Need Help- EZ GO won't go

Bill Genevrino · 12-08-2013, 01:41 PM

Hello all.. I'm a new user here.. first time doing this.. I have a 2001 EZGO txt that recently kinda stopped.. I say kinda because it seems to want to go but has no power or speed. The batteries are about a year old and I charged it and read 37.8 volts at the terminals of the batteries.I can hear the solenoid click and the car starts to move.. then kinda dies. the motor seems to vibrate a little.I pulled the hubs.. the splines look good.I pulled the motor ... the splines look good.. I pulled the input shaft ... looks good .. I jacked it up and the diff seems to work when I spin one tire, the other goes the opposite direction.When I jacked it up, I pushed the petal and the tires spun fast. I let go and pushed it again, they seemed to not go too fast ... I pushed it a few more times and it seemed to speed up ( jacked up that is). Any thoughts anyone?? I was thinking petal potentiometer.. or controller..brushes?? Isn't it true that if the hubs were stripped out, the castle nut would spin, with the car sitting still? I hit the petal with the cart on the ground and it sounds like the motor is running but I see no spinning castle nuts...any suggestions? thank you in advance... bill g

scottyb · 12-08-2013, 02:22 PM

This could be a battery problem, can you put a meter on the pack and try to go? See how far the pack Voltage drops... if it's close to 6v do the same test for each battery one at a time until you find one or 2 that dropping a lot.

Testing battery power under load is always a good place to start.

Bill Genevrino · 12-08-2013, 02:41 PM

Scottyb... thanks.. I will try ... curious.. do you know how long brushes last typically .. my car is now 12 and we seem to drive it alot around in the yard and across the street in the neighborhood.. thanks again, Bill G.

yurtle · 12-08-2013, 03:17 PM

I replaced the bearing and inspected the brushes in my 1998 and they were still good. YMMV.

scottyb · 12-08-2013, 03:37 PM

I believe new brushes are about 1 inch and the wear limit is 5/8 or 1/2 but dont quote me. I've seen 30yr old motors on original brushes.

Bill Genevrino · 12-08-2013, 03:42 PM

Scottyb .... I think you nailed it.. I tested the total voltage at no load... 37.8 ... i tested at petal down ... dropped to 30.. ish ... I went to each battery and did the same ... all stayed at like 6.1 except one battery dropped to almost zero ... 0.8 ... with a load.. funny I just checked them all with a hydrometer and they all read fine.. but that battery must be bad.
Thanks again all for helping..wish I did this forum yesterday.. I cudda fixed it today.. thanks again all for the info..

yurtle · 12-08-2013, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottyb

I believe new brushes are about 1 inch and the wear limit is 5/8 or 1/2 but dont quote me. I've seen 30yr old motors on original brushes.

Brush length is discussed in the service manual. I also don't remember what it was, but I've still got years to go, and they aren't cheap. I also replaced the motor with a beefier one, so it's gonna last forever now.

Volt_Ampere · 12-08-2013, 05:02 PM

How is the water level in your batteries? You have a bad one for sure and that is your no go problem.

Sir Nuke · 12-08-2013, 05:05 PM

Bill....scotty has you on the right track.....so with that, Welcome to our happy little corner of the net, and to BGW. There is a BIG fridge on the back porch with anything you can think of in it...help yourself...of course only take what you can LEGALLY have. Make yourself at home on one of the big fluffy couches, kick your shoes off, put your feet up on one of the tables, yes we are allowed to do that, mom's, wive's, husbands, girlfirends and boyfriends here don't care....and take it easy.

oh...btw....every once in a while a food fight breaks out...so you may not want to wear nice clothes here.

Welcome!!

Bill Genevrino · 12-08-2013, 05:10 PM

thanks for the reply... water was fine .. only ever used distilled to re-fill.. specific gravity looked great too on hydrometer ... total voltage was great ... until load test .. all stayed at 6.1 roughly .. that one battery dropped to 0.8V.. all cables were cleaned too..
Thanks all for replies ...tryin to keep my 13 year old son havin' fun. Bill G.

