1989 ezgo gas not starting

[oldskool0317]

OK,

To start i picked up an 89' gas 3 wheel for a decent price.

we get it home and start going threw it. found 2 wires on the starter/generator were backwards and the head gasket was burnt
out. We replaced it and threw it back in seems to have decent compression
and it has a new coil and good spark.

but at this point its turning over but not starting.

any suggestions or next step?

[BrewCityMusic]

compression and spark are only part of the equasion, here are a few tests to troubleshoot further. First, pull the fuel line off the carb and turn it over to ensure you are getting a steady pulse of fuel as she turns over, if not it could be as simple as priming the pump (take a rag and wrap it around the fuel neck on the gas tank, then blow into it firmly to pressurize the lines and pump, then try it again) ... If no go still, then of course there is the option of plugged jets in the carb (the attached diagram has all of the usual suspects circled, make sure to pull them ALL and thoroughly clean them, making sure all orifices are cleaned out and that the needle valve is working correctly and not sticking) ... Number three is to check that your crank seals are good - jack up the rear of the cart and turn it over while having a buddy spray some carb cleaner or WD40 at the intake fan in the front of the motor, then at the rear of the motor where the crank exits the engine - if either test results in popping or an attempt to run, you're sucking air at the seal(s) and will need to replace them ....

Try those 3 common trouble spots first and let us know how it goes, here's that diagram:

[racin161]

Be advised 90lbs compression is on the low side.As Brew said I would check the compression first with a compression gauge to see if in fact your within specs then continue with Brews ideas.

[oldskool0317]

i'm going to try the compression test tonight and also take aprt the carb, probably in that order,

[oldskool0317]

i'm hoping to get this running good then mod it as best as possible then try to convert to four wheel and maybe a lift, we do alot of dune trips and hunting from tim to time.

i have always loved these jacked up and i cant wait to get started on it we built my brothers up a couple of years ago but it got stolen before we got half way done sucked
but oh well

[oldskool0317]

ended up working on my freinds truck on the side of the road most of the night, yay.

i wanna get this all up, i cant wait to get this moving.


here are some more shots i took when we pulled the motor to

change the head gasket

[racin161]

Would have been a great time to change the crank seals just for piece of mind. I still think a compression test is in order.Did you leave the injector pump off and plug the hole in the intake

[oldskool0317]

Originally Posted by racin161

Would have been a great time to change the crank seals just for piece of mind. I still think a compression test is in order.Did you leave the injector pump off and plug the hole in the intake

????,, injector pump, hole in the intake?

[BrewCityMusic]

when you pull the oil injector system, it leaves a small hole in the intake where the injector screwed into it (this needs to be plugged or it will suck air and wreak havoc with your running) - if you still have the oil injection system, it's a great idea to pull it off and just run 128:1 premix (it's hard to trust a 20+ year old injector system, in most peoples opinion)

[ScooterMcTavish]

Yup, repeat the above posts. Main thing I'd check for is fuel feed, as with spark and reasonable (though low) compression, you should be getting some firing.

Of note, when these babies sit for a long time, the whole fuel system crusts - full disassembly and cleaning of the carb as suggested by BCM is recommended. Even if you get it firing, these things have a way of re-bunging - mine took three solid cleans to get the carb feeding fuel on a consistent basis.

For the age of the cart, the crank seals should be replaced. Without the negative crankcase pressure generated by a sealed bottom half, you won't get much fuel feed. If you detach the fuel hose from the carb and try cranking, you should get a steady stream of fuel. If you don't these may be the culprit. As Dave says, I hope you know the safety considerations you should follow when doing this.

Report back and let us know. BTW, welcome to BGW.