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Old 01-20-2021, 06:26 PM   #1
Clubfed67
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Default Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

First time poster but long time listener. What little I know about carts I picked up from here. Thank you to everyone. Let me start by saying, I work on the big engines but am ignorant when it comes to these.
I have a 2002 EZGO Clays Car with a Pre MCI 350cc Robin engine. I went to use it this past weekend after it had been sitting in my garage for 3 months. It wouldn’t start so I pulled the fuel line and it was pumping fuel. Removed the spark plugs to check for firing. Got zapped in the process from a cut in the plug wire so I know it sparked at least that one time. Plugs were firing very intermittently. Still couldn’t get it started though.
Installed new ignition coil with leads and plugs. Gapped plugs to .29. Sparked less this time than previously. Continuity across spade terminals of ignition coil was 3.4 ohms. Plug wires were 17K ohms. While cranking engine, red wire+ measured .12V and white- wire was 11.17V.
After perusing this forum for info, I wire brushed the bracket plate and frame that the VR, solenoid and ignitor mount to. I checked and wire brushed all grounding points to assure good conductivity. I continuity checked all the wiring end to end for shorts or opens. Checked all connectors for security and pin retention. No issues found.
The component that has me stumped is the Pulser coil. I disconnected the connector at the ignitor and checked the coil for continuity at the red and white stripe wire to the black wire and the reading was 18.9 ohms. I think I’ve read that it should read a lot more than that. My VOM only goes down to 200 on the AC scale so I was prepared to have the same low voltage readings as some on this forum have dealt with. After taking the VAC readings at the connector that was removed from the ignitor and with engine cranking, I was confused again with the results I got. Red+ meter lead to red coil wire and Black- meter lead to black coil wire read 0.0 volts. When I swapped leads as in black lead to red wire and red lead to black wire I did get the .1 volt. Is the black wire from the coil the power wire? I guess I need a better understanding of how the pulser works.
I have been trying to figure this problem out for three days and am not any farther along than when I started. Do I have a bad pulser coil or maybe one of those untestable ignitors? Any help, troubleshooting tips or constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks for reading and sorry for the long winded story.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:05 PM   #2
trig123
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

When you stated it zapped you it tells me its firing. Setting the meter to 200 AC is probably not low enough to get a reading from your pulser.

Was it running when you parked it ?

Might be time to adjust those valves also . Check to make sure carb linkage is opening all the way up. Remove the air cleaner and put two bolts back on studs.

Also would need to know what the compression is on both cylinders ? Make sure the throttle is wide open when checking. Leave one spark plug in while testing the other. See what you got before and after valve adjust.

Three months normally don't make the gas old. Do you use non ethanol gas ?
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:32 PM   #3
JPonLKN
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

Hey Clubfed67,
My first though would be, if it was running well when you parked it, and didn't run when you came back, what was done to it in the mean time?

Did you leave fuel in the carb? Should not be a problem after 3 months, but maybe carb needs cleaned real good.

Battery replaced/died and charged, other fiddling around? Loose wire? I've found that the wire at the reverse microswitch can be loose where the spade connectors come together...won't get spark if it isn't connected well. Also, are all the grounds connected well? You cleaned the ones that are the typical problem areas...did the ignitor ground get reconnected? What about the one from the back side of the solenoid? As for the pulsar coil, it is simply a pick up that creates a power signal from a magnet on the back side of the flywheel. I have had one not work, that when tested between the two wires coming from the pulsar coil (red/white, and black) showed the proper resistance 433.5-586.5 Ohms, but didn't work as there was a ton of corrosion and gunk on the pick up. Cleaned it up, and worked great. The gap should be 0.032" between the pulsar coil pick up and the magnet. If you are getting some spark, it's likely not the culprit.

If you have purchased aftermarket coils/ignitors, I've read where people get all kinds of crazy symptoms, so my understanding is, OEM is the way to go for all the electrical components on these, although I have not tried any of the aftermarket units. Have you got the tech manual? It goes through how to test each component.

Ignition coil test should be as depicted in the attached picture from the manual. Sounds like your numbers a just a bit outside the parameter windows for both sides.
Coil test.PNG

Your spark plug gap is off by an entire decimal point...should be 0.028-0.030". Maybe a typo? Not sure a plug will gap over a quarter of an inch. Have you replaced them? I've had plugs that looked perfect...even sparked some, but wouldn't run an engine. Replaced them, and ran perfect.

I'd look at simple first...is the gas right, battery between 12.2 and 12.5 volts, is the 7 amp fuse good on the red wire from the solenoid, is the carb clean and working (gas and air), are plugs known working, do you have air? Is the choke connected and working? Maybe mouse built a nest in the intake? The only things sitting makes go bad are gas, corrodible items, wiring that gets eaten/shorts, etc. Did you do any continuity tests between the hot wires and ground? Sounds like from end to end they are good, but make sure they aren't shorting to each other or to ground. I've found the wires behind the driver side front wheel in the harness get rubbed raw and short together, but that shouldn't kill your spark.


Just some thoughts. Good luck and let us know what you find.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:34 PM   #4
Clubfed67
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

It was only firing occasionally even before it zapped me, nothing consistently. I was thinking that maybe the plug wires or coil was breaking down causing the inconsistent spark.

No it wasn’t running when I parked it. It was used only on the weekends at my getaway campsite. Sometimes I would go there and work all weekend trying to get it to run. In Nov I replaced the starter solenoid due to a melted terminal on the positive post. That was a cranking issue now I have this firing/sparking problem.

I do need to do those things you mentioned but my first priority now is to get the plugs firing.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:35 PM   #5
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

I think you should slap an MEL on it, and see if the guy at the next station can fix it.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:42 PM   #6
CP241
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

Put a test light on the ignition coil spade connector. One side should be lit all the time. The other side should flash when the engine cranks. Each flash = a spark from the plugs. I have seen bad ignition coils that will spark once or twice and then they’re done.

This is a quick test and will tell you if the coil is getting signal to fire or not very easily.

Also check the connector from the pulsar coil. They have a tendency to corrode or fill with mud and make bad contact.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:43 PM   #7
Clubfed67
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

cartaround sounds like you’ve been there and done that. Airplanes aren’t near as hard to troubleshoot as this cart.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:51 PM   #8
Clubfed67
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

JPonLKN, battery volts are 12.8v drops to 11.7v while cranking. Yes that was a typo on my part, should have said .029. Only non ethanol gas in all my equipment. No I don’t have the service manual so I’m working blindly and using info I find from this forum. What would be the cause of such a low resistance on my pulser coil compared to the specs.
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Old 01-20-2021, 07:58 PM   #9
Clubfed67
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

CP241, I went to use my test light on the coil but the bulb was burnt out. Snap on brand and the bulbs are next to impossible to find. When you check the coil with the light do you go ground to each spade terminal individually?
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Old 01-20-2021, 08:15 PM   #10
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Default Re: Aircraft mechanic ain’t got what it takes to be a golf cart mechanic.

The ignitor should output a ground signal to make the coil fire. Hook the test light clamp to B+ and it should flash when the ignitor outputs it’s ground.
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