12-08-2013, 01:41 PM	#1
Bill Genevrino Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Ft. Myers, Fl. Posts: 6	Need Help- EZ GO won't go Hello all.. I'm a new user here.. first time doing this.. I have a 2001 EZGO txt that recently kinda stopped.. I say kinda because it seems to want to go but has no power or speed. The batteries are about a year old and I charged it and read 37.8 volts at the terminals of the batteries.I can hear the solenoid click and the car starts to move.. then kinda dies. the motor seems to vibrate a little.I pulled the hubs.. the splines look good.I pulled the motor ... the splines look good.. I pulled the input shaft ... looks good .. I jacked it up and the diff seems to work when I spin one tire, the other goes the opposite direction.When I jacked it up, I pushed the petal and the tires spun fast. I let go and pushed it again, they seemed to not go too fast ... I pushed it a few more times and it seemed to speed up ( jacked up that is). Any thoughts anyone?? I was thinking petal potentiometer.. or controller..brushes?? Isn't it true that if the hubs were stripped out, the castle nut would spin, with the car sitting still? I hit the petal with the cart on the ground and it sounds like the motor is running but I see no spinning castle nuts...any suggestions? thank you in advance... bill g

12-08-2013, 02:22 PM	#2
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,410	Re: Need Help- EZ GO won't go This could be a battery problem, can you put a meter on the pack and try to go? See how far the pack Voltage drops... if it's close to 6v do the same test for each battery one at a time until you find one or 2 that dropping a lot. Testing battery power under load is always a good place to start.

12-08-2013, 02:41 PM	#3
Bill Genevrino Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Ft. Myers, Fl. Posts: 6	Re: Need Help- EZ GO won't go Scottyb... thanks.. I will try ... curious.. do you know how long brushes last typically .. my car is now 12 and we seem to drive it alot around in the yard and across the street in the neighborhood.. thanks again, Bill G.

12-08-2013, 03:17 PM	#4
yurtle Gone Mad Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Buford, GA Posts: 8,988	Re: Need Help- EZ GO won't go I replaced the bearing and inspected the brushes in my 1998 and they were still good. YMMV.

12-08-2013, 03:37 PM	#5
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,410	Re: Need Help- EZ GO won't go I believe new brushes are about 1 inch and the wear limit is 5/8 or 1/2 but dont quote me. I've seen 30yr old motors on original brushes.

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12-08-2013, 03:42 PM	#6
Bill Genevrino Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Ft. Myers, Fl. Posts: 6	Re: Need Help- EZ GO won't go Scottyb .... I think you nailed it.. I tested the total voltage at no load... 37.8 ... i tested at petal down ... dropped to 30.. ish ... I went to each battery and did the same ... all stayed at like 6.1 except one battery dropped to almost zero ... 0.8 ... with a load.. funny I just checked them all with a hydrometer and they all read fine.. but that battery must be bad. Thanks again all for helping..wish I did this forum yesterday.. I cudda fixed it today.. thanks again all for the info..

12-08-2013, 05:02 PM	#8
Volt_Ampere Gone Wild Join Date: May 2012 Location: Rio Verde, Az Posts: 7,171	Re: Need Help- EZ GO won't go How is the water level in your batteries? You have a bad one for sure and that is your no go problem.

12-08-2013, 05:05 PM	#9
Sir Nuke Master of All Things Join Date: May 2013 Location: West Columbia, Texas Posts: 17,980	Re: Need Help- EZ GO won't go Bill....scotty has you on the right track.....so with that, Welcome to our happy little corner of the net, and to BGW. There is a BIG fridge on the back porch with anything you can think of in it...help yourself...of course only take what you can LEGALLY have. Make yourself at home on one of the big fluffy couches, kick your shoes off, put your feet up on one of the tables, yes we are allowed to do that, mom's, wive's, husbands, girlfirends and boyfriends here don't care....and take it easy. oh...btw....every once in a while a food fight breaks out...so you may not want to wear nice clothes here. Welcome!!

12-08-2013, 05:10 PM	#10
Bill Genevrino Not Yet Wild Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Ft. Myers, Fl. Posts: 6	Re: Need Help- EZ GO won't go thanks for the reply... water was fine .. only ever used distilled to re-fill.. specific gravity looked great too on hydrometer ... total voltage was great ... until load test .. all stayed at 6.1 roughly .. that one battery dropped to 0.8V.. all cables were cleaned too.. Thanks all for replies ...tryin to keep my 13 year old son havin' fun. Bill G.