Calling all Clintons!

[Terry Sullivan]

A few questions to those who have posted so far.

Is that 4-port E-65 only the intakes? As in two added like on a Westbend 5 port?
** Similar. I added a pipe from the crankcase to the back of the bearing plate that adds to the normal 3 ports

What is a 5-port E-65?
** The same modification as done to make a 5 port A4XX like GoPower did back in the day. Chris Marchand has a GoPower A4XX. See the pic.

What do you do about the exhaust on an outboard engine?
** The Clinton 751 block I used had a normal exhaust. I'll try to remember to take a picture.

Does the E-65 run well converted to a bushing engine? Like replacing the needles with a floating bushing? Is compression too high to be reliable as a bushing conversion?
** Never tried to convert one to bushing. I don't think the compression differs greatly, as you can interchange the pistons.
The 500 Clintons (1961 and later version of A4XX) had revised/higher compression pistons than early A4XX.

Can you fill the lower ring groves on a stock E-65 piston and only run the top one with good results? Would high temp epoxy maybe work or cut a aluminum dummy to replace the lower rings?
** I have run fewer rings (normally 3) on E65's by annealing one or two of the rings. I heat them until they are cherry red, which removes the 'spring' they normally have. That way, they don't cause friction by dragging/rubbing/sealing in the bore.

GoPower A4XX

[Russ Smith]

This 5 port Clinton reminds me of a similar treatment that was done to early WB 580's that inspired the development of the 580/700 v-5 blocks.

[Chris Marchand]

The 5 port E 65 runs pretty strong but......... I think the biggest gain came from a thin ring piston we put in it, which also upped the compression because of the higher dome it has.
Now with that said ,far and away the fastest Clinton I have run against belongs to Mr Sullivan. It has a removeable head and really looks fast and is fast. He found an NOS one !

[Terry Sullivan]

Chris,
You are talking about he Clinton 502-0309 - Definitely a cheater engine!
I found this on a minibike forum. It is related to the line of Clinton boat engines.
8.59 cubic inches displacement. Not sure if they intended it to be a go kart engine, as it came with a float carb and a rather flimsy mount. Here is the picture from the minibike forum.

[Chris Marchand]

Yes indeed, that is the star of the Clinton world (vintage kart wise that is) , when was that released to the public ?

[Rob Voska]

That's some interesting background info. Thanks!

[Terry Sullivan]

Parts list has 1962 on it - revised in 1977.
Very little info to be found otherwise.

[Chris Marchand]

So the 502 Clinton at 8 something cubic inches would race as a class B something against West Bend 820 s , PP82 s, ect ? Could be why it was kinda unknown.

[Terry Sullivan]

The 502 was more of a utility engine. It was also available in a vertical shaft orientation - the 503.
I think Clinton realized after the E65 that they weren't players in the racing game.
They sold thousands of A4XX engines for entry level buyers and were happy with that.
As a result, I doubt if many people even knew about the 502.
I think Tom Thorin has one and another gentleman brought one to TBO years ago.

[Rob Voska]

McCulloch was hard to beat from the beginning. Very light weight and compact. Good safe flywheel at higher RPM. Easy to mount / fit on a kart.

E65, 580 WB were similar in design & just overall larger & not as user friendly as McCulloch. When West Bend went with the 610 & 820 it was a similar design to the mac but the cranks were still very utilitarian.