Harbor Freight Hemi Build Roars with Performance Components from Amazon

      Bataha via YouTube

      Making performance modifications to Harbor Freight’s single-cylinder Predator engine has gained popularity, and we are completely on board with it. We previously saw one engine equipped with a custom, Koenigsegg-style Freevalve system, and a particularly unique build recently emerged from a YouTuber known as Bataha. He disassembled the small engine and reassembled it with an extensive array of performance parts that he purchased from Amazon.

      The project began with a 212cc Predator engine available from Harbor Freight for $150. This air-cooled, single-cylinder engine features a cast-iron head, designed for powering lawnmowers and log splitters, among other equipment. It is marketed as a ready-to-use engine, meaning that all that is required is to add oil and attach it to whatever needs power, but Bataha viewed it as a canvas for performance enhancements.

      He incorporated all off-the-shelf, bolt-on components sourced from Amazon. Out of context, it might seem like he’s constructing a racing vehicle. The specification list includes a billet connecting rod, an aftermarket cam with a .265″ lift, a flat-top piston, and 22-pound valve springs. Air and fuel are fed into the hemi combustion chamber through an upgraded carburetor, and the engine features a straight pipe for added effect.

      Harbor Freight claims that the Predator produces 6.5 horsepower and 8.1 pound-feet of torque, with the decimals being significant here. It's reasonable to believe that the modifications enhance both numbers, though the engine’s ultimate output remains uncertain. Even a minor increase would be considerable given such low figures. If the performance parts yield a 12-horsepower rating, that's nearly a 50% rise in power.

      I might be inclined to install this tuned single-cylinder engine in a go-kart based on a shopping cart, much to the annoyance of local authorities, but Bataha has different intentions. He mentioned that the engine will be installed in a Coleman CT200U-EX minibike that he is currently modifying, notably adding a swing arm. The stock CT200U-EX runs on a 196cc single-cylinder engine, so it should exhibit a noticeable increase in speed with the 212cc Hemi.

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