Club Car wont start with air filter installed

[KennyB07]

Hi, Newbie here. Just bought my first cart. Have searched for help and havent found anything.

I have a 96 DS with the fe290 engine. The cart was completely disassembled when I bought it. I got to the point where I could start and run the engine without the air box installed and my hand slightly covering the intake on the carb. My problem is, when I installed the airbox with a new filter, it wont even try to start and you can smell fuel. When I removed the filter from the airbox, it runs. It wont Idle well, and once you get it moving its will keep its rpm up and run fine, but will not run low speed.

Any direction I need to take on this? Carb was apart when I got it, everything seemed unplugged and clean. Doesnt seem to run any different when turning the the idler mixture screw. Starting point was turned in all the way then backed off 2 turns.

Any help is appreciated
Kenny B

[shoelessjoe]

Is your choke mechanism working properly and not stuck and blocking air from passing through?

When you put the filter assembly back in and it didn't run, did you then take the filter out and close the filter box back up and start it again? Or when you say "I removed the filter from the airbox" do you mean you just pulled the whole box back out, or maybe took took the filter out and ran it with the box open and not fully closed? My reason for the line of questioning is if it won't run when the airbox assembly is installed (regardless of whether or not the filter is in the box) and properly closed than I think it's safe to say the choke is stuck closed and not allowing air in.


EDIT: Or check the air tube between the air box and the carb for a mouse nest or some other obstruction.....

[KennyB07]

Thanks for the reply. The hose is clear. It runs with the airbox assembly installed, closed, but not with the paper filter in it. I will have to check the choke for being stuck. It does push in, never thought to check if it opens when releasing it.
Thanks,
Kenny

[shoelessjoe]

I don't know if it's possible but if the spring was weak or broken could it be getting sucked in and pulled closed as the motor is trying to suck in air?

Meaning you push it in and it goes in, let go and it comes back out but then when you start cranking the motor and the engine begins drawing in air it pulls the choke closed?

Like I said, don't know how likely that is but that seems like the type of thing that would be just sneaky enough to cause an issue like you're having. Try watching the choke button as you turn the motor over and see if it moves at all.

Hopefully it's something as simple as that.

[KennyB07]

Wow, thanks, got me looking in the right direction. Came home, pulled the airbox away from the choke and it started fine. As it was running, slid it back in place and it stalled out. Found out the 6 holes on the back side of the choke were filled with mud beetle nests at the choke button. Got it all cleaned out and it runs great.

Next issue I think is needing a fuel pump rebuild. Runs great down the road and then starts starving for fuel. It didnt look like enough fuel was flowing through the filters.
Thanks again for the replies.
Kenny

[shoelessjoe]

^^^^

cool, glad to hear that you got it figured out quickly. I figured it wasn't the air filter itself causing the issues but it had to be something in the intake setup somewhere.

Good luck with the fuel filter issue now :)

[KennyB07]

New fuel pump fixed the problem.
:)