1979 Engine Sputtering

dewy · 08-09-2010, 04:40 PM

Been using my 79 harley cart on the golf course all year with no problems, it had been running great until the other day... it ran really good for the 1st 7 holes, then it started running as if it was sucking air in with the fuel... problem was the clutch was rubbing on the gas line when the cart was running and the gas line had worn just enough to have a little pin hole... so i brought the cart home a replaced the gas line (moved it so it would not rub anymore). Took it back to town and it ran great for the 1st 2 round of golf. Went to take it out yesterday and it runs very rough until its warm... it spits, sputters and backfires, and only will go about 1/4 speed. after about 5 minutes of this it will slowly gain speed until it is at full speed, then it will run good until i leave it sit for more then 5 minutes. Once it has sat for 5 or more minutes its back to sputtering and backfiring for a little while, then boom, full speed and runs great again.. i thought maybe it was a fouled plug, so i put a new one in today and tried taking the cart out again, and it didnt change a thing.. sputtering and backfiring til its warm then it runs good until it sits.. any one know what might be causing this?? i rebuilt the carbs at the end of may, so i doubt it would be a carb problem.. or could it be? any help or input would be greatly appreciated!

dewy · 08-09-2010, 11:06 PM

took the cart out tonight for a round of golf to see if it would work its kinks out itself... it runs really well going half throttle now, but as soon as i push the gas past half throttle it slows down and sputters and backfires for a couple minutes then slowly gains back its speed until its full speed, but will still sputter the odd time when its running full throttle... but as soon as i slow down to half throttle it runs smooth again... what would cause this?

rkggoodman · 08-09-2010, 11:14 PM

weird one ,ck compression 1st, may have scored the liner bein low on fuel depending on yr ratio , (mix) do this when its cold,blow the fuel line out from the carb back twards the tank, how does it run in rev cold?

dewy · 08-10-2010, 12:26 AM

checked compression a month ago and forward and reverse were both just over 100... runs great in reverse cold.. runs great in forward cold also.. until you push the throttle over half way, thats when the mentioned problems start.. its wierd.. i have no idea what the problem would be.. also, when its spitting and sputtering and i go down a hill with it, it gets going full speed down the hill and will continue to run full speed on flat ground.. but then as soon as you let off the gas and try to get back up to full speed the spitting and sputtering starts again... but it runs excellent warm or cold, as long as you keep it under half throttle... .. tonight i ran it full throttle and it sputtered for about 2 minutes then slowly got up to full speed.. i ran it full speed for about 3 blocks and when i got home it was extremely hot... the muffler was smoking like crazy. i actually thought the cart was on fire, as smoke was barrelling out...the engine was also extremely warm and steaming.. i know the gas/oil mixture is right... if anything there might be a little extra oil in.. so why would it be overheating so badly? could there be something wrong causing it to overheat so quickly that would also be causing it to spit and sputter when you give it more then half throttle?

jeggers · 08-10-2010, 03:13 AM

Pull the top off and take a look at the piston and rings. It sounds like mine befor I rebuilt the top end.

tew45 · 08-11-2010, 03:05 PM

You might have got gas line particles in the carb. or fuel pump. It's something to check!

Craigs carts · 08-11-2010, 05:01 PM

If it seams to be running real hot it might also be the muffler is getting plugged.

tew45 · 08-11-2010, 05:33 PM

Or condenser going bad! Try a new one for it might burn up the points.

08-09-2010, 04:40 PM	#1
dewy Getting Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 85	1979 Engine Sputtering Been using my 79 harley cart on the golf course all year with no problems, it had been running great until the other day... it ran really good for the 1st 7 holes, then it started running as if it was sucking air in with the fuel... problem was the clutch was rubbing on the gas line when the cart was running and the gas line had worn just enough to have a little pin hole... so i brought the cart home a replaced the gas line (moved it so it would not rub anymore). Took it back to town and it ran great for the 1st 2 round of golf. Went to take it out yesterday and it runs very rough until its warm... it spits, sputters and backfires, and only will go about 1/4 speed. after about 5 minutes of this it will slowly gain speed until it is at full speed, then it will run good until i leave it sit for more then 5 minutes. Once it has sat for 5 or more minutes its back to sputtering and backfiring for a little while, then boom, full speed and runs great again.. i thought maybe it was a fouled plug, so i put a new one in today and tried taking the cart out again, and it didnt change a thing.. sputtering and backfiring til its warm then it runs good until it sits.. any one know what might be causing this?? i rebuilt the carbs at the end of may, so i doubt it would be a carb problem.. or could it be? any help or input would be greatly appreciated!
dewy Getting Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 85

08-09-2010, 11:06 PM	#2
dewy Getting Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 85	Re: 1979 Engine Sputtering took the cart out tonight for a round of golf to see if it would work its kinks out itself... it runs really well going half throttle now, but as soon as i push the gas past half throttle it slows down and sputters and backfires for a couple minutes then slowly gains back its speed until its full speed, but will still sputter the odd time when its running full throttle... but as soon as i slow down to half throttle it runs smooth again... what would cause this?
dewy Getting Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 85

08-09-2010, 11:14 PM	#3
rkggoodman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 65	Re: 1979 Engine Sputtering weird one ,ck compression 1st, may have scored the liner bein low on fuel depending on yr ratio , (mix) do this when its cold,blow the fuel line out from the carb back twards the tank, how does it run in rev cold?
rkggoodman Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 65

08-10-2010, 12:26 AM	#4
dewy Getting Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 85	Re: 1979 Engine Sputtering checked compression a month ago and forward and reverse were both just over 100... runs great in reverse cold.. runs great in forward cold also.. until you push the throttle over half way, thats when the mentioned problems start.. its wierd.. i have no idea what the problem would be.. also, when its spitting and sputtering and i go down a hill with it, it gets going full speed down the hill and will continue to run full speed on flat ground.. but then as soon as you let off the gas and try to get back up to full speed the spitting and sputtering starts again... but it runs excellent warm or cold, as long as you keep it under half throttle... .. tonight i ran it full throttle and it sputtered for about 2 minutes then slowly got up to full speed.. i ran it full speed for about 3 blocks and when i got home it was extremely hot... the muffler was smoking like crazy. i actually thought the cart was on fire, as smoke was barrelling out...the engine was also extremely warm and steaming.. i know the gas/oil mixture is right... if anything there might be a little extra oil in.. so why would it be overheating so badly? could there be something wrong causing it to overheat so quickly that would also be causing it to spit and sputter when you give it more then half throttle?
dewy Getting Wild Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 85

08-10-2010, 03:13 AM	#5
jeggers Gone Wild Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bolingbrook,IL Posts: 566	Re: 1979 Engine Sputtering Pull the top off and take a look at the piston and rings. It sounds like mine befor I rebuilt the top end.

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08-11-2010, 03:05 PM	#6
tew45 Gone Wild Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: North Texas Posts: 2,312	Re: 1979 Engine Sputtering You might have got gas line particles in the carb. or fuel pump. It's something to check!

08-11-2010, 05:01 PM	#7
Craigs carts Gone Wild Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Milton Wi. Posts: 708	Re: 1979 Engine Sputtering If it seams to be running real hot it might also be the muffler is getting plugged.

08-11-2010, 05:33 PM	#8
tew45 Gone Wild Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: North Texas Posts: 2,312	Re: 1979 Engine Sputtering Or condenser going bad! Try a new one for it might burn up the points.

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