Ezgo, Rebuilding Pistion...?

[aforsberg]

I have a 82 ezgo gas golf cart, I am restoring it and have gotten quite far so far. I knew the engine needed the top end rebuilt because the old piston was all beat up and the rings were broken off. I did the rebuild and lubed up well while putting it back together. It ran great . Unfortunatly one lap around the block and it came to a screeching stop and threw me over the front ...I took the engine out and sure enough, the piston head cracked and broke right off its arm, My guess is that one of the snap rings popped out (Even though I put them in good).. Any ideas what could have caused this, I still want to fix it i love the cart :D..


Please help!
This is definatly a new hobby.

[dirtysouth]

Originally Posted by aforsberg

I have a 82 ezgo gas golf cart, I am restoring it and have gotten quite far so far. I knew the engine needed the top end rebuilt because the old piston was all beat up and the rings were broken off. I did the rebuild and lubed up well while putting it back together. It ran great . Unfortunatly one lap around the block and it came to a screeching stop and threw me over the front ...I took the engine out and sure enough, the piston head cracked and broke right off its arm, My guess is that one of the snap rings popped out (Even though I put them in good).. Any ideas what could have caused this, I still want to fix it i love the cart :D..


Please help!
This is definatly a new hobby.

Sounds like a lubrication problem. Are you mixing the oil/gas, or is it injected?

[tonyton]

Sounds like lubrication, but if that clip came out, it probably destroyed the cylinder. When you say it broke off the arm, I am assuming that is the rod.
If the rod is not damaged you need to replace the cylinder and piston. If the cylinder is boreable, you need to buy an OS piston for it. New cylinders and piston kits are avaible.
If the rod and/or crankshaft are worn out/ out of spec, the lower end may need rebuild as well.
When you get it repaired, be sure that the fuel/oil is mixed with the proper ratio and remove the injector system. Use pre-mix only. Less chance of failure..?

[aforsberg]

Hey thanks, Yeah I lubed it up so well, and I mix my gas 2oz of oil per gallon.. And I coated the cylinder bore walls and piston sides in assembly lube (I already bought an upper engine rebuild kit, Wrecked now). I had everything going so good and it was running like new but all of the sudden, uggg.

I am going to upload a pic in a second of what I am questioning could be the problem.

[aforsberg]

Well my computer is not letting me upload a pic (Has a virus).. But anyway, In my noobish language I believe the problem could be that the arm the piston attaches to moves from side to side down where its attached to the crankshaft... (Too much play left to right..?) Is it suppose to have that play? The bearings are all fine..

Thanks, luckily they are sending me a new piston, But I would like to prevent that from happening again!

[dirtysouth]

Originally Posted by aforsberg

Well my computer is not letting me upload a pic (Has a virus).. But anyway, In my noobish language I believe the problem could be that the arm the piston attaches to moves from side to side down where its attached to the crankshaft... (Too much play left to right..?) Is it suppose to have that play? The bearings are all fine..

Thanks, luckily they are sending me a new piston, But I would like to prevent that from happening again!

side to side shouldn't be an issue. Did you run the heck out of it? Did you break it in at all?

[aforsberg]

So it is ok for it to slide side to side??

I ran it for awhile gently, but then opened it up.. went up a hill and a block later it happened.


I should have broken it in longer, I sure will for the first couple days when i get the new one, and extra oil.. Is 2 oz oil per gallon a good mixture?

[dirtysouth]

Originally Posted by aforsberg

So it is ok for it to slide side to side??

I ran it for awhile gently, but then opened it up.. went up a hill and a block later it happened.


I should have broken it in longer, I sure will for the first couple days when i get the new one, and extra oil.. Is 2 oz oil per gallon a good mixture?

I think that's yer problem. 50:1 is lean fer them old carts. The way I'm figuring is you are running leaner than 50:1. 128 oz. in a gallon. 50:1= 50 oz. of gas to 1 oz. of oil. You ran it to lean. I'm no expert ( I just play one on tv ) on the 2 cycles, but I think they run 32:1 or maybe a bit richer. Better to smoke a little and foul a plug now and again, yes? Good luck... Keep us in the loop.

[aforsberg]

Yeah, you are probably right, well I guess this teaches me to do more research! I will let you know when I get the new piston... :D

Thanks

[dirtysouth]

Originally Posted by aforsberg

Yeah, you are probably right, well I guess this teaches me to do more research! I will let you know when I get the new piston... :D

Thanks

Happy 4th... Enjoy the weekend, worry about the cart come Monday.