Coleman Kt196 – Specs, Problems & Upgrades
Coleman Kt196 is an off-road go-kart made for kids, anyone under 5’10” can easily fit into these go-karts. However, If you’re taller than 6′ then it will not be comfortable to sit inside. This is a 2-seater Go-kart and can carry up to 400 lbs weight without causing any issues to the engine or chassis.
Coleman Go-karts are all made in China and are therefore available relatively cheap (price on Amazon) to US-made Go-karts while also maintaining good quality. But they are not free of faults! There are a few problems that you should know about before you make a purchase. But before we discuss the problems, here’s a quick overview of this go-kart:
Engine Specs
The engine used in Coleman kt 196 is a 196cc, 4-stroke Honda clone engine. Which is very popular among go-karts and minibikes and has more than enough speed and power for a small chassis like that of kt196.
| Engine Type | 4-Stroke, Over Head Valve and Single Cylinder |
| Engine Cooling | Air cooling |
| Fuel Capacity | .95 Gallons |
| Bore x Stroke Ratio | 68×54 mm (2.68×2.13 in) |
| Valve Clearance (Int/Ex) | 0.10 ± 0.15 mm / 0.15 ± 0.20 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 8.5:1 |
| Displacement | 196cm³ / 11.96in³ |
| Horsepower | 6.5 hp |
| Rated Torque | 8.11 ft-lb @ 2,500 RPM |
| Top Speed | 20 mph |
The engine comes with a speed governor that limits the speed to roughly 20mph, which is more than enough for a kid’s go-kart.
However, if needed, you can remove the governor and take the top speed up to 30-35 mph. (More on that later)
Drivetrain
Coleman Kt 196 uses a CVT/Torque Converter which is an automatic transmission and has infinite amounts of gears.
Torque converters are definitely better than clutches for any off-road go-kart, the reason being that clutches do not provide enough torque to the wheels for off-road driving where there are several starts and stop situations where high torque is required.
But the downside is that torque converters cost a whole lot more than clutches and therefore if you even need to replace them, it will cost more.
Tires & Suspension
The tires used are AT145/70-6 in front and 16 X 6-8 in the back.
| Front Tire: | AT145/70-6 |
| Rear Tire: | 16 X 6-8 |
Since the go-kart is for off-road purposes, it has a ground clearance of 4″. In addition, they also have 4 Shock Absorbers that can be further upgraded with shock absorbers with stiffer springs.
Chassis
Overall the chassis is of very good quality and will last a long time before you run into any frame-related problems. The frame is made of steel and will withstand all the wear and tear that comes from kids’ rough driving.
It is a double seater, but the seats aren’t adjustable and as mentioned before, if you’re taller than 6′ it won’t be very comfortable. You might be better off buying a family go-kart if the purpose is to have both adults and children drive it, in such go-karts the seats are adjustable. One example of such a go-kart is Trailmaster 150 XRX.
Common Problems
These Go-karts are great for their price but are not free of faults! Since it comes with a Chinese-made Honda clone, the problems are almost inevitable. Along with the Engine, the torque converter will also cause issues from time to time. Here are the most common problems:
1. Engine Stalling and Shuts Off While Driving
This is very common with all Chinese-made Honda Clone engines and the culprit usually is the carburetor. To fix this problem, here are the steps:
- Check Gas tank to make sure that the only thing in there is Gas and no wate or other liquid material. If it does contain water, then empty both, fuel tank and the carburetor bowl.
- Check if the spark plug is worn out.
- Check if the Air filter is preventing the air to enter due to being wet or being covered in dust.
- Check the fuel line to make sure the gas is reaching the carburetor.
- Clean/Replace the Carburetor: The most probable cause of the problem is the carburetor. Some times, the carburetor is not sending enough fuel to the combustion chamber.
You can either take the carburetor out, clean it and assess what the problem might be, or replace it with a $15-20 new carburetor like this one.
2. Torque Converter Belt Breaks
The belt will break, which is inevitable if the go-kart is driven long enough. The solution is to replace it with an original comet belt that is of the correct size.
