1999 EZGO TXT won't start

[PATRIOTRIDER]

Just got a 1999 EZGO TXT gas cart that had been sitting for a while.
It has a Robin Engines EH29C engine in it.
I have replaced the plugs, air filter, fuel filter, and coil, and have a new ignitor arriving Monday.
It will turn over, but will not start. I have checked the new plugs and coil by laying an attached plug on the block while cranking- no spark.
I heard about some accelerator micro switches that can kill the ignition circuit, but have not checked them yet.
Any help would be appreciated. If/when I finally get a spark, I plan on using starting fluid to get it running, and then drain the fuel tank and add new fuel.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Been working on Chevy small blocks my whole life, but am totally new to carts.
I plan on doing a mechanical restoration of the cart after I get it running.

[PATRIOTRIDER]

Looks like the culprit is the ignition pulsar coil. Can the pulsqr coil be changed with the engine still in the cart? IOW, can the fan hub be pulled with the engine installed?

[reidhogle]

I'm having the same issues with my cart. How did you determine that it was the pulsqr coil?

[Alex Faught]

I wouldn't use starting fluid as it truly is harmful for engines. It can wash the oil residue out of the cylinders quickly. If it were me, I would use either straight gas or premix (added lubricity) and squirt it either in the plug holes or through the venturi of the carb. Zoom spout oil bottles work great for this.

[PATRIOTRIDER]

Progress to date:
Replaced the solenoid
replaced the CDI
replaced the coil
replaced the plugs

I was getting good voltage to the coil, but zero spark. replaced the pulsar and adjusted it. it can be replaced on my Robin 295cc by removing the fan shroud, then removing the fan, then, using a short screw driver, you rotate the engine by hand until the hole in the flywheel lines up with a pulsar bolt.
Even though the book says to set the gap from 020-039, my spark was very weak until I set the gap to 020.
Also, my flywheel had rust all over the edge where the pulsar scans, so I used 80 grit sandpaper to clean it off.
I now have a spark that will fire the engine, but it seems to be not getting fuel.
I replaced the vacuum fuel pump, but still get almost no fuel to the carb.
Next, I plan on replacing the vacuum pump with a very low pressure electric pump, and adjusting the valves. Doing the valves simply because it is easy, and previous maintenance on this cart is certainly questionable.

[michaelmc29]

Do you have fuel in the bowl on your carb? If so, I'd pull the carb and give it a good cleaning. If no fuel in the bowl, pull the fuel like and crank it. Does it squirt fuel? Might be an issue with the float needle in the bowl, same problem I had. Or a cracked fuel line causing you to lose vacuum?

FWIW, I've heard good and bad things about electric fuel pumps... The pulse pump that comes on the cart works great as long as your fuel lines are clean and not cracked.

[PATRIOTRIDER]

Well, I adjusted the valves to .004, and installed a new carb and electric fuel pump. It started after a bit of cranking, ran fine at high speed, then after the successful test run, it is difficult to start again. But, when it does start, it runs fine.
This is all done with the air cleaner and housing removed. Does putting the housing and cleaner element make it start easier?
Any EZGO Gas experts out there?

[Alex Faught]

Originally Posted by PATRIOTRIDER

Well, I adjusted the valves to .004, and installed a new carb and electric fuel pump. It started after a bit of cranking, ran fine at high speed, then after the successful test run, it is difficult to start again. But, when it does start, it runs fine.
This is all done with the air cleaner and housing removed. Does putting the housing and cleaner element make it start easier?
Any EZGO Gas experts out there?

Put the air filter assembly back on. The cart is starving for fuel without it. The filter assembly causes extra vacuum on the main venturi jet. Kind of a choking action if you will. It should start easier with it.

[Handchops]

Originally Posted by Alex Faught

Put the air filter assembly back on. The cart is starving for fuel without it. The filter assembly causes extra vacuum on the main venturi jet. Kind of a choking action if you will. It should start easier with it.

Personally I've never seen one that wouldn't run without the air filter. I think you should check for voltage drop while your trying to start it. Don't just check it across the battery terminals. Also check it with your multimeter leads only touching the battery wires not the post. Anything more than a volt or 2 drop is probably a bad connection somewhere. If you see a big drop, disconnect the starter first to make sure it's not the problem. I've seen every part thrown at these carts when the battery terminals just needed to be cleaned. Looks clean is not clean. Good luck.

[Cartmaster]

Hi. Not been around for a good many years, but i will give my input. Dififficult starting is usually one of only a few things usually. You have a spark, so ignore the ignition for now. first check is usually valve gap, you have set yours to .004 which is correct, but how much thread can you see above the locknut on the inlets? if excessive or more than the exhaust, you may have worn inlet valves. this is a common issue. if suspect, remove the head and inspect the inlet valves, you may find they have thin and/or serrated edges. if so replace these immediately. This is caused by poor air filtration, another reason to not run it without an air filter as stated in a previous post. If all is ok here, reinstate the fuel pump as it was, pull the hose coming from the pcv valve on the engine at the vacuum fuel pump, crank the engine and look/feel for a pulse of air through the hose, this is what operates the pump, If you have a pulse, reconnect and pull the fuel hose from the carb, direct it into a container and crank the engine, you should see a strong pulse of fuel coming through. If no pulse, remove the vacuum hose from engine to pump and clean/replace it, it may be blocked with emulsified oil. refit and test again for pulse at hose. if now ok, redo the fuel flow test. Once this is all checked out, but still difficult to start, then your problem will be a thorough check and clean of the carb. Usually you will find either a blocked float valve or one of the drillings in the carb, blocked. Come back and let us know how you get on and we can work out the next stage if it still wont go.

Hope my memory serves well!

All the best.