"Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Hi guys,

Nice to be over in the gas section for a change - tired of trying to squeeze life out of an old EZGO '84 Electric cart, and thought a move to gas might be a better fit for me.

In looking for a cart, there is a local guy who will sell me an "early 90's" EZGO for $200 that "needs a rebuild". I've read a few of the other posts on the forum, and I'm not sure if rebuilding is hard or easy as (like most things) for some people it goes well, and for others, it does not.

My general technical skills are good - I have rebuilt a lawnmower before (yes, I know, 4 stroke), have no issues with changing my car's alternator, and rebuild vintage speakers for a hobby. However, this seems a bit more daunting.

Welcome everyone's opinions on the easyness/hardness of this, and if I would need any specialized tools other than my impact gun.

Thanks a bunch!

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Is this the metal body or the plastic body? is it a 2 or 4 stroke? This will be a factor, as the metal bodies need to be repaired from dents, the plastic ones are indestructible. The 4-stroke engines last forever, but I don't know anything about the two strokes beside they spin both directions (rather than having reverse gear) and don't last as long. Some model information would be helpful

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Thanks LGC - I've asked the seller for a pic, and noticed from reading other posts that the early 90's were where EZGO went from a 2 to a 4 stroke.

OK, just got e-mailed back - 2 stroke oil injected. He didn't have the ability to send me a photo, but said it was in good shape, with a canopy, and the body was green and mostly metal.

Problem is, in the country where I am, "local" is 30 miles away so I can't just pop over to see it.

Possible to rebuild for a reasonable dollar? And is $200 a fair price if the cart is in good-fair shape?

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

$200 is a great price, you can't find a working one for much less than $1000. regardless of condition if it works get over there and pick it up!

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Problem is it is non-running right now - seller claims it needs a rebuild. For $200, think I'm going to take the plunge anyways. How much would it really take to get it running (Famous last words).

BTW, I did find another post that lists the tools needed, and it only looks a bit tough if I wanted to replace the crank seals and needed to do some "pulling".

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

early 90s 2 stroke will be a 3pg. very easy to rebuild. if the bottom end (crank) is bad, you will need a total kit and it runs about $400. if it ok, then you can do the top end with piston, rings and cylinder for about $200. the clutch is easily home made. if you get it post back and let us know what you find. $200 is good if there isn't rust and the body is reatively straight. it will be a marathon model.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Thanks for the tips guys - anything else I should look for when "checking under the hood"?

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

So got it home - here are some pics.

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/u...k/P1050720.jpg

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/u...k/P1050721.jpg

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/u...k/P1050722.jpg

http://i644.photobucket.com/albums/u...k/P1050723.jpg

I guess my first question is what troubleshooting I can do to make sure the engine needs a rebuild. The engine can be turned by hand, and didn't seem tight or bound.

All in all, looks like a decent $200 spend so far.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

dude you stole that !!!!!!
do a compression test wide open throttle see what you got .


rusty s

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

ya looks good, a compression test would be a good place to start. if under 90# i would suggest a rebuild. don't be to intimidated the're fairly simple. see if it has fire at the spark plug, the carb will need good cleaning. ya can get top end kit for about $200.00.It is a 3pg engine. i just gave $300.00 for a 93 that was in worse shape but it has the 4 stroke engine and needed a $300.00 starter/generator. good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

What is it with a cart in the driveway......

Already pulled the head off, and lo and behold, no pinched rings, cylinder head looks clean (just some carbon), and the cylinder is smooth as a baby's bottom. All in all, looks pretty good.

However, it also looks like there was leakage from the side of the cylinder under the gasket, as there was a big glom of dried oil/dust mixture.

Battery is on the trickle charger right now - time to clean the gasket, reinstall, and see if I can get her to crank a bit. Might have a buddy who has a compression tester for me - if not, I'll grab one Monday.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

i would pull the bowl off carb, check for crud before cranking

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Thanks for the tip.

OK, stupid question time - what is the spec battery for this cart. What was under the seat looked really sad....

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

don't know if this will help but part # is 24775-G1 it's a 12 volt system, never thought about it just slaped a battery in her

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

just type this number in google box it will take ya there 24775-G1. $115.00 ouch

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

good to here on the look see with head off. a good check on the rings with out a tear down is to pull the exhaust and rotate the engine to see the rings. on the battery, it is just a plain old car batt. measure it and find one that fits the mount.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

You got a great deal on it! Now the addiction begins...

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Well, so far, so good.

Head is back on, and battery is on the trickle charger all night. It looks kind of sad, but should be good enough for testing purposes. Thanks for the tip Madoc - I'll see if I can get a compression tester before working away at those rusted exhaust bolts.

