Ezgo quit moving

razerface

am helping my friend on his golf cart. We are both retired, but he is older then me and so i am elected to do internet research. We are not electricians or knowledgable on golf carts, but willing to learn!

We have a 1996 txt, we think. Model D0296, serial 933120. From a description on the web, we believe we have a “series”, as it has a rod from gearshift to the rotary switch.

The motor is marked “Advanced DC Motors”.

I saw no marking on the controller, is has 4 vertical connections coming up out of the top.

The rotary switch has 2 micro switches on top.

The problem:
The cart jerked a couple times, then would not move anymore. He thought the batteries went bad, so installed new ones. Still did not work! That hurt his soc sec check! Lol,,,he cussed a little.

I checked voltage, new batteries are up at 37.3v.
The solinoid clicks when pressing the pedal, but no movement in either direction.

I loosened and retightened all the cables on the controller and the rotary switch.
I checked the two white plastic connectors,,they are clean and tight, so no loose connections.

Where do i start to eliminate the motor, switch, or controller from being our problem?

Thanks in advance from two old guys.

BGW

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scottyb

Yes, it's a series cart. Did it quit while working or while parked?
Does the solenoid click when you try to go?
You may want to remove the controller cover to see...


PS, those new batteries need a good charge, throw them on the charger now.

razerface

Yes the solinoid clicks. It jerked a couple times while trying to take off, and had to be pushed back into garage.

scottyb

It might be a bad contact in the F&R. Turn the center pivot shaft nut in a 1/2 turn and after shifting a couple of times, see if it will try to go again.

razerface

I tried to tighten that nut yesterday, but it will not move. I figured it was against a shoulder and all the way tight. Does that nut bottom out? If i take the nut off,,will it all fly apart? I would like to clean those contacts

scottyb

The nut can bottom out. You can remove the linkage and the center shaft 9/16 nut and pull the shaft out the front side. The swivel cam will come with it but, no loose pieces.
Use a flash light if needed to make a visual inspection of the cable connection studs. Color change indicates high heat, which may indicate other problems like bad cables or worn motor drawing excessive amperage.
The copper cable terminal studs are recessed in the plastic housing. IF they get hot they melt the housing and sink in away from the mating contact in the rotating cam causing a loss of contact.
It is common to replace this switch every 10-15 yrs under normal use.

BobBoyce

Let's define normal use as playing a round of golf. Short trips with two people and two golf bags, between holes, with frequent rest stops while you play golf.

How many cart owners here only use their carts for normal use?

Anything beyond normal use requires a real Heavy Duty F/N/R switch to handle the abuse we like to put our carts though.

http://www.cartsunlimited.net/f---r--switches.html

razerface

I took the F&R switch apart. It looks great. Shiney and clean with no discoloration anywhere. The 4 copper contacts are in good shape. I regreased the shaft, lightly greased the contacts with dielectric grease and reassembled.

razerface

Well, i found this trouble shoot guide.
http://www.cartsunlimited.net/ezgo-troubleshooting.html

I got to the part on checking controller input and output. I waited 45 minutes to check input using terminals B- and B+, but the voltage was still 6.4. Does that mean anything?

When we pressed the gas and the solinoid clicked, using b+ and b-, it went to pack voltage. We pressed all the way to floor and voltage did not change, but stayed at pack voltage.

This guide states the voltage on b+ and b- should go to zero as you press the pedal down. Then a couple paragraphs down it says voltage checked on m- and b+ should go to pack voltage when pedal is down, and claims those two checks should be the same voltage.

How can they match? One is supposed to be zero and one is supposed to be pack voltage? What am i missing?

handtools

It seems like you are getting power to the controller B+ to B-, what do you get when you check controller output M- to B+? That should start at 0 and increase to pack voltage as you push the go pedal with key on and f/r in f, and the wheels should turn.