Yamaha Capability

[yamy]

I have an '82 Yamaha G1 that runs fine, except when I used it in the UF Homecoming parade. It overheated after the parade - started running rough and you could feel and smell the heat coming from under the cowl. First, I'm wondering if parade conditions are asking to much from a gas cart, because I was idling along at the slowest speed it would go (sometimes just idling and not moving), in the Florida heat, for an hour and a half. I know these carts are built to travel from hole to hole on a golf course and not idle for an hour straight.

I'm thinking about adding an oil temp gauge to the engine, like I did on my lawn tractor, but I can't find any place to thread in a temp sensor. Has anyone done that?

Also was trying to figure out if there is a way to get some airflow going through the cowl, to help cool down the engine, without adding ugly air-scoops. Maybe an electric car radiator fan under the engine that is thermastatically controlled?

[GMB74]

Parade conditions are rough on any air-cooled engine. They like to run at full throttle for maximum airflow to keep cool. Idling an engine for that period of time will burn it up. G1's have 2-stroke engines with no oil sump, so no place to screw in an oil temp guage. Rigging up a car's electric radiator fan is a good idea. One member mounted his in the front of the engine compartment just below the seats. There are pix of it somewhere on this site.

[TROUBADOUR]

Good idea re: electric fan. If mounted below the seats I think you might need to put some vents on the panel to assure good air flow.

[sho305]

If you are looking budget, you can get snap disk furnace fan controls for under $10 at graingers etc. I think you could mount one on or near the head for temps, then wire a fan direct. If you use a smaller fan that can run constant that does not pull a lot of power. Maybe relay it off the CDI power so it only runs with the engine. You might be able to use a couple larger PC case fans they tend to be cheaper and 12v, or a smaller fan for a trans cooler on a car but be careful it is not too powerful it kills your battery....because carts don't charge at low rpm either. I would attempt to blow air out the back of the cart under the bumper, somehow. Be careful of cutting into the body you will get engine noise from that.

Another issue is if you fill the muffler with oil going slow it will get hot and start to smoke a lot. You have to run the cart hard for 20 min straight once in a while. If the muffler has oil in it, it will start to smoke a lot just keep running hard until it stops. Don't run it on the governor, slow and floor it repeatedly or disable the governor to burn it out. It should stop smoking in 10min or something and you will be all set. Keep driving it or pop the hood so it can cool off after smoke stops as muffler will be very hot.

If you are not moving let the engine stop, running makes heat.

[yamy]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate you guys taking the time to provide feebdback on this. Don't know if I'll do the parade again next year, but if I do I'll probably try the fan idea; try to find a low-draw one so as not to use much power, and not idle while not moving. Here are some pics from the parade:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

[sho305]

Whoa I see what is going on here, I think maybe you should keep on doing the parade I would. Very nice.

I would find a set of alloy wheels or at least nice hubcaps , then if it is only for the parade maybe you can find a fan and just hook it up to a switch. I would put a lighted switch above the pedals someplace for it. You might be able to mount the fan blowing up under the cooling air intake for the engine if you are only on-road and will not use it other times. There are some other things, you might not want all the heat out the back if it is warmer and people are riding there the sides might be better. I have a $10 meat thermometer with a probe and cord, one could put that under the seat and read the temps. I'd say put a vent in the bagwell with some foam for noise, but again with people riding not a good idea. Maybe you could mount some smaller fans near the top of the rear shocks blowing at the ground at rear of the tires out each side, possibly with a small length of drain pipe or other duct to aim the flow. You don't want a fan to blow in circles and not either input cool air under the body or get the hot air out...or both of course. It might work to just put a larger fan above the differential blowing down, get the air to blow out on the ground everywhere except forward where cool air would have to come in to replace it.

Yeah be careful about high power/noisy/high draw fans you don't want any of that. PS case fans can be found for a buck or two each but you would need a few to move some air. There are larger ones that go in the side of the case, or you can look into automotive fans.

[SwampFox]

You may want to look at a boat engine blower fan. 12 volt, self contained, you can mount it anywhere and run some flex duct to it and to the engine. I would run an aux. battery for parades. You can even pull air from underneath the cart so no cutting the body.

[sho305]

That should be 'PC' case fans. I thought about a bilge fan, it would work fine was just thinking an open fan would move more air if you can install it such that it can.