Carburator Problems on Golf Cart?

Tricky Grama · #1 03/27/10, 05:13 AM

After posting about how we love our golf cart in another thread, it won't run.

Ran it w/o air filter just a few yards so thought maybe that was it, dirt/grass? Cleaned that, Dh replaced the fuel filter THREE times and drained the gas tank.
It will run just a bit then go "waaaahrrrrup" & quit. (I'm sure everyone knows this sound

)
Guess I should mention that neither of us is too handy. But I think DH could get the carburator off if we knew what to do next.

uncle Will in In. · #2 03/27/10, 08:57 AM

Try blowing out the gas line between the tank and the carburator. It may have a tiny screen on the end of the line in the gas tank.

Tricky Grama · #3 03/27/10, 01:41 PM

I kinda doubt it, but DH says he can't disconnect it.(?) Says its really long & no way to get it off.
I had a '51 Ford as a teenager & worked on it all the time (it was a boy magnet

) But I'm stumped on this cart.
Oh, we smell gas when it won't run...it will idle if you 'feather' the gas pedal but finally just quit. So maybe its flooding?

Ed Norman · #4 03/27/10, 01:49 PM

If you sucked up a piece of grass without the air filter on, that would need to be found and removed.

If it was me, I would pour some Seafoam in the tank and follow the instructions on the can and see if it perks up, before I took the carb apart.

uncle Will in In. · #5 03/27/10, 07:07 PM

Is there some reason that the gas line cannot be unscrewed from the carb to see if it will run a good stream of fuel?????

Bearfootfarm · #6 03/27/10, 09:25 PM

Quote:

So maybe its flooding?

Can you see into the carb to tell if the choke is moving like it should?

Tricky Grama · #7 03/28/10, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

Can you see into the carb to tell if the choke is moving like it should?

No, you can't.

I thought a piece of grass/dirt could be the problem but wouldn't it finally be burned/disintegrated?
DH took apart something on the tractor that had 'linkage' and it fell apart & we had to pay someone to fix it.
As you can see, we're pretty much a lost cause. I think we'll have to load it up on the trailer & drag it to a REAL mechanic...

solidwoods · #8 03/28/10, 10:31 AM

slim chance a foreign object would clog a carb. The air path through the carb is short and easy to see.
Check the carb bowl for corrosion.
Check the carb floats to see if they have a leak,, this is done by removing the carb bowl (bottom of the carb that holds a small ammt. of gas).
The float is easy to remove , just shake it and hear if it has gas inside the float. If it does the carb would flood the engine and if the gas tank is above the carb, gas will come out of the carb or run directly into the engine (typically flooding the crankcase with gas).
You could also while you have the carb off, soak it in carb cleaner.

Has the engine been sitting a while?
If so , check the inside bottom of the carb bowl for particles of stuff (corrosion or gas shellac that developed when the bowl dried up). The corrosion can get sucked up into the venturi tube that goes into the air path part of the cab.

Also use non alcohol gas.
Alcohol draws moisture from the air very easy (gas does also but not like alcohol). When the temp cools the water condenses out of the cas and makes a puddle in the bottom of the carb bowl and causes corrosion (non alcohol fuel designed carbs/fuel systems).

If your sure the prob is the carb and you've examined/attempted repair on the carb then a small engine shop can clean and check the carb pretty cheap.
jim

Tricky Grama · #9 03/28/10, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solidwoods

slim chance a foreign object would clog a carb. The air path through the carb is short and easy to see.
Check the carb bowl for corrosion.
Check the carb floats to see if they have a leak,, this is done by removing the carb bowl (bottom of the carb that holds a small ammt. of gas).
The float is easy to remove , just shake it and hear if it has gas inside the float. If it does the carb would flood the engine and if the gas tank is above the carb, gas will come out of the carb or run directly into the engine (typically flooding the crankcase with gas).
You could also while you have the carb off, soak it in carb cleaner.

Has the engine been sitting a while?
If so , check the inside bottom of the carb bowl for particles of stuff (corrosion or gas shellac that developed when the bowl dried up). The corrosion can get sucked up into the venturi tube that goes into the air path part of the cab.

Also use non alcohol gas.
Alcohol draws moisture from the air very easy (gas does also but not like alcohol). When the temp cools the water condenses out of the cas and makes a puddle in the bottom of the carb bowl and causes corrosion (non alcohol fuel designed carbs/fuel systems).

If your sure the prob is the carb and you've examined/attempted repair on the carb then a small engine shop can clean and check the carb pretty cheap.
jim

Thanks so much. I'll get DH (also Jim) to read this & we'll see what we can do.

Patty

Bearfootfarm · #10 03/28/10, 04:48 PM

Quote:

I thought a piece of grass/dirt could be the problem but wouldn't it finally be burned/disintegrated?

Not if it got caught in the carb.
It doesn't take much to block jets or jam the throttle plate.
A tiny speck of dirt can jam the needle valve open and cause it to flood

wy_white_wolf · #11 03/28/10, 09:19 PM

Sounds more like the main jet is partially plugged to me. It gets enough fuel to start but doesn't allow enough fuel through to stay running. Sorry but that usually means the carb needs dissassembled and cleaned. A few carbs the do have an external plug that can be removed to gain access to the main jets. Just can't see that on a golf cart though.

Tricky Grama · #12 03/29/10, 07:15 AM

Looks like we'll take off the carb & take a look. You guys are great, thanks so much. Smelling gas like we do, after it runs a few yards is prolly a good indicator that you all are right.
Its the linkage I'm worried about...

Patty

agmantoo · #13 03/29/10, 09:43 AM

Doesn't gas golf carts have a vacuum operated fuel pump on them? Something as simply as a hose cracked or disconnected could prevent the engine from getting adequate fuel. The pump should look like one of these
http://www.parts4carts.com/index.php...&cPath=226_193

salmonslayer · #14 03/29/10, 10:47 AM

Let us know what you find Patty, I know I am curious.

EagleCountry · #15 03/29/10, 09:49 PM

Go to your favorite automotive supply store and buy a can of carb. cleaner. Gently find and take out the spark plug. Either clean it up with the carb cleaner and lightly wire brush it until clean or take it to the parts store and buy a replacement. Then loosen the air filter box until you can get at the carb. Clean that dude with the squirt carb cleaner until clean. Using the red plastic straw with the can really helps as it helps put some direction and force behind the cleaner. Put everything back together as before and give it a try.
This helped mine out tremendously this past weekend...