OZ ATV :: The Australian ATV Forum

[lukeb]

Hey im sorry i do not know much about these but i have a FL250 and the guy wants a bigger engine in it that will not require huge amounts of work, if anyone can help please get in touch with me, cheers.
Luke Beechey

lukeb52@gmail.com

07 5502 1792
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[Ozpilot]

Luke, there aren't any real good alternatives. The biggest problem is the Odysseys do not have suspension so as soon as you increase the power it makes the thing a health problem.

The only viable source for other engines is from snowmobiles (so you can use CVT) unless you go to bike engines which need a chain, shifter and clutch. In buggies that size with suspension (350 Odysseys and Pilots) people use a range of snowmobile engines, the most popular are rotax engines from SkiDoo sleds. They start with air cooled 440cc 2 stroke twins and go through to water cooled 600 or 800cc 2 stroke twins. There are a few 4 strokes out there now but the cost is high (I think the popular one is from a Phazer - if that's the right spelling). There are also some Arctic Cat 4 strokes around 600cc from sleds. I wouldn't recommend any of these for a 250 Odyssey. I have had a number of 250 Odysseys - we even had one with a "Honda 4" (a 4 cylinder air cooled bike motor from the 70s or 80s) in it - they're always a disaster.

We had one FL250 with a FL350 engine in it that wasn't bad at the time. But I think these days the 350 engine would be costly enough to mean he would be (much, much) better off selling the 250 Odyssey and buying a 350 Odyssey complete 0- that way he gets suspension too.

The other alternative is to get more power from the original 250 engine. Some people used CR250 stuff back when the FL250s were curent but I really don't think the benefit would be worth the effort these days. It's very hard to end up with something even as advanced as a reed valve. Water cooling is harder again.

Unfortunately, as much as I loved my first 250 Odyssey, they have been outdated. There are no viable upgrades without a massive amount of work. If restored and riden as they were originally built they would still be fun but I don't see them as a viable base for anythjing with more performance than they had as built.

[feralkid]

Dunno how much it would take but what about Smitty's 80hp renegade motor.
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