I have a 23hp vanguard on a Dixie mud motors frame with 60 hours it is a 2011 model I believe
The motor cranks up and idles fine but when it gets warmed up the exhaust glows red and it gets very boggy (throttle response is terrible) and it gets hard to crank back up you have to feather the gas to get it to crank
Also it makes a ton of internal noises (tapping and knocking) I pulled the valve covers off to check the valve clearance but I could not find any specs on the motor. Also it's very bipolar sometimes it will run 3 190lb guys and gear 18-19mph the next morning in the same conditions it will hardly run 12mph and will not get up on plane. I need to get it fixed either replace the motor or build it if anyone has any sudjestions or can point me in the right directions for getting aftermarket parts to build it

Thanks!

Sounds to me like you're running very lean. Clean car and make sure all is good there.
Fresh fuel, filters, plugs, and try again.

That's what I have done but could not find anything wrong also I forgot to say that it doesn't make the noise unless the motor is under load if you crank it up out of water it sounds fine.

Sounds like its running lean to me too. 1st make VERY sure yer fuel system (pump, filter & size of fuel line, length of line) is 100%! Otherwise any changes to rhe carb are worthless. I bet yer plugs are white/gery. If so thats bad & way lean!

The other day I pulled a spark plug out and it was wet with gas when I turned the mother over gas went flying out of the #1 cylinder the number 2 cylinder had a little bit of gas in it but not nearly the amount the 1st cylinder did also I check the valves they a gapped right and I couldn't find anything wrong with the carb

And there is gas in the oil

Inlet needle in carb leaking? If you have gas in oil that would be what I checked first. Cheap to replace. Some have Viton tips, shit fuel these days makes them hard and they will leak. The less expensive all metal ones just wear out and then leak. If you have a Mighty Vac you can test it for leaks before replacing.

Just do a leak down, find out which cylinder needs new rings, and go from there. It's quick and easy, and simplifies troubleshooting

you probably have one of them shitty non venting epa tanks. The tanks dont vent so too much pressure builds up in the tank which forces fuel through the line into the carb down the cylinder and past the rings into your oil. couple options remove gas cap drill a small hole in the underside of the cap to let it self vent. Other options include disconnecting fuel line while not in use or leave the cap open a crack. Had this happen to me didnt want to start ran like shit filled the cylinders up with gas. Drilled a tiny hole in the bottom of the cap and the gas tank doesnt balloon up and cause problems

I will defiantly drill a hole in the cap because it does get under pretty heavy pressure but also where can I find parts like a new needle for the carb or a upgraded one

Better yet would I be better upgrading to a aftermarket carb? Does anyone have any expierence with aftermarket performance parts for this motor?

Definitely never been done.

I have a stock carb ill sell you will also include a k&n air filter carb has less than 40 hrs air filter less than 20 like new condition on both $40 shipped to your door.

To answer your aftermarket performance / carb question...its a easy task. You can pick up a 32mm mikuni for around 100 bucks. The problem is getting your hands on an intake adapter - or making one yourself.

BPS and other places sell carb kits with adapters, ready to go. But you are going to spend 500+ bucks on one.

If you piecemill your own kit, you also have to learn to tune and adjust it.

This forum probably isn't the place to ask carb and performance questions. Use the search feature. If you ask a new questions, you're going to get a bunch of unwanted BS.

http://www.backwaterperformancesystems.com/

http://www.performancevtwins.com/

Buy a flat slide with an accelerator pump. Not the cheapest shit you can find or what comes in the bps kit.

you can put on a 32mm flat slide if you put the kit together yourself like I did it can be done for under $500.

flat slide carb $130 TM32 - amazon The TMX 33 has an accelerator pump but is an additional $100. There isnt really an issue with not having the accelerator pump on this smaller engine the tuneability is great.

BPS intake adapter $75
mikuni rubber flange adapter 25
K/N low pro air filter $40 amazon (there is only 1 size that allows you to use a mikuni and keep stock exhaust)
4500-4700 rev limiter $125 BPS
gov block $25 BPS
BPS throttle lever and throttle cable $75 or less cant quite remember what I paid

Run a 220 main and 22.5 pilot e clip 1 position up from middle. I have cam and heads but this should be a good starting point.

Thanks for the info any recommendations on heads and cam?