The 10 Steps To Winterize Your Go-Kart Perfectly

With the racing season over, and the cold weather incoming, you will need to store your kart away properly for the off-season. There are a few steps and precautions to take before you pack it away though, so let’s look at how to winterize your go-kart.

The 10 steps to winterize your go-kart are:

1. Clear the fuel lines
2. Change the oil
3. Lube the chain
4. Drain the radiator
5. Check the joints and bearings
6. Check and pump the tires
7. Charge the battery
8. Clean your kart
9. Store your kart on a stand
10. Cover your kart

It’s important to ensure that your sensitive piece of kit is still well looked after even if it is in a garage over winter. If your kart is not stored properly, a number of problems can arise. We take a closer look at how you can prevent these issues below.

The 10 Steps To Winterize Your Go-Kart

1. Clear The Fuel Lines

This is an important part of kart storage that is often overlooked. It’s not enough to just empty your fuel tank. Any old fuel that is left in the fuel lines, especially in the carburetor, can be destructive to your engine.

Leaving old fuel in the carburetor can cause serious damage to the unit, which can be expensive to replace. Furthermore, any fuel left in the fuel lines can cause the lines to become softer. Soft fuel lines are more prone to breaking and leaking, especially when you get back on track and put the kart through its paces again.

There are two main ways that you can clear the fuel out of your kart’s engine. Both ways are viable, but the preferred technique to clear your engine differs from person to person.

Method 1

The first method is a bit simpler. This involves mixing fuel stabiliser with your fuel. There are various fuel stabiliser products available on the market, and generally your local karting store will give you a good recommendation. You will need to mix your fuel stabilizer with your fuel, and then run that stabilised fuel through your kart engine for a good 2 to 3 minutes.

Running the engine for the right amount of time is crucial because you need to make sure that the stabilised fuel has run through the lines all the way into the carburetor and the engine. Of course, this is difficult to determine, which is why method 2 is also very common.

Method 2

This method does not involve fuel stabiliser. Instead, it involves removing all the fuel from the kart and running the engine until the last drop of fuel is out of the engine. This can cause some slight damage to the engine though if it is done wrong, so use this method at your own risk.

First you will need to drain your fuel tank of all fuel. After this you need to start up your kart, and leave the engine running until it starts to cut out. When the engine is cutting out, that means it is not getting enough fuel anymore. But that doesn’t meant that all of the fuel is out of the system.

If you turn the choke on, and then run the engine again, you will notice that the engine will easily start back up again. Run the engine until it starts to cut out again with the choke on. Next you need to open the carburetor up and spray a small amount of fuel into the carburetor and run the engine one last time.

The engine should start and run for a much shorter amount of time than before. Once it cuts out, it should mean that there is only a very small amount of fuel left in the carburetor, essentially only vapor. This will evaporate over the course of a few days. The important part is that there is no fuel in the lines or in the carburetor.

2. Change The Oil

You need to change your oil regularly if your go-kart is running, as it can become contaminated with dirt very quickly. The off-season is a good time to replace the oil and have it clean and ready for when the engine starts running again in a few months’ time. This is also the ideal time to change your oil filter if it has a lot of hours on it.

It is best to remove the engine from the chassis and keep it somewhere dry and safe. However, it is not essential to remove the engine from the kart. However, removing the engine will make cleaning the whole kart an easier process.

3. Lube The Chain

It is important to lube the chain of your kart before storing it away. The chain is a very sensitive element, and the cold weather, plus the lack of movement, will cause your chain to rust over the course of the winter.

4. Drain The Radiator

If you are storing your kart in an extremely cold area that will go below freezing, it is important to drain your radiator of water. If the ambient temperature drops too low, any water left in the radiator can freeze up and expand. This will destroy your radiator, and potentially some parts of your kart’s engine too.

5. Check The Joints And Bearings

This is a great time to check through all of your joints and bearings, and even the bolts. If any of them are loosening or wearing out, you will know what you need to stock up on before the start of the next season.

6. Check And Pump The Tires

Tires are important of course, and they’re also expensive. So, always check your tire wear before storing your kart away for winter. If you are running higher caster or camber, your tires will be wearing more one side of the tire than the other. If this is the case, you can use this time to rotate your tires by putting them on opposite rims.

If you kart is standing on the ground (which is not recommended, see tip number 9) the tires will deflate over time. Ensure that your tires are pumped up to normal pressures. Ideally you will be able to put your kart up on blocks or on a stand.

7. Charge The Battery

You always need to remove your kart’s battery and put it on charge during the offseason. It’s fine to leave your kart battery on charge for as long as it is not being used. The problem with these batteries is that once they have run flat, they are essentially dead, and you will need to buy a new one.

Note: Generally, if a kart battery runs below about 50% charge, it will struggle to start the kart

8. Clean Your Kart

Before storing your kart away, you will need to give it a good clean, ridding the frame of any dirt or rust. You can also clean the floor of the kart, the axle and the exhaust.

Cleaning your kart thoroughly will prevent any dirt build-up from becoming tougher to remove after sitting for a few months. Cleaning your chassis frame thoroughly is also a great time to check the frame for any cracks starting to form.

This is basically the only time you can thoroughly check the frame because during the season you will not always have time to fix any cracks you spot. It’s also a good time repaint your chassis and your exhaust if needed.

9. Store Your Kart On A Stand

Always keep your kart on a stand or at least on blocks or bricks. Keeping your kart off the ground is important because it takes weight off the wheels, preserving the tires. It also keeps the kart away from any rodents that might chew into the fuel lines or into the kart’s seat.

Keeping your kart stored on a proper kart stand will also take pressure off the torsion bars, the axle, and the joints and bearings.

10. Cover Your Kart

Keeping your kart covered with a standard kart cover is great because it keeps everything clean. The cover will reduce the amount of dust and dirt that can accumulate on the kart during storage. It can also prevent any possible moisture or water from building up on the kart.

Final Thoughts

A go-kart can’t just be put away in the garage and left alone for 2 months over winter. Karts are extremely sensitive, and they require a process just to store them away properly. But storing your kart properly can save you from a lot of headaches when the season restarts!