Harbor Freight Predator 212 Ghost Engine: How Much HP Does It Have, And Is It A Hemi?

Right out of the gate, let's put the Hemi question about the Predator 212cc Ghost Kart Racing engine to rest. Despite all the rumors surrounding the engine and its domed cylinder head combustion chamber, SlashGear received word from Harbor Freight customer service that the 212cc Ghost does not have a hemispherical design.

So, if it's not a Hemi, why is the Predator 212cc Ghost seemingly better and twice as expensive as the standard Predator 212cc engine? We've covered the nuances of the Predator 212 compared to the 212 Ghost engine from Harbor Freight already, but in summary the Ghost is specifically designed for racing and performance applications.

The Harbor Freight 212cc Predator can replace similar small engines thanks to its basic design, horizontal crankshaft orientation, and 6.5 horsepower. However, the 212cc Ghost is designed for kart racing and advertised to fit "all major [kart] chassis brands." Harbor Freight doesn't provide a horsepower rating for the Predator 212cc Ghost engine so we turned to Red Beard's Garage for a dyno test on YouTube to find that the in-stock form of the engine produces 9.9 horsepower. Online forum reports of Ghost dyno tests making up to 12.4 horsepower out of the box could indicate stock engine inconsistencies.

Harbor Freight lists the Predator 212cc Ghost Kart Racing Engine at $329.99 on its website. Members of Harbor Freight's Inside Track Club could save $30, which, for now, covers the membership fee for a year.

Predator Racing provides the 212cc Ghost Kart Engine to Harbor Freight exclusively for racing applications. The 212cc Ghost is a four-stroke air-cooled engine that requires 91+ octane unleaded gasoline treated with a fuel stabilizer. Its crankcase has a 0.63-quart oil capacity and uses 10W-30 full-synthetic oil. The Ghost's single cylinder features a cast-iron sleeve with a 70mm diameter bore and a 55mm crankshaft stroke for an actual displacement calculation of 211.66cc.

Ghost 212cc Kart Racing upgrades compared to the regular Predator 6.5 HP 212cc engine include high-silicon valve springs, a forged carbon steel crankshaft, high-flow intake port, and racing piston rings. Harbor Freight also offers an accessory kit for the 212cc Ghost for $199.99 that includes an exhaust system, upgraded fuel pump, fuel line, aluminum intake, header breather tube, filters, and gaskets.

Harbor Freight makes it pretty clear that the Predator 212cc Ghost is intended for racing. If you forget, you'll be reminded again whenever you add the engine to your online shopping cart as you must complete two additional steps not found with other Predator engines. Step one requires confirmation of the buyer's status as, or affiliation with, a competitor. Step two asks the buyer to acknowledge the engine's "competition-only" intention and agreement to use it only for racing endeavors.

Don't confuse kart racing (or karting) with the typical go-karts seen in big box stores. It's a highly competitive form of racing with many successful participants pursuing careers in popular racing series such as NASCAR and others. While the price to field a competitive kart program can escalate quickly, it's one of the more approachable ways to get started in racing.

There are a number of places online to find go-kart engines and parts. Professional race car driver Dion von Moltke — co-founder of Blayze, a coaching service for aspiring racers — recommends renting a kart before buying one if the option exists in your area. While the Predator 212cc Ghost engine didn't make the Blayze list of recommended equipment, Moltke suggests that getting started and learning while having some fun are more important than wins in karting.