1989 DS Club Car maintenance Suggestions

[toge89]

I received a hand me down 1989 DS gas Club Car from my brother in-law a few months back and I'm pretty sure it hasn't had any maintenance in a while on top of being abuse pretty good by my nephews. It still runs (albeit squeakily and slow to start), but looking to improve its health.

I'm planning on changing out the oil this weekend, (10w-30 right?) and I've read that there is no oil filter to change (correct?), and I wanted to know if there is any other low hanging fruit I should go after, maintenance wise, like other filters, belts, or whatever.

Please keep in mind I'm an expert Googler, but new to performing engine maintenance.

Thanks for any help

[Springbok]

I'm pretty sure 10W40 is the recommended oil. It says the recommended oils right on the airbox under the driver's seat.

Most golf cart parts suppliers sell a tune-up kit which includes two fuel filters, an air filter, and a spark plug. Probably would be a good start.

[Springbok]

[toge89]

Greatness.

I don't know of any Golf Cart suppliers near me, if I was just going to go to an AutoZone what size/type of fuel filters, an air filter, and a spark plugs?

Thanks for the correction and help, and sorry for my noobness.

[Springbok]

I'm not sure what to tell you regarding going to an auto parts store. I imagine you just take your old parts in there and try to either find stuff that closely matches what you have or do some kind of a cross reference. But I wouldn't want to go that route myself. I'd rather just order the parts online from a cart place and wait a day or two in order be sure I'm getting the right stuff.

Here's the kit I mentioned:
http://www.golfcartking.com/Club-Car...Kit-p/2117.htm

You don't have to apologize for being a n00b around here, nobody here cares about that crap.

[toge89]

$16? Sold. THANK YOU SPRINGBOK.

On a kinda separate note, does the post "Speeding up your Club Car" work?

[Springbok]

The rod under the floorboards he mentioned will work (don't do that yet), but the zip ties method he mentions for the governor will not because it only applies to 1992-newer carts. Us guys with the older carts have it much easier.

There are two solid linkage rod adjustments that affect cart speed on a 1984-1991 Club Car. They are both very easy. In fact, the first method is so easy that they redesigned the governor in 1992 to make it harder to a adjust (these newer carts require the "zip tie" method mentioned in the "Speeding Up Your Club Car" post). I imagine golf courses complained to Club Car that leadfoot golfers were able to easily speed up pre-1992 rental carts and damaging them.

First method is a governor rod adjustment that goes between the transaxle and the throttle butterfly (up top), and second there's the pedal linkage rod that can be lengthened (which was the first thing mentioned in the "Speeding Up Your Club Car" post). I wouldn't bother with adjusting the pedal rod under the floorboard until you first adjust the governor up top. My governor is completely disconnected and the cart is fast enough for me (will go 21-22mph).

But DO BE CAREFUL. If you remove the governor, you (or someone you let drive the cart) can run the motor too hard and it won't last. But there's plenty of room to go faster without putting the motor in danger.

[Springbok]

Here's a pic of the screw you loosen to adjust the governor rod on your '89 Club Car:

[RudeJoe]

Springbok - what do you do with this to speed the cart up? Add or remove length? My 89 goes very slow, so much so that I'm wondering if one of the previous owners actually adjusted something (this?) to slow it down. I'd like to get a little more speed out of it. Thanks

[Springbok]

Put it this way. The stock (slowpoke) governor setting is to loosen the screw, push the long rod all the way forward towards the carb, then push the governor armature (on the transaxle) all the way forward and tighten back up.

So to speed up the cart, loosen the screw and push the long rod all the way forward again but instead move the governor armature towards the rear and tighten back up.

I wasn't able to get enough speed out of that adjustment because I would need a longer rod, so I ended up just disconnecting it. But if the long rod was a couple inches longer I'll bet I could find a perfect governed speed. I still may do it one day.

Your previous owner probably didn't do anything to make it slower, the stock governor setting is pretty darn slow.