The belt that will fit kt196 has a Length of 27-3/8″ and the Width is 3/4″. You should look for part number: 203589 while buying a belt. If you buy a wrong-sized belt, they will wear very quickly. The original comet belts will last the longest but are expensive.
Apart from these two problems, you might also notice that the chain connecting the torque converter to the axle is too loose. You can check out a Drive Chain Tensioner.
Upgrades
20 mph on a kid’s go-kart is more than enough! But as they get older, that won’t be the case. Here are the best upgrades you can make to make this go-kart more powerful.
Engine
The easiest way to make the go-kart more powerful is to use a more powerful engine like a Tillotson 212 or Ducar 212. So if you have a budget of $200-250 it isn’t a bad idea to buy a new engine, it will save you time and effort.
However, there are performance parts that you can buy for the honda clone and it will make the factory engine almost as powerful as Tillotson or Ducar for way cheaper.
Governor Removal/Bypass
You can remove or bypass the speed governor that is present in the engine. We have a tutorial on how to remove the governor that you can check out.
Please make sure to buy a billet flywheel and billet rod once you remove the governor. The flywheel and rod of a Clone engine should not be trusted for high rpm.
Stage 1 Kit
If you know anything about engines, you’ll know that the way to increase power is to give it more air and fuel in less time! Stage 1 kit comes with an upgraded air intake and exhaust which will allow better air circulation.
The kit also includes a larger main-jet (0.36 and 0.37), a bored-out emulsion tube that will help the carburetor to take in more fuel, an 8-degree advanced timing key, and an 18 lb Valve spring.
You can expect a 2-3 hp increase in power and expect the top speed to be 40-45 mph!
OMBWarehouse Stage 1 Kit
1 Exhaust Pipe
1 Air Filter
Larger Non-EPA main jet
Gaskets
8-degree advanced timing key
0.36 and 0.37 main jet
Bored out Emulsion tube
Stage 2 Kit
Stage 2 kit has everything from stage 1 + a Non-EPA style carburetor. and Valve Springs The carburetor allows for a slight increase in performance. Valve springs will further remove the speed limit set by stock valve springs. You can expect to hit 45-50 mph with this kit.
OMBWarehouse’s Stage 2 Kit
Everything from Stage 1 Kit +
Non-EPA style Carb
We won’t cover all the mods in here, but we do have a complete guide about performance mods that can be made on Predator 212, honda clone engines are almost identical to the harbor freight 212cc engine, so that guide will help your case as well.
Conclusion
Coleman Kt196 is a good go-kart for kids and teenagers but isn’t free of problems. It is cheap in comparison to other options in the market (~$1200) and can be easily upgraded.
Overall, this go-kart is worth its money and will last for a good number of years (long enough till your kids grow up and won’t need it anymore). You can also check our list of best off-road go karts for other impressive Go-Karts that you might like.
Thanks for the review of the Coleman KT196!
i got this go cart for my grandkids for christmas and they just started riding it. 2 times actually and after about 10 minutes the belt starts slipping and smoking so its just setting in my shed.how do i tighten up the belt or whatever the problem is.
Duane – do you mean the torque converter belt? If so see
https://gokartnerds.com/common-go-kart-torque-converter-problems-and-how-to-fix-them/
With your kart being so new, it was most likely that the pulleys were not aligned and caused the belt to slip and wear out.
Also check out the Owner’s manual (link below). You also may want to check with Coleman or wherever you purchased the kart.
Owner’s Manual:
https://www.colemanpowersportsusa.com/KT196
Same thing happen to us
Check to make sure the weld did not break on the chain sprocket to the frame. This happened to ours howere Coleman warranties their product so contact them directly, they are more than happy to help.
This happened to my sons less than a week old how did you get it fixed?
I pulled the plastic housing and left it off. Less heat build up and the smoking problem went away immediately
Our go-kart just stopped one day. The wheels wouldn’t turn. After removing the cover, I saw a hex cap screw from a sprocket had worked loose and backed out enough to be in contact with the adjacent pulley. Wedged in this way was keeping the wheels from turning. Turned out the other hex cap screws were loose also. Once these were tightened it ran fine.
