EZGO 295 - 350 engine Valve Adjustment

[ruredy]

EZGO Valve Adjustment

This post was done by ezgomike elsewhere, its such a great post I wanted to include it over here for those who missed it. Thanks Mike

Start with a cold engine(this ones at about 12 degrees for the pics).

Remove 6 valve cover bolts, and pry off cover:



Clean o-ring surface(blue arrows) carefully. Do not drop dirt in any holes.
Check o-ring for damage, and make sure it is fully seated in cover(red arrows). Do this now, you'll be too excited later, and forget:




Pick a valve. Turn cam lobe DOWN by rotating drive clutch by hand(red arrow): Loosen adjuster locknut 1/4-1/2 turn.



Insert .004" feeler guage between cam, and lifter(red arrow): Turn adjuster until feeler guage has very slight drag, but is free.




Hold the adjuster with a screwdriver, and tighten lock nut as shown. Then re-check with feeler again. Now, do the same for the remaining valves. The middle two are the intakes.



Re-install cover(check the o-ring again). Tighten bolts to 5 ft/lbs.

***NOTE: No feeler gauge handy? if you lightly bottom the adjuster against the valve, then back off 1/4 turn on the adjuster, you will be very close to .005"***

[ezgotxtman]

My 2005 TXT 295cc vale adjusters don't have screwdriver slots. They have some sort special made tip that requires one of those $300.00 special tools to make the necessary adjustments. But, being an old type of fellow, and knowledge how to get around the idea... "what man put together, man can take apart" that is required to make the adjustment.. don't need that expensive tool...

[milo32000]

May I ask what are you using ? I have thought about what to use, you have the best of me ! Thanks, Milo

[ezgotxtman]

Milo, I just taken a old pair of Slip Joint Pliers, taken them apart and used a hacksaw to cut a grove the length wise, and used a file to make the grove wider. This way I could have a tool that would hold the adjuster tip better.

BTW. I never (from the old school) adjust the values with the engine cold. I adjust them with a "hot" engine. I set the gauge at .004 and made the adjustments. I get a better more accurate .004. You must have .004 when the engine is running at it's peak performance, and performance always with a hot engine.. Make sence... don't you think?

[NO NO NO E-Z-GO!]

So you could gap them at ~.008 cold and get the same results?

This is just my opinion, and I am not passing it off as a fact. But if you adjust them to .004 HOT then wouldn't that be .004 less lift to the valve and that much more retarded movement? I always thought and have always been told that you adjust them cold so that the gap closes up when the engine gets hot and the engine gets the exact valve timing and lift needs when the gap closes to a miniscule number.

[ruredy]

The adjustment should be made when the engine is cold. As the head heats up, it expands, increasing the gap between the valves and the rockers. the expansion of the head moves the rockers away from the valves, the steel valves will not expand as much as the aluminiun head will..... so the gap gets bigger when the engine is hot.
I don't think .004 more lift will make a whole hell-of-alot of difference on the robin engines, but then again I don't use a gage when I adjust them, I just back the screw up a 1/4 of a turn.

[ezgotxtman]

I did have a lot of trouble with the cart "backfiring" or hissing back through the carburetor. Making any adjustments to the carb. proved zero results.
So, I remembered what a older mechanic told me many years ago.... check your value lashes, and do it when the engine is hot. As most engines are engineered to run/perform when the engine is heated up to it's running temperature.

I made the .004 gage measurements a number of time with the 4 cycle 295cc cold. Same old crap... backfiring and hissing when de-accelerating. So, I went against the true believers, and made the .004 with the engine hot. Now I don't have any backfiring, or hissing, and to me, think I have better performance from the engine.

[NO NO NO E-Z-GO!]

Hmmmm, I have never done a hot adjustment, and I always get them working right.

A good example is this: 1995 E-Z-GO. 60 PSI in each cylinder. Will not run at all. I adjust the valves to .004 cold and when everything is said and done, the compression is up to 165 and 170. It runs great and starts every time.

I guess either way works. If hot works for you, keep doing it! No use changing something that works. But cold works for me and I'll continue to do it that way.

[ezgomike]

Originally Posted by ezgotxtman

My 2005 TXT 295cc vale adjusters don't have screwdriver slots. They have some sort special made tip that requires one of those $300.00 special tools to make the necessary adjustments. But, being an old type of fellow, and knowledge how to get around the idea... "what man put together, man can take apart" that is required to make the adjustment.. don't need that expensive tool...

Get a square drive sheet rock screw, and screw it into an old screwdriver handle. Fits perfectly on the adjuster.

[ezgomike]

Originally Posted by ruredy

The adjustment should be made when the engine is cold. As the head heats up, it expands, increasing the gap between the valves and the rockers. the expansion of the head moves the rockers away from the valves, the steel valves will not expand as much as the aluminiun head will..... so the gap gets bigger when the engine is hot.
I don't think .004 more lift will make a whole hell-of-alot of difference on the robin engines, but then again I don't use a gage when I adjust them, I just back the screw up a 1/4 of a turn.

I hate to dis-agree as a newbie, BUT...

The valve clearance gap closes as the engine heats up on these engines.

The first sign of tight valves is an easy start, and crappy running after the engine heats up. As the valves wear further, they also start crappy.