79 ezgo no start

[Steew]

I have what others on the forum have told me a 79 ezgo 3 wheeled golf cart that was given to me. I don't know alot I understand you need fuel air spark and compression to run. So I started with fuel Carb was destroyed threads stripped mashed and leaked like crazy. I have another cart with a seized motor so I used I took the carb off of that one. They looked 100% identical. I removed the spark plug grounded it out on the muffler and could see I had spark. I put my hand over the carb and can feel it sucking air. but no start.

I put my finger over the spark plug hole cranked it and could feel small bursts of pressure from the plugs hole when cranked. I noticed I had a bit of fuel coming out of the exhaust pipe where it meet the muffler. There is no gasket there. I flipped the cart on its side and removed the exhaust pipe rotated the engine and could see the piston. Its rings are still intact I stuck my finger in there to try and see if the piston was loose in the cylinder and it seemed pretty firm with no side to side movement.

Now I've noticed a slight leak at the head. I removed the motor from the cart put it on the bench and found the bolts to be a little loose on the head. I removed the head and you could see some blow by where it was loose. So I cleaned the gasket and the head then used some gasket dressing that said it was fuel resistant applied some to both surfaces with my finger let it dry a little like the directions said then I put the head back on. I tightened it down in a star like pattern tightening it a little more each time till it was nice and snug.

Now I've placed my thumb over the spark plug hole and turned it over by hand and it seems like I have a little more pressure. I decided to check all the other bolts and screws on this motor. almost everything was able to be snugged up a bit.

Will it run after all this I am not sure the motor is still sitting on the bench. The wiring looks like hell and I want to clean up everything and replace a few before I reassemble. But here are my questions.

is there a way with it sitting on the bench to test the compression on it and get an accurate result?

Does it need an exhaust on it to run?

Budget of very little to money what should I do if anything before I stick the motor back in?

Btw I really don't know what I'm doing I'm winging it and just trying to get it to run. I attached a few photos not sure if any will help. Any advise for my low to no budget project would be great

[cart around]

That's a lot of gunk built up in the exhaust. Previous owner was probably running too much oil in the fuel.

I would remove the fuel pump to look or ripped diaphragms.

While the pump is off, blow some air down into the pulse hole where it mounted. An air gun with a rubber tip would work nice. Put in a little bit of pressure, and listen for the crankshaft seals to be leaking.

Those two issues will be your biggest problems.

[Steew]

Originally Posted by cart around

While the pump is off, blow some air down into the pulse hole where it mounted. An air gun with a rubber tip would work nice. Put in a little bit of pressure, and listen for the crankshaft seals to be leaking.

So am I understanding this right that crank shaft seals play a part in cylinder compression levels?

[cart around]

No. compression is on top of the piston.

The crankshaft seals control the air-tightness under the piston. That's where the vacuum is created to pull the fuel air mixture in, and where the pressure to run the fuel pump comes from.

You can have completely blown seals, and still have good compression. It still won't run.

The fuel air mixture enters through the reed valves, goes through the side of the piston to the underside, it lubricates the bearings, and then goes through a port in the other side of the chamber to the upper side of the piston. Good crankshaft seals are essential.

[Steew]

Thank you for the CLEAR explanation. I wondered how the bottom end got lubed. Looks like rip it apart and replace all the seals and gaskets and rings. I just need something that puts around the camp site. Maybe one day I'll be one of the guys that figures out how to shove a snowmobile motor in it. But first I want to get one to run.

While I hopping for a response I decided to rip apart the seized motor. Its the same model so I figured I couldn't hurt much learning on that one. The crank case is solid rust and wouldn't budge I got it moving 3/4 of a can of pb blaster and some soaking time. Now to figure out how to get it all the way apart. I see I can buy about every part for these things. I think the budget of 50 bux just went out the window. I see now why its so easy to get broken toys for nothing. Thanks again.

quick check of ebay I assume this is the seal you speak of.

[cart around]

I can't see ebay from work.

This page has seals and bearings for various years.
http://www.vintagegolfcartparts.com/...ef=ezgo_engine

I'm not saying your seals are definitely bad. I'm saying that it's a good idea to check them along with the diaphragms in your fuel pump.

[racin161]

Correct on the "seals" you will need 2 one for each side.

LOU

[cart around]

I believe the front and rear seals on a 79 are different from each other.

[Steew]

Well I got fuel moving to the carb so am I safe to assume that the crankshaft seals are good enough?