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Old 06-14-2012, 02:38 PM   #1
Heliarc
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Default EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

Last night, my wife and I hooked up one headlight on the cart.The other will be coming soon when I make a mount for it.Anyhow she wanted to take a cruise in the dark now that we don't have to hold a Mag light.So with my wife driving, myself on the passenger side holding my 4 year old daughter, we head up the hill.The cart really seemed to be struggling and just didn't sound right at all.Almost like pinging when you have your distributor advanced too far.The engine was also lugging pretty badly so I'm certain it wasn't the drive belt slipping.

I weigh 250 Lbs.My wife is probably 125-150.She's pretty thin(and quite pretty).My daughter weighs about 40 Lbs.As far as I know, this cart is rated for 800 Lbs. but it was a pretty good hill we were trucking up.We've had this cart up and down this hill many times and though it's slow, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

I took the cart out today and though I didn't take it up the big hill it runs just fine on a slightly lesser grade.Plenty of power from start to top end.

Earlier the same day I did weld up some leaks in the exhaust pipe.But I also cooked the living hell out of my muffler previously.Still, I can't help but think it may be related.
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Old 06-14-2012, 03:04 PM   #2
pathfinder
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Default Re: EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

Just a thought but how many watts is the headlight and how did you connect it, thinking it may put a strain on ignition citcuit.
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Old 06-14-2012, 03:21 PM   #3
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Default Re: EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

I can't find the wattage on the light without popping the bulb out of it's rubber shell, but it's a small utility light as you might find on the fender of a tractor.I've looked up some similar ones and found most of them are 35 watt, with some being 55 watt.It's connected directly to the positive post of the battery and relies on a body ground.It's a Peterson manufacturing company shell with a GE sealed beam inside it.After searching "GE sealed beam tractor lights", I found one that looks identical with a rating of 35 watts.

*EDIT*

I forgot to mention that about 4 days ago My wife and I were riding it around with a spare headlight from a Rabbit diesel bungee corded to the front.I'd think this type of light would have an even heavier draw but the cart worked fine going all over the mountain.
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Old 06-14-2012, 04:30 PM   #4
BrewCityMusic
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Default Re: EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

I'm runnng dual 55's plus underbody LED's without a struggle, so unless there's a bad wiring (short, etc) involved, I can't see the light being an issue.

My cart had a HUGE performance difference on hills with different passengers before I rebuilt the engine, my "other half" is 115 and I'm about 150 soaking wet, so with the 2 of us it wasn't a *super big* difference as versus me being alone ... But if I had a more normal-sized buddy in the cart (say that 225-ish range) WOW did it slow me down on the hills - almost couldn't make some of them but managed (just definitely under duress, LOL). Now that it's all rebuilt and broken in, breathing at 135psi, it doesn't seem to care so much about weight anymore.

Another huge difference (which you wouldn't believe is that big of a deal but trust me, living at an old ski area as I do this is firsthand experience) a 1" shorter drive belt IS going to be a big help on the hills, especially loaded up. Some of the crazier trails I've cut over the years feature some short grades I'd actually call at 25-30% (I used to work at a proving grounds doing vehicle dynamics testing so the estimate is likely very close) and now they aren't an issue at all where before I'd go out of my way to make sure I went DOWN the trails thay were on, LOL
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Old 06-14-2012, 04:42 PM   #5
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Default Re: EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

Ok, well I did just rebuild my engine.I haven't even had a full tank through it yet.The thing just sips gas.So is it possible I have to run it more before I can really load it up?Also the noise it was making was very worrying to me.I was thinking that struggling up the hill like that may have overheated it some and caused pinging but I'm not really sure.The noise is gone today and the cart runs like nothing happened.I was facing up a very light grade in my driveway and tromping the throttle would make the rear wheels break loose on the gravel.I think the exhaust might be a bit louder since last night but that could just be my brain playing tricks on me.

I'll run it for awhile and see what happens.If I damaged it at least I know how to rebuild the engine.
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Old 06-14-2012, 04:48 PM   #6
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Default Re: EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

Ok, well I did just rebuild my engine.I haven't even had a full tank through it yet.The thing just sips gas.So is it possible I have to run it more before I can really load it up?Also the noise it was making was very worrying to me.I was thinking that struggling up the hill like that may have overheated it some and caused pinging but I'm not really sure.The noise is gone today and the cart runs like nothing happened.I was facing up a very light grade in my driveway and tromping the throttle would make the rear wheels break loose on the gravel.I think the exhaust might be a bit louder since last night but that could just be my brain playing tricks on me.

I've been needing a drive belt for a while now and I've been thinking about the shorter belt trick, but I don't want to lose top speed.We have straight stretches where regular road vehicles are coming through at generally 15mph on the dirt road.

I'll run it for awhile and see what happens.If I damaged it at least I know how to rebuild the engine.I assume everything is ok though.And as soon as I get my three wheeler I plan on doing a conversion with a Polaris 440.The wife will have the four wheeler for her and my daughter, and the 440 should have no problems with my fat arse.
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Old 06-14-2012, 09:20 PM   #7
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Just a thought. Are you sure it isn't the driven clutch rattling?

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Old 06-14-2012, 09:43 PM   #8
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Default Re: EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

No, it was definitely in time with the strokes of the engine.I mean it's possible and all, but I'd lay money it was in the engine.
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Old 06-15-2012, 05:16 AM   #9
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Default Re: EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heliarc View Post
Ok, well I did just rebuild my engine.I haven't even had a full tank through it yet.The thing just sips gas.So is it possible I have to run it more before I can really load it up?Also the noise it was making was very worrying to me.I was thinking that struggling up the hill like that may have overheated it some and caused pinging but I'm not really sure.The noise is gone today and the cart runs like nothing happened.I was facing up a very light grade in my driveway and tromping the throttle would make the rear wheels break loose on the gravel.I think the exhaust might be a bit louder since last night but that could just be my brain playing tricks on me.

I've been needing a drive belt for a while now and I've been thinking about the shorter belt trick, but I don't want to lose top speed.We have straight stretches where regular road vehicles are coming through at generally 15mph on the dirt road.

I'll run it for awhile and see what happens.If I damaged it at least I know how to rebuild the engine.I assume everything is ok though.And as soon as I get my three wheeler I plan on doing a conversion with a Polaris 440.The wife will have the four wheeler for her and my daughter, and the 440 should have no problems with my fat arse.
Try the 1" shorter belt you will be amazed! You can get a less expensive belt thru NAPA just measure yours and they can match it up It will be a gates Hi performance belt.
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Old 06-15-2012, 07:19 AM   #10
Dave Box
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Default Re: EZ-GO struggling up hills, possible preignition

Here is another $0.02. Your driven clutch is sticky. You start off fine and the cvt gradually changes into top gear (drive fully closed ; driven fully open). When you hit the hill you start to slow and the driven should start to close to lower the gear ratio. Instead the driven sticks open and you remain in to higher gear causing the engine to labour (with a U as we say in English) and rattle around on its mounts.

If you remove the cover behind the seats you can get your co-pilot to drive whilst you observe the clutches going up the same hill.

Dave
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