Will the ducar 212 directly mount to this cart or do i need a separate mounting plate
I just recently bought on for my kids, they used for about a week, and now it runs but the cart seem to jerk at take off anyone know at this could be
So glad I found this page! Maybe you can help me? I found a 2012 coleman kt196 for only $250. But, it’s been sitting for a few years. I haven’t picked it up yet, we are scheduled to go get it next Friday. But I’m trying to find everything I might
Need to replace. The seller says it was running perfectly fine before parking it.
The brakes are locked up because of it sitting, but he said he will fix that for me. What are some problems I might find because of it sitting? I’ve got a cart ready that includes air filter, fuel filter, spark plug, ignition coil, carburetor assembly, brake caliber kit, and 10w30 oil.
If it doesn’t run I know it’ll probably need a motor which is $220.
Other than all that, idk what else to cover to get a go kart running like new again. So any advice would be appreciated!
These are great Go Karts. I just did three engine conversions from the original KT196 engine to the 212cc Predator from Harbor Freight. It is a bolt on replacement. Interestingly, all three of the original engines had broken brackets inside the engine that connect the piston rod to the cam shaft. It is definitely an issue but for $120 (Black Friday Special) the Predator is more powerful and bolts right on.
What I learned doing the swap. Start by removing old engine, remove carburetor to access throttle cable, remove torque converter (10mm) bolt). A impact driver easily removed this bolt. I placed Torque cover, torque converter, bolts and belt in cover as these will go on new engine. Remove engine mount bolts and engine will come right off.
To prep new engine, place on work bench, Drain and then fill with 10w-30 oil to spec, remove carburetor as you will need to access throttle linkage hookups under carburetor. I had to loosen the throttle linkage so it would move freely. If you are going to use the kill switch you can either remove the one on the Predator or wire it into the one on the KY196 or eliminate it altogether. Lots of videos available on this. You will also need to take the black forward cover bracket off old engine and install it on engine block screw by oil dipstick. There wasn’t a screw hole for the top cover bracket so I just didn’t install it. You are ready to mount motor. Place motor on go Kart frame and bolt in place. Install torque converter starting with brass spacer, I added one thick 3/4″ I.D. washer also, plate with bearings, then belt and finally springs and cover. You will need to purchase a 5/16″x2″ -24 (fine thread) bolt to secure torque converter. I recommend cleaning torque converter while it is off. Fine grit sandpaper works great. Next install Throttle linkage. You will have to push gas pedal and adjust linkage to get correct setting for slow idle. Install carburetor and you should be good to go.
The 212cc Predator is slightly more powerful and delivers much more punch than the original motor.
Bought the KT196 model. December 2022. The pull start is now stuck and will not move so it can be started.
Bought one last week from Tractor Supply. It was returned by the original purchaser after a week. TS told me the recoil pull start was not consistent and since it was returned they would give me a 25% discount. Nothing wrong with the pull start. The motor was LOCKED UP. I took the discount, loaded it up, and stopped at Harbor Freight to buy a Predator 212 ($149.00) on the way home. Today I finally got the Coleman motor apart. The rod had seized onto the crankshaft. Only issue installing the HF Predator was clutch belt alignment and tension. I had to open the motor mounting holes to move the motor about 3/16″ left and 1/8″ back.
I purchased a Honda gx200 with a 2 7/16 inch shaft, which it calls for, to replace the engine.
When I began to reinstall the torque converter I noticed that the shaft was too short and that the original engine had a shaft about 1/2 inch longer and so the converter would not bolt onto it. What is going on here?
How do I fix this?
We’ve had a KT196 for about 3 years now from TSC. If the kids and their friends hadn’t hit so many trees I’d call it flawless. It’s been rolled, smashed into, covered in mud, through cornfields, and has hit trees or stumps too many times to remember. Besides the steering being knocked out of place numerous times, the thing just keeps going. It’s a beast. I did have to weld the front axles, after its 7th or 8th tree encounter. Other then that, the only maintenance I’ve done is change oil. Hours and hours of abuse on the original belt.