son's worn-out golf cart

[jbarnes]

my dad left my son a 90 something model cart with a 4-stroke Robin engine that's completely worn out and a clutch I'm not sure that work's and the reverse in the rear differential. I found a Durostar 16 hp recoil/electric start for less than 300 new, I know that's plenty engine and I know I can get it mounted and I know I need a taperd clutch adapter but how can I tell if the clutch is working without a running engine and is there any surprises I need to be aware of mounting a whole different engine, this is all new to me and I appreciate any help

[hookm]

What brand is the cart?

[jbarnes]

sorry for that missing vital info, EZ GO gas

[sho305]

Take it apart, clutches are very simple just a spring maybe and some weights that fly out and close on the belt at higher rpm. If everything moves properly and no weights/slides/rollers are broken you are good. Lube the center section, I like to put a drop of chain lube on the weights/etc where they move. You can get parts for most of them.

[csason]

You can slip the belt off the stock assembly, starting with the rear pulley and roll it off , while in neutral..and when you have the belt off,
you should be able to push in on the clutch..it should spring back (if it's a stock setup) or at least after you push in on it a few times , it should.
You can kind of tell if its functioning properly that way..

Sho also provided valuable info on if you want to take the cover off, or pull the clutch and disassemble it. I have a couple clutches that have never had the cover off and are functioning fine from the late 90s.

[jbarnes]

thanks for the info guys, will the engine setup be fairly straight forward, line it up, relocate starter switch, run throttle cable, etc. ?

[sho305]

I did a yamaha last summer, dropping the engine in and lining up the clutch (with an adapter after cutting the crank off and tapping it deeper on the 16hp) and making a mount was the easy part. Making the intake/exhaust/linkages took some time. The ignition does not need power, I'm going to use a relay to ground the engine ignition and kill it when the cart ignition goes dead. I used the stock generator/starter and stock clutch. For now I just turned the idle to nothing and it kills when you stop, but not so safe if the throttle stuck.

[csason]

Originally Posted by jbarnes

thanks for the info guys, will the engine setup be fairly straight forward, line it up, relocate starter switch, run throttle cable, etc. ?

The Robin engine does not mount on a flat plate..It has a front and rear mount
that use the engine as part of an assembly that floats with the axle.
The easiest way I have heard of is to buy the cradle for engines, like a clone or briggs vtwin from the sponsors..I am most familiar with CPP's ..it seems to be the one that is used most often.

Your about right on everything else..relocate the switch and so on...
You will probably be using the carts fuel tank and will become familiar with the pulse fuel pump system, also..

Good luck..

[sho305]

Yamaha has a similar mount I hooked them together like this, you can see the front and rear stock mounts. The square tube across the front lowers the front of the engine because the yamaha actually hangs below the mounts. The rear had to be left high because the cylinder would hit the trans however this levels the engine out with the lift anyway so it works out great.


Top, I cut the crank off short as I could and here you see how close the recoil is. But now have 3 ways to start it lol. There seems to be more room in other brands of carts, that tank holds 6 gallons I think.

[jbarnes]

thanks for the help,motor mounts won't be a problem and was planning on hooking everything up basicly like a lawnmower and using the gas tank provided with the engine, trying to keep it very simple,only going to use it here on my small farm