98 EZGO TXT will not start in gear

[StoveBolt]

Originally Posted by Gearhead1956

Hey StoveBolt are you with me on this? or am I missing something?

I'm with you Gear, if the starter spins it just as fast in forward and reverse as it does in neutral (as said) and like you said it don't make since.

[Gearhead1956]

Originally Posted by StoveBolt

I'm with you Gear, but if the starter spins it just as fast in forward and reverse as it does in neutral (as said) it don't make since.

I agree, but it started when jacked up so I don't think it is spinning as fast in gear on the ground?

If he would just jump the thing off we may find an answer? or have some where else to look.

[Gearhead1956]

The only other thing that would make sense is if the F-R switch makes contact with some other wire and grounds it out.

[sc_offroad]

I’ll put a charger on this 6 month old 600 CCA battery overnight and we can put that theory to rest hopefully Tomm. If the belt is new, the clutch works fine, the rear pulley flexes proper is there really that much resistance to be had with it in gear that would make you think it’s the battery? I’m a CNC machinist with 20 plus yrs experience on small engines and outboards. I bought this cart from the original owner 10 yrs ago adjusted the valves and ran 100% gas since then. This is the first hiccup it’s ever had. I’ve either ran it dry or used all the gas out of it and cleaned the bowl so it would be ready for the next season. It has a float charger on it that illuminated green for ok when I plugged it in so I’m pretty sure the battery is in good shape. If there’s no difference in neutral or in gear starting I would like to think it has to be fuel or fire related. Like I said after I raised the rear end up it sputtered a few seconds then the motor caught and it ran in gear. What am I missing here?

[sc_offroad]

It’s a robin 295cc that’s very clean, doesn’t leak oil. Prob has 200 hrs on it tops. But it is 20 yrs old.

[Cartmaster]

Ok.
So, assuming the battery is good, although i would rather see the results of some drop testing! lets move on. Next you will need an in line spark tester to determine whether you have a spark when trying to run it in gear and also out of gear to see if their is any change. If you do not have access to a spark tester, simply get a spare plug and lay it on the engine to ground it. Do not use one from the engine yet, leave those in. Then pull one plug lead from the engine and attach it to the spare plug and do the In/Out of gear tests and see what is happening with the spark. if results are the same we can move on. If there is a difference we can start the diagnosis of the ignition system. Under any load, the coil and or the igniter can breakdown giving your symptoms. Also a poor electrical joint can go high resistance and cause loss of spark. Once we have proved the ignition system is good or bad, then we move on to fixing the issue or start looking at the fuel system. We need to do this methodically to eliminate good from bad. Bear with us, we ask questions seemingly unrelated to prove/disprove components of your drive system before moving on. This can take time, or can be fast depending on your answers to our questions. I still think you should acquire the use of a load tester to do some voltage drop testing once you have re charged the battery. we should be looking for a point where the voltage drops abnormally from the battery, through the solenoid and to the starter. also we need to prove good or bad ground connections from battery through the frame and engine to the starter. This simple testing will prove that the power from the battery is getting fully to the starter. Once we have this, then it is time to start testing individual components.
I always start this way, power supply first, then ignition, then fuel. this logical sequence of testing will find your problem.

I have a couple of ideas where the fault may be, but i like to eliminate othe rpossible causes first.

I hope this helps you understand our answers so far. as good battery, may not actually be getting the full potential to the starter due to several possible reasons.

The Ground circuit is often neglected as a source of trouble.

Dont forget, i am in the UK and may not answer straight away due to time differences, but there are plenty of others here that can continue with my advice.

Colin

[Gearhead1956]

Ok, sorry, didn't mean to step on any toes here. We see a lot of people here with NO mechanical ability.

A gas internal combustion carbureted engine all work under the same principle.

so given the fact there is no electrical or ignition components tied to the F-R switch, as you stated it starts in neutral but not in gear what other conclusion could one draw?

If its the carb, plugs, coil, plug wires, timing, valves it would make no difference in gear or not.
Thats the part that had us thinking drag, CCA

Just makes no since. only trying to help. But you got me.
If you said it started in gear but had no power then that would be a total different story.

I can tell you the passage for the idle jet is very very small and plugs with the smallest of debris. Also the air box on these things need to be sealed for the carb to draw gas correctly, like the old MC engines. Valve adjustment is also critical. I have not seen to many timing issues with these engines.
I see cart master has chimed in as I write with some good steps to try to help you out.

If you get it worked out please don't forget to come back and let us know what the deal turned out to be.
Good luck

[Cartmaster]

oops, look like we posted at around the same time. Gearhed, i have sent you a pm with some thoughts as i am waiting for some medical treatment and may not be here for a while, i have also copied in Stovebolt with my thoughts. I can see you are thinking on the same lines and i am pretty sure Stovebolt is too. Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this and help Sc offroad to find an answer.

[sc_offroad]

Thanks for the input, guys. I put the battery on charge, I have a spark tester, and I will post my results when I leave work this afternoon. While the engine is cold, I will double check my valve clearance again (.004") with lobe down, and check my airbox fitment. This has to be a small ailment, we'll find it.

[sc_offroad]

Ok, here are the results. Checked valve clearance and my .oo4” was actually .003-.0035”, maybe I didn’t keep the screwdriver snug when I tightened the set screws. Adjusted to proper .004”. Spark tester showed good spark in neutral and F&R. Used old spark plug and spark was strong in both gear and neutral. Took spark plugs out and they were dark as it looks as the carb has been running rich. Tested those plugs in spark tester and the spark was half of what was the old ones produced. I installed old spark plugs, took the air filter out to check my choke butterfly and made sure it was open 100%, it functions properly, left
the air filter off, it cranked immediately and backed out of my garage. When I switched to forward to take off down my street there was a slight bog and a few pops but the motor revved and took off as normal. So it seems as if I had bad spark plugs which I have remedied, is this rich carburetor scenario often heard about?