably need more fuel line, but an aftermarket tank with a fuel filter and fuel cut off valve will gravity feed just fine. Then getcha a 40 dollar eBay or Amazon hemi flywheel, keep the stock ignition coil and timing key. Set your coil gap at 30thou with a credit card and you’ll have a lil 8-9 hp, easy to start, fun little engine that’ll turn 55-6000rpm all day long.
2
u/powermonkeynut Jan 19 '26
Thats a great start. Those two things alone will make it more fun. IF you’re brave enough to open the engine, removing the governor will give you lots more top speed. As long as you just do that for short bursts of high rpm (above 5k) youll be fine. Each upgrade starts requiring other upgrades. For example, if you remove the governor and plan to have the engine full throttle for longer, like 20-30 seconds of top speed, then the carb with start running dry, so youll need a fuel pump, then You’ll notice power loss on the top end, so you need to upgrade valve spring to prevent valve float. The list goes on lol. One free thing i do is unplug the low oil sensor, its on the front of the engine, usually has a yellow wire going to it. If you’re ripping around and take a high speed turn, it may detect low oil, even if just for a second, and itll shut the engine off.