What are the implications of adjusting the governor?
 

I am looking for a bit more speed on my 2014 EXGO Express S4 (Kawasaki Engine) It's at its stock setting of about 15/16 MPH.

I am not looking to crank it up but maybe 2 more MPH to get to a solid 18/19 MPH.

Are there long term effects of doing this?

Re: What are the implications of adjusting the governor?
 

I have done the same thing to my TXT with no ill effects. Needed just a bit more speed.

Can't guarantee you won't have any issues, but wouldn't think you would.

Re: What are the implications of adjusting the governor?
 

In some cases, (especially if you bypass the RPM limiter of a club car) you can run the rings off the pistons and suddenly find yourself with little to no compression.

I went through a phase where I wanted so badly to have a 2-cycle Harley cart. It being 2-stroke I assumed (incorrectly) that it could go super high RPMs like a Honda CBR dirt bike. The rear ends on those are set like a granny gear so they can only go like 10-12 MPH without the motor eating itself alive. I found out the hard way when I disconnected the governor cable and went WoT downhill.

EZGOs can go maybe 18 maximum without high speed gears. After that, your rings might be part of the smoke you trail behind you just before the engine stops.

The best analogy I was told after I destroyed the Harley's engine (it not only ate the rings but the piston, needle bearings, and rod) was Grandma's old Olds 442. Driven to church on Sunday never exceeding 30 MPH. She dies, her grandson inherits it. Being a 442 he wants to race it like a muscle car. engine eats itself. Apparently the rings wear a certain way when driven slower for a long time, and suddenly going super fast goes outside that groove and destroys the rings.

Re: What are the implications of adjusting the governor?
 

I don’t want to prematurely wear out the engine. I don’t want to remove the governor just adjust it to give me just a wee bit more MPH - but then again I may just leave it at factory settings becasue a wee bit now means a wee bit more later.

I have an electric cart and I am thinking about getting an updated controller where I can adjust the speed / torque settings on the fly. It’s expensive and the kids mainly drive that cart but I like the idea of knowing if I forgot something while I am at the beach I can speed up my trip and return to go back to the house.

Re: What are the implications of adjusting the governor?
 

tighten it up they have them governed way down if you are just looking for that little bit find where you like it and go

Re: What are the implications of adjusting the governor?
 

Keep in mind if you adjust a 13 HP 'Thumper' Kawasaki they surge like a Club Car hitting the RPM limiter. Which is odd since I can't find any RPM limiter on them but If we turn them just fast enough you can hear it revving up, losing RPM, revving up just like as if it were bouncing the limiter. I hear they may have integrated the limiter into the coil but not sure how true that is.

Either way we can only get 18 MPH max without hitting that limit, whatever it is.

Re: What are the implications of adjusting the governor?
 

The older kawasaki motors had an external rev limiter on the front of the block below the valve cover.

The newer ones have the rev limiter built into the ignition coil.

18mph is about right on stock 18" tires. but that motor will turn 25" tires without a problem and would net around 25mph. Or keep the stock sized tires and use a 8:1 speed gear for about the same 25mph. You'll lose a little torque but that motor has plenty of oomph that unless you live in a REALLY hilly area it wouldn't be a problem.


That said...

Turning up the governor a bit wouldn't make for a big deal. It does get annoying when you hit the rev limiter but as far as the engine is concerned it isn't going to have any negative long term effects. BUT... if you have no intentions of lift kit and larger tires, speed gears may be a good investment for you. They're not that expensive, and while you may not immediately want/need 25mph, it will drastically lower the engine RPM's when you are cruising 18-19mph. So instead of being near or bouncing off the rev limiter to do the 18mph, your engine will be comfortably cruising along thinking it's doing about 12mph... like a walk in the park.