One odd thing - the drive belt was taken off by the previous owner, and after putting it back on, it seems pretty slack - I can't see how this keeps enough tension to drive the wheels. Does someting tighten the belt when the motor is engaged, or is my belt poo poo?

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

It should be somewhat slack so your generator/Starter can start the engine with little resistance. Once the gas engine starts it pulls the outer part of the clutch in to grab the belt.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Thanks Quinn,

Should be a fun day testing tomorrow.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Hey Madoc,

The rings seem fine through the exhaust, and I can get it to turn over (actually should it turn over in F or R even when the gas isn't pressed? Cuz that's what it's doing...).

However, no fire. Looking through the clear fuel tube, I see gas above the carb, and the plug seems a bit wet.

I'm thinking coil or plug at this point - how can I check for spark? If I have spark, I guess a compression test is next....

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

you need to pull the plug and with the wire still attached, ground the electrode (tip) to the engine block and spin the engine over. if you have spark, you will see it and it should look bluish. while you have the plug out, it's a good time to ckeck the compression. and no, it should not turn over with out pressing the gas. there is a small box down low under the drivers seat. pull the cover off and make sure the micro swiich is moving freely. with the key on you should have 12volts to one side. then when push the pedal it will close that swtch and send power to the solenoid. it could be stuck closed somehow.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

OK! Some progress on the "Vomit Comet" tonight (it's a vomit green color).

Got two compression testers - one didn't work, and the other registered 30 psi without a proper seal (basically piece of hose on the spark plug opening). I'm guessing that I'm looking at a rebuild, like it or not.

However, spark was good, and after I thoroughly soaked the carb, lo and behold, the engine started. Can't say it ran that bad (steady, no misses), but the RPMs never came up (even at full throttle). Then, after it burned off the carb cleaner (I think), it wouldn't start again.

Also of note, when turning the engine over, there was a bit of a rotten egg smell which disappeared. This was then followed (while running) by a smell that was a cross between paint thinner and magic markers. While running, there was also very little visible exhaust coming out of the head (muffler is off).

I'm guessing that the gas is bad, and/or there is a fuel feed issue. Mind you, there was some gas in the carb bowl, but the gas smells like the solvent/magic marker combo. The inside of the carb looked fine, though it did have the expected varnish. It's squeaky clean now.

Just wondering if there are few things I should try before doing the rebuild. Even if the compression is low, it would be nice to at least get the motor running, and diagnose any issues it has. This way, when I do the rebuild, any non-running issues will be related to that and nothing I haven't done now.

BTW I sprayed the linkage under the driver's seat with some desticker - looks like it was a bit bunged. Now the engine only turns over when the pedal is pressed. Yay.

And one last question - if my cylinder looks good, can I get away with a new piston/rings, or is the kit recommended? How do I know if I can do one, or need to do the whole rebuild?

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

That magic marker smell is what carb clean smells like when combusted. Are ya getting fuel to the carb through the fuel pump when it is running? Besides, that 30psi reading with out a good seal is pretty much worthless reading. The fact ya got it running is GREAT! Now ya just need to get good fuel to the carb.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

quinn is correct on that smell. the rotten egg is probably bad gas. are you still using the oil pump, or premixing? it is safer to premix.at 40/1 for the first tank after the build, then 128/1. one ounce per gallon. you should drain the old gas and put in some new. then pull the line to the carb and check while turning over. you should see a steady stream.
after you pull the top end check the cylinder bore for scratches, grooves what ever. you can just replace the piston and rings if it looks good. a check is to take the piston and put in the cylinder and check the clearance with a feeler gauge on the side of the piston that no holes in it . the max clearance is .007". you have deglaze the cylinder before reusing it. we did this and ended up with 130# before break in. if you don't have the tools, you will probably be better off with the whole kit tho. be sure to replace the seals while you have it apart.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Quinn, Madoc, thanks for the notes.

Quinn, the line was dry before I started working on the cart, and it did feed fuel to at least above the carb. What Madoc said about the rotten eggs = bad gas may be a good clue - I'll drain the lines and tank tonight and go with fresh gas to see if there is an improvement. Not a big expense to change the fuel filter either (which I'll do).

Madoc, as I mentioned in an earlier post, the cylinder bore looks very nice, no scratches, and very smooth - even passes the fingertip test. However, what is "deglazing"?

Also, if I'm reading your post correct, if I can get the .007" feeler gauge in easy, then redo the whole top end. How exactly can this be measured? From the bottom of the piston skirt up, or from the top of the head down?

