ST480 E-Z-GO issues

[dmoss69]

FIRST POST!!! and yes, I have a problem..

Let me put as much of this information that I can to try and help troubleshoot this cart.

First, we ran original engine without oil, so that one is shot.

We purchased a used wrecked cart, swapped engines (underneath cart, pure joy) and here's where it gets fun.

I installed the engine, and it fired right up. (Complete engine, all the way from air cleaner to clutch). It will idle fine, but will not rev up. When I try and rev it up, it's spitting out of the carb, you can see the fuel spitting back up. It's not backfiring, just spitting.

So, I pull off the oil fill cap while the engine is running, and I feel alot of air blowing up out of the cap hole, it's pretty forcefull.

So, I get a compression gauge to check compression, and I'm getting 70 psi on both cylinders.....only, to do some research, and I'm finding out that I didn't perform the compression check correcty. I did my compression check like I do on cars...

Put gauge in spark plug hole
Open throttle WOT
turn the engine over with starter
Check gauge.

Is this not right?

I'm kinda stuck right now, bout to pull my hair out. It's fine if the engine is trash, at least I'll know that I can stop troubleshooting and pull it back out. If yall have an idea for me to try a compression check another way, I'll try it and go from there.

I do know, that I can put my finger in the spark plug hole, and it feels like there's ALOT of compression in there, it's blowing my finger back out of the hole. The other engine that we ran without oil, it wouldn't blow air around my finger out of the hole, it was SHOT!

I also read on here that valve adjustment seems to be a hot overlooked topic too, which would make some sence if my valves were too tight, and compression was pushed back up into the carb with the intake valve was held off the seat, but that still don't explain the air in the crankcase blowing out of the oil fill hole.

Thanks yall

David Moss

[firecart1]

Sounds like you did the compression test correctly. I say check the valve Adjustment....Especially since you say it's coming out the carb.

[firecart1]

Just an FYI....If you suspect ring troubles you can take an initial reading then after obtaining a 1st reading you can pour some oil (tablespoon or so) and do another reading. the oil will seal up the rings for the time being and you will know whether the problem is rings or valves.

[dmoss69]

I found the problem, it seems there may have been a small clearance issue..........

[firecart1]

Holy Moses!! Looks like crankcase soup!! Had we known this was a 2 cylinder motor might have made a quicker diagnosis. I would bet it had a heck of a vibration, crazy hard to start, and just sounded sicker than a dog. Sorry this happened to you my friend.....But the good news is when you rebuild the motor you can be assured that it will not look this way for some time!!