Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum - View Single Post - there was oil everywhere in the engine compartment

Saltysteele · 06-02-2010, 12:36 AM

'97 ezgo medalist, stock 295 robbins, lifted.

my daughter and i were out riding in the fields the other day. it was quite warm (upper 80's), and we were riding in soft ground (had just been planted with corn a few days earlier). i had smelled gas, but just figured it was from the sloshing around due to the bumps. also, occasionally when it has to work a bit, it can smell a little gassy.

well, tried taking it up a decent hill that i normally can tackle pretty easily, and she just wouldn't do it (tried 3 times). was smoking a bit. my daughter went in to see my parents, and as i started pulling the cart around, i noticed the oil light came on. i lifted the seat up, and there was oil everywhere, and it was smoking.

i rode it down to the barn (it rolled down the hill, i didn't use engine power), took off the oil filter, and like a 2 second dribble of oil came out.

the oil had gotten onto the drive belt and primary, and it had thrown it everywhere, so pinpointing a source was nearly impossible.

i took off the valve cover, and the gasket was patent and in good shape, but there was oil on the other side of where the gasket sits, on the heads wall.

i flushed it with a few splashes of new oil, to wash any shards out, put the filter back on (being sure to seat that gasket well), and put in 1.5 quarts of new oil (lift kit installed). put the valve cover back on (after cleaning the top of the head wall and around the gasket) and tightened it well.

i haven't ran it for very long or very hard since, as i'm paranoid that wasn't the spot. the engine is still smoking, but that may be due to the oil all over the engine from last saturday.

it did drip some oil on the floor in the garage, but again, that could be due to the oil all over the engine compartment. the leaking seams to have stopped, and the oil level is remaining constant, but like i said, now i'm paranoid as hell.

are these things splash lubricated, or is it a pressurized lube system? would it be possible for that much oil to come out of the timing chain case? seems like if it was a crack in the head, or something, it would still be leaking.

i don't want to take it out and ride it hard and have it lose all the oil and seize up on me. i narrowly averted catastrophe as it is, and can't afford to replace/rebuild this engine.

has anyone heard of these things holding their oil until becoming hot? that's basically what this thing did. i'm always checking the oil level, and it was fine before. i took the valve cover off to adjust the valve lashing about a month and a half ago, but it hasn't given me any troubles since.

anyone have anything to add? any tips? am i being overly paranoid now?

is the oil getting in the clutch going to be bad for it (i know nothing about clutches)? it is engaging strongly, and seems to be working, but i don't want to run it and have people tell me afterward that i was a moron for running it.

06-02-2010, 12:36 AM	#1
Saltysteele Home of the Teeny Weaney Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SW Mich. Posts: 1,013	there was oil everywhere in the engine compartment '97 ezgo medalist, stock 295 robbins, lifted. my daughter and i were out riding in the fields the other day. it was quite warm (upper 80's), and we were riding in soft ground (had just been planted with corn a few days earlier). i had smelled gas, but just figured it was from the sloshing around due to the bumps. also, occasionally when it has to work a bit, it can smell a little gassy. well, tried taking it up a decent hill that i normally can tackle pretty easily, and she just wouldn't do it (tried 3 times). was smoking a bit. my daughter went in to see my parents, and as i started pulling the cart around, i noticed the oil light came on. i lifted the seat up, and there was oil everywhere, and it was smoking. i rode it down to the barn (it rolled down the hill, i didn't use engine power), took off the oil filter, and like a 2 second dribble of oil came out. the oil had gotten onto the drive belt and primary, and it had thrown it everywhere, so pinpointing a source was nearly impossible. i took off the valve cover, and the gasket was patent and in good shape, but there was oil on the other side of where the gasket sits, on the heads wall. i flushed it with a few splashes of new oil, to wash any shards out, put the filter back on (being sure to seat that gasket well), and put in 1.5 quarts of new oil (lift kit installed). put the valve cover back on (after cleaning the top of the head wall and around the gasket) and tightened it well. i haven't ran it for very long or very hard since, as i'm paranoid that wasn't the spot. the engine is still smoking, but that may be due to the oil all over the engine from last saturday. it did drip some oil on the floor in the garage, but again, that could be due to the oil all over the engine compartment. the leaking seams to have stopped, and the oil level is remaining constant, but like i said, now i'm paranoid as hell. are these things splash lubricated, or is it a pressurized lube system? would it be possible for that much oil to come out of the timing chain case? seems like if it was a crack in the head, or something, it would still be leaking. i don't want to take it out and ride it hard and have it lose all the oil and seize up on me. i narrowly averted catastrophe as it is, and can't afford to replace/rebuild this engine. has anyone heard of these things holding their oil until becoming hot? that's basically what this thing did. i'm always checking the oil level, and it was fine before. i took the valve cover off to adjust the valve lashing about a month and a half ago, but it hasn't given me any troubles since. anyone have anything to add? any tips? am i being overly paranoid now? is the oil getting in the clutch going to be bad for it (i know nothing about clutches)? it is engaging strongly, and seems to be working, but i don't want to run it and have people tell me afterward that i was a moron for running it.