Noisy drive clutch (and other stuff) -- '90 Marathon 2-cycle gas

fastwoman

Hi Everyone,

I'm a rank newbie here. We just purchased our first golf cart as a work vehicle for our hilly property. It's an EZGO 1990 Marathon GX444 2-cycle, previously well loved and in need of minor TLC.

This cart basically runs alright. However, when you step on the gas to start it, and before the engine actually fires, the drive clutch rattles back and forth, making a loud "CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK," sounding almost like a claw hammer beating on the frame. When I wobble the drive clutch around by hand, there's a bit of play, and I hear hard metal against hard metal. Is this the nature of the beast, or are these things supposed to be much quieter. Do I need a new clutch? Or is there some sort of rebuild kit?

The other issue would be the throttle linkage. It's very badly worn. There's a linkage attached to the top of the transmission that wobbles, and then the carburetor butterfly wobbles as well. I gather I can just buy an $80 carb to take care of the butterfly wobble, but is there some place I can get parts for the linkage atop the transmission?

We'd like to do one mod: We'd like to put a hitch receiver on it. However, we don't want to simply bolt it to that frame piece that holds the back of the plastic bucket in the back. Are there any good hitch kits that bolt to the boxed frame pieces on the side?

Finally, is there an online manual for this cart anywhere on the Internet, or must I buy one? I've tried following some links, but they're all bad so far.

I appreciate your help! Thanks!

Sarah, a.k.a. "fastwoman" (more of a monicker for my dabblings in antique sports cars, but I'll use it here too)

BGW

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fastwoman

OK....

So I ordered the carb, because the butterfly shaft wobble is incredibly bad. There's so much slop in the linkage that drivability suffers, and this should eliminate half of that slop.

What about the noisy clutch? I'm not allowed to post a link, but I found a Comet 9035 from CartPartsPlus for $275. (w w w. cartpartsplus.com/ezgo-hi-perf-clutch-89-93-2-cycle?search=ezgo%20clutch) Anyone have anything good or bad to say about it? Is it easy enough to replace? Does the old one pull off pretty easily, or do I need special tools?

Sorry if these are stupid questions.

fastwoman

Anyone????

OK, I found the thread on how to pull the drive clutch. Thanks!

So the guy who I spoke to on the phone who has a drive clutch to sell me tells me I need a new drive clutch to make the noise go away. I suspect he is telling me truthfully, but I always like to hear it from someone who isn't asking for my money.

I have to wonder whether any of the 50 people who has read this post so far, who might have owned an old 2-cycle EZGO, has had their drive clutch wear out. And if so, did it make a hellacious clacking noise at RPMs inadequate to engage the belt? Did replacing it with a new clutch make the clacking go away? Or do these clutches pretty much clack regardless?

Other than the loud clacking, the clutch does work.

Would love to know before dropping $275 and a bunch of time on a new clutch.

Morgan44

Have you removed it and disassembled to check things out in there? If not you should.

fastwoman

Thanks, Morgan!

I haven't done any disassembly yet. However, when I jiggle the drive clutch with my hand, I'm able to feel quite a bit of play (maybe 1/8" or more), and I'm able to reproduce the "clacking," which is definitely coming from the drive clutch. Are these clutches rebuildable? I was under the impression they only got replaced.

Morgan44

I don't know that they are rebuild able. If it was me, I would break it down regardless, it could be something silly. The sooner you see the problem the sooner you can choose a plan to repair.

fastwoman

I suppose if a picture is worth a thousand words, maybe a video is worth a few thousand. Here is my clacking/rattling drive clutch:

Morgan44

I don't think that's a clutch problem. Seems something is loose inside the motor.

Morgan44

I think I take that back. I watched again. Is the drive shaft moving when your rock that back and forth by hand?

fastwoman

Thanks for getting back with me! :)

No, the play isn't in the crank shaft. It's difficult to jiggle the outer part of the clutch (that I'm grasping) without jiggling the crank, at least if you're also holding a camera. However, the play (and the noise) are happening between the two halves of the clutch assembly. I think that's why it goes quiet when the clutch engages. The friction against the belt is immobilizing the play between the two halves of the clutch. (I guess I should also mention that rocking the clutch feels a bit like shaking a can full of large metal parts. It doesn't "feel" like anything as deep as in the engine.)