And to the oil injector/premix, it has oil in the injector, and oil in the gas, so I'm pretty safe there. However, I am planning on disconnecting the oil pump and going to pure premix at a later stage.

Added Question: Is there a better fuel filter application that what is on the cart if I'm premixing, or does it not matter?

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

first, you don't want to run both the oil pump and premix. just un plug the pump and fit a small bolt in the manifold to block where the oil went in. too much oil will foul the plug and plug up the muffler. to deglaze you will need a cylinder hone. be gentle tho, too much and you will remove precious thous. off the wall. slip the piston down the cyl. and measure the side away from the piston thrust, i.e. the side of the piston that has no holes. you should have no more than the .007 clearance.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Well, it looks like a rebuild is inevitable. Fresh gas and filter in today, followed by "Why is there no fuel getting to the carb" followed by "I must have an airlock" followed by pulling the hose off the carb and getting fuel fed.

However, no joy. It looks like the compression I had yesterday was enough to combust carb cleaner, but not gas/air. I sprayed more carb cleaner into the air intake today, and I confirmed this with a few lovely backfires. So fuel is feeding, spark plus is sparking, and honestly, the read with my buddy's pressure gauge yesterday was likely right.

It's not like 30 psi is blowing a seal off or anything.

So now the question is, do I try piston/rings, or do the whole top end. Since my cylinder still looks pretty good, what do you guys recommend?

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

i think you should get the kit with cylinder and piston and rings. then you will know you will have it all set up correctly. you can even get an oversized kit for a little more displacement.
it's not hard to do. there is even a video out there showing the process, but i don't know what the name is.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

For what it's worth... I replaced all my fuel lines recently. I had a air lock problem. I used a $5 primer ball and an extra pc. of hose to fill everything with gas again. Then pulled the primer ball and extra hose off.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

that's a good idea casper. those pumps are a pain to prime sometimes.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

That is not a bad idea - if it works for outboards, then why not a golf cart.

Regardless, the motor is coming out anyways, and I might as well order a couple of new crank seals so that Madoc doesn't give me heck.

In my complete ignorance, I'm guessing the motor should only be the removal of a few belts, a few bolts and a lift out (no chain hoist required). Right?

BTW, would liek to support a site sponsor, but most are charging quite a few pennies more for the rebuild kit vs. eBay. Anyone had better success with one of the sponsors for flexible pricing on the top end kit?

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

everythingcarts doesn't show the top end kit, but i bet if you call them they can help you.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Thanks for the tip Madoc.

Local guy can order them in for me, and was able to come down on the price enough that I didn't need to worry about shipping or customs. So it's all good.

I'll update once I get the kit a few weeks from now. Wife has already found me a nice 70s beige tartan vinyl that should look sharp. thinking a metallic copper or brown might be a good color for the cart.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

customs? where are you located? that's good to have a local guy to help. maybe he will loan you his clutch puller. :wink:

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Hey Madoc,

I'm up here in the great white north! Unfortunately, those "free shipping" specials don't apply when you're North of the 49th parallel.

Clutch puller! Yikes! Guess I need that at some point to remove the engine? Think I need to watch some videos here.....

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

So I'm unhooking the oil injection, and notice that there are two hoses - one to what looks like a pump on the outside of the cooling fan, and the other from this pump to the carb.

Question is, can I take out the tank, and both hoses, do I have to leave one of the hoses hooked up, or do I take the hoses, pump, and tank?

I'm also torn - do I take the motor out for the rebuild, or leave it in? It looks like it's a little to tight to get in to the nuts attaching the jug to the crankcase with a socket, so how do you torque these correct? Or, I've gone through the manual 6-7 times, and still can't visualize how to get the engine out. I already have the muffler off, and still can't see how to get it out.

Grrrrr. At least I pressure washed the canopy and painted up the canopy supports today.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

on the oil pump, lose everything and just plug the hole in the intake manifold.yes you should pull the engine, because you are going to replace the seals. right?there are i believe just 4 bolts holding the engine. you have get to them from underneath. take lots of pics so will have something reference when you rewire and plumb.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

Thanks Madoc,

Does "losing everything" mean taking the pump off as well? If memory serves correct, it also has a linkage attached to it, that I guess comes off too.

Four bolts underneath - you make that sound so easy. For not the first time in my life, I wish I had a hoist.

Re: "Early 90's EZGO - Needs a Rebuild"
 

yes, pump too, altho it doesn't have to come off. with it and the tank gone it just makes it a lot cleaner looking.
don't need a hoist. the engine doesn't weigh that much. just put the cart on jack stands, then you can get under it easier and won't have to bend over so far to work on it.