My girls were on the cart the other day and called and said it died back in the woods, "out of gas" they said. Thats my wife, its just that simple to her, if something doesnt run theres no gas in it plain and simple
I knew that there was more gas in it than they could burn up the rest of the summer so I knew that was not the problem and I told them to just leave it back there and I would get it later. When I pulled it back up to the barn I checked around and everything looked ok.....spark, fuel, so I did a compression check and only 50 lbs.... dumped a spoon of oil down cylinder and compression shot up for a few cranks. I pulled the head off and there was a broken ring. It scored the side of piston and cylinder bad. It was already bored .050 over so I ordered a whole new top end for it and got it put on last week
Its the first top end I have ever replaced and it was not hard but not easy either as it was a learning experience. I just hope I did it correctly.....
While I had the muffler off I noticed a good quarter size hole in the bottom of it, so I patched it with a piece of sheet metal and mig welder, then found where another hole was forming and patched that before it got worse. Both were on the very bottom where moisture and condensate would sit so probally common, otherwise exhaust is pretty solid. I blew it out with compressed air and seems pretty clear. Anyhow with the new top end the cart sounds totally different. I dont think its the top end I think its the sealed exhaust. It actually seems a little louder to me and more like a machine gun, it doesnt bother me, just surprised me. I liked it more the way it sounded with the hole in the exhaust. New gasket from motor to exhaust is tight and muffler clamp is tight.