Unboxing The Vortex Rok Shifter Engine - POWER REPUBLIC

[@RKSiler]

I have a full season on the Rok Shifter now and it is a wonderful engine package. My club allows the Rok engines to race with the KZ engines with the KZ engines getting a small weight penalty (10 pounds) and the KZ is still a touch faster but a well driven Rok can and does win against the KZ engines...this is club racing, mind you, so I would never say that the Rok is the way to go at National competition on a longer track. All that said, the engine is very reliable and well built/engineered, and it is much easier to drive than my old Honda gearbox engine (I race in the States where the Honda was the dominate engine for years). Thanks for this video!

[@PowerRepublic]

Hey Richard, thanks for tuning in and watching the vids. that is some great feedback. Vortex make some mint engines, this being one of them.

I wouldn't be so sure about the build quality. My brand new ROK engine leaked water to the combustion chamber due to bad casting of the cylinder, and I was not the only one. Ignition failed after 3 races. Power valves are getting grinded by the piston on half of the engines etc.

[@PowerRepublic]

Damn dan, that sucks. ill keep an eye out. was that on the rok GP?

@@PowerRepublic Yeah ROK GP senior engine. Vortex stood up and replaced it for a new one though, so all good. :-)

[@eprohoda]

Power, love it. this is cool -

[@PowerRepublic]

thanks so much for watching, liking and hopefully sharing the videos!!!!!!!!

[@SyborgStrength]

I've been running this motor for years. The only issue is the shift shaft can break off at the splines. Supposedly a newer version has improved metallurgy.

[@PowerRepublic]

Oh snap, thanks for tip bro. happy new year 🥳

[@AFFMotorsport]

Never really been keen on a shifter, although may change when you let me have a drive Dezzy ;) Good vid mate.

[@PowerRepublic]

Thanks legend 🙏🙏

[@DemopVWgarage]

I'm so impressed I'm going to rip out the kombi motor and put one of those bad boys in ;)

[@PowerRepublic]

One per wheel 🛞

[@connorc9224]

I recently picked one of these up and I've loved it. Could you do a video on maintenance please lol. Also what are the differences between this engine and other KZs?

[@PowerRepublic]

Hey Connor, thanks for the feedback. sure can do some maintenance vids for you, have you checked out our KZ engine rebuild project and dellorto carby videos yet? the other KZ engines have some more extreme timing and peak HP at the expense of longevity and ease of use. Rok shifter is definitely a great class.

[@connorc9224]

Ill check out those videos right now. What work on my engine do you recommend that I do over the winter? Is a full rebuild necessary? I have only run it for a few sessions so it is still fairly new.

[@NicReid4]

Raced Riley again today

[@PowerRepublic]

How’’d ya go ?

[@NicReid4]

@@PowerRepublic heat 1 5th heat 2 3rd heat 3 3rd and Riley packed up and left because they were on slicks and both getting lapped so in the final I came 4th I’m happy with that it was very wet!

[@Catalin-Nicolaevici]

Man now i just seen these today!! Now i really want one of these badly really badly i own 2 yamaha kt100s and a Rotax fr125 Max. But once i found out its a actual shifting engine i wanted it badly! You said theres faster shifting engines? What should i look for?

[@wafif2709]

Could you do a review and mounting of the briggs lo-206??

[@PowerRepublic]

we had one a few years ago and sold it before we could do the install video. definitely could do one for you

[@wafif2709]

@@PowerRepublic Really?? That would be awesome!!!

[@anthonyreddy2834]

Hey Dez! From Washington State USA, what hp do these make? Thanks I'm learning alot from your videos!

[@PowerRepublic]

hey Washington, where you at !!! thanks heaps for watching the vids and the good vibes. not sure 100%, most likely 40 plus

[@anthonyreddy2834]

Thanks Dez!

[@timo3529]

According to Vortex Rok Shifter got 42-43hp depends on the specific one you got. Some make less or more

[@upaiaq]

Can they be resleeved?

[@PowerRepublic]

not in the rules they can't, but yeah it would be possible with enough time and money

[@RACE.KART.PRODUCTS]

We have been very disappointed with the engine. We had 8 through our shop. Cranks are good for 25hrs max. Pistons 4 hours max. We've had 4 cylinders that have become paperweights. 8+ sheared preselector shaft splines. 4 gearboxes that have needed several gears replaced. 2 primary gears/crank halves that have needed replacement. Also the shift arm is poorly designed and the shift shaft hits the water line. The TM is proper though.

[@RACE.KART.PRODUCTS]

We've replaced several heads from wear in the squish band as well compared to the iame and TM.

[@powderskier5547]

What ever happened to Pavesi? They were a beast of an engine back in my ICC days

[@PowerRepublic]

Hey, I have fixed a Pevassi 125 before but it was and older kart and engine package

[@RACE.KART.PRODUCTS]

The power delivery is nowhere near as smooth as the TM.

[@PowerRepublic]

so TM gets the nod? are you racing that in KZ or KZ2 category ?

[@RACE.KART.PRODUCTS]

@@PowerRepublic the gearbox is better. feels closer to a Japanese gearbox compared to most italian gearboxes. For some weird reason the piston life is longer on the TM even though its turns a 1000 more rpm. I believe the liner material is a little soft on the Vortex. Also the exhaust port bridges need to be relieved a fair amount or they well swell with heat and cause the ring land to fail/pinch onto the ring. Plus its hard to beat nikasil. We're getting around 8 hours on a TM piston. Crank life on the TM is close to that of the ROK. maybe even a few hours more on average, but not by much. The biggest things you notice when driving it is how much smoother it is. Both gear box and power delivery. Its a swiss watch compared to the rok. Thats the biggest selling point imo.

[@RACE.KART.PRODUCTS]

we race all of them. TM, ROK and even the 175 some. Still have a few honda hanging around here as well.

[@МаринаТимашкова-щ9с]

Почиму нет русского перевода ? Вы расисты или поцы?