first golf cart, big noob

[M.Gilbert3]

Hey everyone, glad I found this forum. Looks like it'll be alot of help seeing how i know next to nothing about golf carts. anyways, i just picked up an old ezgo yesterday that i don't know anything about. I know its an '89, and that's about it....oh yeah and it doesn't run...

so far i've done a few things to it.
cleaned the tank and added fresh gas
cleaned the carb as best i could, hope i got all the jets
changed the plug, i'm getting good spark now.

the engine will crank all day but not kick over, it'll backfire a few times though. The carb seems to just be flooding itself out, it'll pore gas after a little bit of cranking. I'm just looking for a point in the right direction and any thing to check that i may have looked over, thanks everyone

[ChevyRacing75]

Welcome to BGW! Someone will give you good advice on what it may be.

You do know its a 2 stroke right? When I had my 89 marathon I would mix the oil and the gas in the can instead of depend on the mixer built in on it. I have heard those are not the most reliable.

[BrewCityMusic]

If the carb is pouring gas, it sounds like your float is sticking ... Pull the float bowl and carefully remove the hinge pin, which will allow you to remove the float itself (be careful that the tiny squared-off needle valve doesn't fall out and get lost) . Now, remove the needle valve and clean it real good as well as the cavity it fits in (and while you're at it, just for grins you may as well double-check the main jet which is inside the "post" that sticks down through the float) ... Clean the float, hinge pin, and float bowl, reassemble in reverse making sure the needle valve moves freely in the cavity, and replace the carb.

[Dave Box]

When you say The carb seems to just be flooding itself out, it'll pore gas after a little bit of cranking Do you mean that fuel is leaking from the breather tube at the top of the carburetter? If so I then the float is not floating and stoping fuel flow to the bowl.

If you are getting a good spark then good for you. Those ignition parts are either hellishly expensive or dreadfully difficult to get to.

Many folks report that a clogged muffler will prevent the engine running so a real simple test is to loosen the muffler / exhaust bolts to give you a gap between the two. If the engine starts you need to BBQ the muffler to burn out the carbon.

We can assume that your fuel pump is working as you are seeing fuel however the engine will not tolerate air leaks so you should look carefully at the elbow joints between the carb and the crankcase. Another culprit mat be the crankshaft oil seals. If one or both are leaking you will experience the symptoms you are seeing. Try getting someone to spray carb cleaner onto the rear seal as you crank. If things cheer up you may have a seal issue (the front seal is much harder to get to and requires removal of the flywheel).

You do appreciate that this is a 2 cycle engine and requires an oil mix? Originally the engine had an oil pump to mix the oil and gas behind the carb. Most folks don't trust the pump and like to mix their own fuel. If you choose this route (and don't do both) the correct ratio is 128:1 i.e. one ounce of oil to one gallon of fuel.

1989 was the year the engines changed. If your muffler is vertical you have the PG2 engine, if it is horizontal, a PG3 engine.

[M.Gilbert3]

thanks for the help, yeah I've been mixing the gas and oil because the guy who had it before me took off the oiler. I took apart the carb and found a decent discovery...there's no needle below the float. ordered a new needle and seat for like 8 bucks today, hopefully i'll have it before weekend.

[BrewCityMusic]

Yep - that could DEFINITELY be your trouble - sounds like noone told the last owner to "be careful not to lose the needle valve" , LMAO

[M.Gilbert3]

well i got the new needle, still no dice. Feels like it try's to want to run but still won't quite catch, guess i'll take out the main jet just to check and make myself feel better...