EZGO Golf Cart Not Idling and Backfires

Nubs

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
i would say that you need to start with adjusting the micro switch that engages the starter so it starts at the beginning of the pedal travel, you also need to make sure that the throttle butterfly on the carb is closed when the starter first engages and then see how it runs
 

brumpomatic

New Member
Also, how can I tell if the throttle butterfly on the carb is closed? (I assume I need to remove the air filter and look into the carb or do I need to remove the entire air box?) and how do I adjust the throttle butterfly?

I'll try anything at this point, thank you.
 

Nubs

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
the switch is down on the pedal linkage, back track the wire from the start pole on the solenoid back to the switch. there should be a bolt and lock nut that touches the switch, adjust the bolt until the starter engages when you just start to push the pedal. you may not need to worry about the butterfly once the switch is set right.
 

kogieblack

New Member
How do you adjust a microswitch? Either it is "on" or it is "off". It's not like a rheostat.

Better still, totally remove the microswitch so that when you switch on the key, you are already idling (of course, adjust the throttle linkage to idling position).
 

brumpomatic

New Member
I think I found the micro-switch but I am not sure, this is looking underneath towards the front, in the middle. Is what you see in the picture actually the micro-switch?:

IMG00004-20101218-0020.jpg


And if it is, where is the bolt and lock nut, I put a red arrow on the only thing that looks like it might be a lock nut below:

IMG00004-20101218-0020-1.jpg


So, if that's not it, where is it??

Anyway, sorry guys, I am real novice at this and don't have any manual, thanks for the patience and further advice.
 

brumpomatic

New Member
Better still, totally remove the microswitch so that when you switch on the key, you are already idling (of course, adjust the throttle linkage to idling position).
Hmm, I want to try to adjust whatever I can before removing anything but if I don't have any luck I may go this route...
 

Nubs

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
Adjustment as in making sure the starter engages before the throttle butterfly starts to open.
 

Nubs

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
I think that is the a brake light switch, i can't tell you the location of the switch on that model. did you check to see if the starter is engaging before the throttle linkage moves? did this problem just start or has it been this way.
 

brumpomatic

New Member
The thing that I put the arrow on is connected to the gas pedal, so this is probably it (there's a pushrod in the picture to the right and a little below the arrow that goes to the brake pedal)

The starter engages before the cable and the linkages in the engine compartment start moving.

We got our ezgo this year, and it has always been this way since we got it.
 

Nubs

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
if the starter is engaging before the linkage moves than the problem is most likely a carb adjustment, you need to make sure the idle adjustment screw is backed off the throttle shaft. turn this screw until there is some clearance between the two and then try it. :thumbsup:
 

brumpomatic

New Member
In this case, the idle adjustment screw was almost all the way out, so I screwed it all the way in and tested it in different positions, after a few attempts it seemed to be working fairly well, so I actually drove it around the block (semi rural area) and made it home without a cough (or backfire)! :thumbsup:

Yeah, it's in ok shape and for most part the electrical works. After driving it a bit I conclude the chassis must have a ton of hard hours, because everything is kind of loose and worn out, like the steering, alignment, suspension, charging system and brakes but I'm sure with help from my friends here those things can be sorted out over time, so anyway, thanks a million for the sharing of knowledge and suggestions and picture that really helped and WOW, a simple adjustment that really, really made a world of difference and solved the problem...
 

Nubs

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
i just grabbed the first thing that was handy, at least i was usin' it before i ran outta ice :rotflmao:
 

brumpomatic

New Member
That's good advice, thanks for the ausome valve adjustment link, I like it!

Someone must have been in there to adjust the valves before we got it because they were all very close to .006"

Btw, I didn't change anything but it did backfire and cough a bit today. Maybe it needs some further adjustment on the carb or carb cleaning is needed or I still have to adjust that microswitch? (I dunno it kindof acted this way last night after I got back from my long test run but I noticed the lights were dim with the motor off, so I cleaned the terminals and put the battery on a 12v charger overnight, lights are brighter with the motor off)
 

brumpomatic

New Member
Still backfiring, anyone have a procedure for cleaning and adjusting the carb?

Maybe I have a weak connection in the wiring someplace{a bad ground to the ignition or something}, not sure how to nail those down, or perhaps a timing issue...

Hmm, that reminds me, the timing belt cover is missing (maybe someone monkeyed with timing too!?), anyway does anyone have a spare timing belt cover laying around?

Thanks! :hattip:
 

Nubs

Cartaholic - V.I.P.
well it sounds like someone was digging for the problem before you bought it so you need to start from scratch. check the cam timing and check the compression, should be 150lbs or more with both plugs out and the throttle all the way open.
 

brumpomatic

New Member
Yeah, I decided to go through the wiring and found several loose connections!

I cleaned the connectors and then tightened things up. That seemed to do the trick, starts right up and runs great!! I am pretty happy, my dad has been using the cart around the yard just about every day to haul stuff and take out the trash, I even took it around the block at full speed and made it home safely, WooWoo!

There are still issues that need to be addressed...with a fully charged battery it runs great, until the battery gets weak, then it backfires more and more until the battery is dead, then it won't start (I keep an extra battery in the box, just in case I go around the block...at night!).

Do they have a voltage regulator/rectifier like a car? (when it's running the voltage reads right around 12v and then starts to drop, especially with the lights on, like it running on just the battery) or do I need to rebuild the starter/generator
Also, still in need of a timing belt cover, can anyone please hook me up??

Thank you!
 
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