Need help with EZGO TXT 36v motors keep burning out

[WBPirate85]

Good evening, I am new to this forum but I'm desperate. I have 2003 EZGO txt series cart with a 36v battery back. My family really enjoys the cart. Most people in my neighborood have newer carts or 48v carts that seemed much faster. I wanted to add some more speed, nothing crazy just 5-7 more mph. I replaced the batteries with 6 new Durracell batteries. Purchased new 2ga cables, purchase heavy duty forward reverse switch, heavy duty solenoid, and purchased a 700 amp controller from flight system industrial products. After purchasing all of this I realized that with this much money invested I better go and and install a new motor as well so I purchased a high speed motor from Plum Quick. Plum quick stated it would take a few weeks to build, so in the mean time I hooked up everything. I knewall the upgrades was to much juice for the stock motor, but don't care because I nknew I had a new one coming. After installing everything when I pressed the pedal the first time noting happened just clicking from solenoid, took it the golf cart dealer. They said when the cart was not under load it ran great, like when they had it on the lift but could not figure out why it would not drive under load. It was the end of the day he didn't charge me so I took it home to see if I could figure anything out. The dealer ship did state that cart would run fine after it was push started. So when I got home I had my wife give me a nudge and after I got rolling the cart was flying, prob going around 23 mph. I could not believe how fast it would go. After driving about a mile I noticed something smelled weird, I pulled over and the motor was smoking. I didn't really care knowing that I had new one on the way but I walked to my house got the trailer and loaded it up. I started to get worried that when I hooked up the controller maybe something shorted out, so to make sure it was ok, I sent it to Flight Sytems for diagnostics and it tested out fine. By the time the sent me the controller back the new motor from Plum Quick had arrived. I took the cart a diffent dealer who specialized in EZGO. To my surprise he was not a fan of the Plum Quick motor. Said the ones he installed in the past were junk. This was surprising because everything I've ever read said those motors were great. I said we'll just install the motor and I will worry about it. Got a call back a few weeks later that when he hooked up the new motor it had done pretty much the same thing as the old with a burn out and smoking after driving about 1/4 mile. I was devastated. He told me he hooked back up my stock controller and put in a stock motor but it still would not move under load. He now thinks the forward reverse switch/board is defective. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing these motor burnouts? I have spent so much money and have absolutely nothing to show for it. I am desperate to try to figure something out and if you've read this far I am grateful. Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated.additional information is the cart has a 6 inch lift and 23 inch turf tires

[Andy4639]

I would start by going to a smaller controller. 700 amp controller is to much for even a PQ Bandit motor. The Bandit motor is only a stock motor as far as the rating of amps it can take. A stock motor is good for around 400 amps if it has off road tires and back seat it's gonna be maxing out the amps all the time.

The 700amp controller was letting the motors have as much amps as it wanted because it was 700amp controller. The motor doesn't know when to stop asking for amps it just keeps on wanting more until what you found out. The controller is what limits the power to the motors.


Now for the real question? Why will a golf cart shop not figure out what is wrong with your cart. If it want take off on it's own then there is something wrong. I would look at the diff and check the input shaft. They do strip. Then check the hubs to make sure they are not stripped. Either one are the combination of both will make the cart not move.

[DFW Rusty]

It sounds like the dealership with your cart is playing the "replace this and hope it works" game on your dime!

Have you called PQ and talked with them?

Maybe set up a 3 way call with PQ, flight systems to see if between all 3 of y'all, maybe the problem can be resolved.

Even at 700 amps, you shouldn't burn up a brand new performance motor in a 1/4 mile of run time.

What is the other specs of your cart? Is it lifted, big tires, back seat?

[WBPirate85]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

I would start by going to a smaller controller. 700 amp controller is to much for even a PQ Bandit motor. The Bandit motor is only a stock motor as far as the rating of amps it can take. A stock motor is good for around 400 amps if it has off road tires and back seat it's gonna be maxing out the amps all the time.

The 700amp controller was letting the motors have as much amps as it wanted because it was 700amp controller. The motor doesn't know when to stop asking for amps it just keeps on wanting more until what you found out. The controller is what limits the power to the motors.


Now for the real question? Why will a golf cart shop not figure out what is wrong with your cart. If it want take off on it's own then there is something wrong. I would look at the diff and check the input shaft. They do strip. Then check the hubs to make sure they are not stripped. Either one are the combination of both will make the cart not move.

Thanks for all you insight the new motor was designed for high amp draw. It was the 36v EZGO desperado version

I will look into some of the other things you mentioned. Thanks for your help

[WBPirate85]

Originally Posted by DFW Rusty

It sounds like the dealership with your cart is playing the "replace this and hope it works" game on your dime!

Have you called PQ and talked with them?

Maybe set up a 3 way call with PQ, flight systems to see if between all 3 of y'all, maybe the problem can be resolved.

Even at 700 amps, you shouldn't burn up a brand new performance motor in a 1/4 mile of run time.

What is the other specs of your cart? Is it lifted, big tires, back seat?

Hey Rusty Thanks for replying as I said I am desperate. The cart is lifted 6", has 23" turf type tires and a backseat. Any help or insight is greatly appreciated

[JohnnieB]

High-speed motor, 23" tall turf tires, a rear seat, 36V battery pack and a 700A controller is about as close to the perfect storm for burning out motors as you can get, but they ought to last a bit further than 1/4 mile, even on a bad hair day.

Having to push cart to get in moving indicates something is dragging. Were longer brake cables installed along with the 6" lift?

Try pushing cart by hand. It'll probably take a little oomph to get it to move since the motor has to spin 12.44 times per tire revolution, but once it is moving it ought to stay moving with hardly any effort.

Might be gummed up wheel bearings or any of the other bearings. (Carts have 11 bearing total -- 4 wheel, 6 differential and 1 motor))

Bottom line is that something is imposing an abnormally large mechanical load on the motor and it is drawing a huge number of amps to produce the torque needed to turn the tires.

[WBPirate85]

Update: The dealer finally diagnosed the problem. Said the Heavy Duty Forward/Reverse switch was china junk, he replaced with another HD F/R switch, put in a used stock EZGO motor, Reinstalled the 275 amp curtis controller. 2 Gauge Wires and HD 400 AMP solenoid were left on cart. Cart seems like it is 1 to 2 mph faster then before I upgraded. I am thinking that between the Solenoid, Wires and HD F/R is allowing a little more amperage to flow through. However I am noticing that the motor seems a little hatter than it should after driving maybe because of the higher amperage.

I have returned the High Speed Motor to Plum Quick and they are doing a diagnostic on why they they think it failed.

Now that everything has been fixed and I know the problem was the Forward revers switch. I am thinking of leaving everything the way it saying the hell with the 700 Amp flight systems controller and having the stock EZGO motor rebulit as a bandit motor at Plum quick. I think by doin this will give me about 3-4 mph extra which will be all I need, Thanks to the people that replied. It has been a long journey but she is rolling again