Engine sputters/bogs at top speed

[Jason E]

My cart sputters/bogs down intermittently when I hit top speed. It also backfires randomly. It’s a Kawasaki 350 engine ........I think. Anybody got any thoughts on this situation? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[lockman1]

Welcome to BGW Jason!

It sounds like it's bouncing off of the rev limiter,
(engine shuts down at max speed, then fires back up when the engine RPM's slow down)
It usually happens when someone adjusts the governor too much, or zip ties the governor spring.

[Jason E]

Thanks for input Lockman. I suspected that was the case. Should I be concerned about potentially damaging the engine because of this adjustment? Any suggestions on how I can go about adjusting the governor so it runs smoother?

[Jason E]

After reading up a little more I’m thinking my carts governor has been adjusted too much and the rev limiter is kicking in. I really don’t need to go really fast (it does 25mph right now) ideally I’d like to go about 20mph smoothly. Anybody got any advice on how to go about doing this?


Edit: the spring hasn’t been zip tied but I know the guy I bought this thing from did make adjustments to the govener. I need advice on how to go about adjusting it back down. Thanks in advance folks.

[Jason E]

I got the cart running smooth after a few minor adjustments on the throttle cable and adjustment screw for what I think is the governor cable. But now I’m a little concerned on possible excess wear on the motor from being maxed out by someone who obviously doesn’t know what they are doing (aka.... the jackass I bought it from). Any body have any thoughts/opinions on the toughness of the Kawasaki 350 engine?

Edit: prior to my adjustments the cart was sputtering/backfiring/and seemed to be running very rich. Now after my adjustments it’s running very smooth at all speeds and doesn’t reek of gas while/after driving. Could I potentially be looking at a major overhaul of this engine in the near future? Considering what I paid for this thing I’m not interested in dropping another 1-2k to rebuild or replace the engine on this thing. I’d prefer to spend the money on accessories....

[Spicyunicorn]

If it's running good and not smoking I wouldn't worry about it these things can take a beating and still keep on trucking

[lockman1]

Originally Posted by Spicyunicorn

If it's running good and not smoking I wouldn't worry about it these things can take a beating and still keep on trucking

I've run my "slightly modified" FE350 to it's extreme at times, and it still runs great!

[Jason E]

Sooooo....... I ended up having a mobile golf cart repair guy come out to figure out the isssue I was having with my cart. Turns out the starter was wired wrong so it was actually draining the battery instead of charging it. This unfortunately also killed the starter which is why it wouldn’t run. So now after 3weeks of having a very expensive lawn ornament, we now have a fully functional 6 seater.
I have 2 minor issues that remain that I’m hoping I can figure out with a little help from the gurus here on BGW. I suspect the concerns I have stem from the same problem. The cart is backfiring and smells like it is running rich. I was expecting SOME exhaust smell but it seems to be a little excessive. Anybody got any thoughts on what may be the issue and any guidance on how to resolve it? Thanks in advance folks and have a great Turkey Day!