At least u have two pilots and are able to drive one.
A little story for ya.
I saw my Dakart on ebay a few summers ago and wanted it so bad I could taste it. It sold to someone else and my visions of ripping through the Florida sands faded.
Wouldn't u know it turned back up on ebay about 4 months latter and 1500 miles closer to me.
So I talked with the owner and we struck a deal. At this point I thought I should tell the wife what I was up to and,she was not on board. Well that wasn't an option because in my head I already owned it. I tried to explain to her how it needed nothing and was jam up ready to go. Se wasn't taking the bait,, So after a bunch of lying and deal cutting with the wife I drove 12 hours or so round trip to pick it up. I was so excited.
Now I'm a mechanical guy. Been involved in all types of engines,car mororcycle,heck even weed eaters. I fix almost all my own mechanical issues. So I'm no rookie.
Well as most people all I could see was my beautiful new drakart.
So he started it up and I cruzed it around the truck stop I met him at and just loved it.
This is where I needed a pair of eyes that were not seeing stars and hearts every time the looked at it. But it was just me and home I headed with my new toy.
First time I took it out the drive clutch froze. Figured I needed to know how to rebuild the clutch so no big deal.
But it was a big deal to the wife and the sideways looks started.
I will save you a lot of reading by saying after I rebuilt the clutch everything ,everything had an issue.
I literally replaced every bolt on item on that
Engine getting it right.
The money I was spending went up as my approval rating at home went down.
So it's running good but just not like I think it should so I do what I should have done the day I brought it home. Compression test. I knew that you should always do that first but in my tunnel vision I seem to have passed that step.
Failed the compression test. Bad valves. I could have saved myself a lot of time by doing a compression test.
Rebuilt the top and bottom end even had a camshaft custom ground for it. Replaced the turbo and was good to go. Ran like a raped ape.
About 1.5 years later started acting up.started before that but at that point required attention. I spent a week or two going through and checking all the electronics. Bought a new coil,new injectors,checked everything with a voltage meter to be sure everything was within limits ect.
So I do what I should have done right off the bat and that was a compression test. Yep my valves were hanging up. I replaced everything except the valve guides when I rebuilt it.
So here I am now almost a year latter reassembling it.
A couple of take away for ya.
Most sellers lie,I've ridden with Doug you're pilots previous owner and he is a stand up guy which is evident by Tha pilot you purchased from him.
Most of us have bought a problem machine un knowingly weather we admit it or not.
If it was an easy issue to diagnose and repair the previous owner would have done just that. I cringe when I see a advertisement for anything that just needs the carb cleaned or jetted.
There are two ways to deal with a problem machine. Sell it. That's what my previous owner did and that's what the guy he got it from did. The other option is to roll up you're sleeves and just get in there. My thinking was I'll know this machine from the inside out and will make it the machine I thought I was buying.
You're sleeves are already rolled up so we all know which type of person u are. Just stick with it and,when u are totally frustrated go ride you're good one. I didn't have that option.
I just wanted to share this so u know we've all been there,I'm still there.