Vintage BURTO Racing Engine

[paul stair]

Hi All......

Ran across this very interesting vintage go kart engine at a sale recently.
Apparently, from all the kart gear scattered throughout the garage and out buildings, this guy was a serious kart guy.
This engine, marked BURTO on the base, looks very similar to a variety of the DAP motors out there, but doesn't match up details wise, with any of them.

I've got several photos of this very cool vintage kart engine... maybe someone can identify this???

Thanks in advance!

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[paul stair]

Additional photos, if I can get them to post....

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[paul stair]

Hmmmm.... don't seem to be able to post more than one photo per message....
No matter.... here are 3 photos of this vintage Burto (?) engine.......

[Rob Voska]

Burto is probably missing the "N" on the end of Burton. It is an aftermarket manifold. probably had the N ground off for a coil bracket to sit flat. Engine looks to be a Komet K78 or K80. 100cc open engine.

[paul stair]

Thanks, Rob....
You are right!
I looked up Komet engines and I believe this is a K78, based on photos on the web.

The BURTO(N) aftermarket manifold cover... would this have been used to fit a specific make/model of carburetor?
The carb is a MIKUNI... maybe would not have fit with whatever manifold cover that was originally on the engine?

Overall condition of this vintage engine looks good. I will go through and detail it....

Regards......
Paul

[ted johnson]

K78 and K88 came with a manifold to fit a single HL Tillotson carb. Several aftermarket manufacturers made manifolds to fit the big HL or Mikuni 34mm carb to the 100cc Komets and other Italian rotary valve engines. They also made manifolds to fit two HL carbs to the same engines. Dual HL's are better on tight tracks to get off the sharp turns. A single 34mm HR or Mikuni is good on a long track such as an endure, with sweeping turns and long straights. Ted

[paul stair]

Thanks for the info, Ted.
I gather this KOMET K78 is a rotary valve engine?
Interesting that it would have an aftermarket 'BURTON' manifold cover (?) on it, rather than whatever originally came stock.
Obviously, this MIKUNI must be a 34mm carb, the original manifold must not have been setup for this....
Very nice!

[ted johnson]

True. Most of the early Italian engines were rotary valve, thus the round "Burto(n) cover/manifold. Some of the later 100cc REED valve engines, like the Atlas and Margay LMR, came with the bigger HR carb. I had fully modified LMR and Atlas I engines. They both came with the 34mm HR carb. I preferred the Mikuni 34mm carb to the Tilly HR. I made manifolds for both engines so I could use either my alky Mikuni 34mm carbs for long tracks, like the old Florida street race series, or dual HL 1" carbs for the sprint tracks with tight corners. We mostly raced against Komet K88, Komet K78 and the 100cc BM engines in Florida. Of course, there were DAP, Sirio, Corsair and a host of other rotary valve engines back in the olden days. Ted

[paul stair]

Thanks again, Ted... good info.....
Sure like this little vintage Italian racing kart engine!
I think I will disassemble it and see what it looks like inside.
The crank turns, a good start.

Wish I'd had a bit more knowledge when I was at the sale. There was vintage kart stuff all over the place.
No doubt, I left lots of of goodies behind... bummer......

[ted johnson]

The trouble with the Ital. engines is that you can't replace the rod needles at home, since the crank is pressed together. There are dozens of small variations even among just Komet 100cc engines. Of course, you must have the Motoplat coil, and do not forget to ground the coil mount back to the engine. Ted