Cart has no power

hotdog · 07-29-2020, 03:47 PM

You guys help me years ago with a carburetor problem. It's run GREAT ever since.

So, here is my new problem.

Long story short I bent and replaced the exhaust valve. It now runs but has a slight backfire and has no power.

Any thoughts?

I used to step on the gas and it would jump, now it just putters.

Springbok · 07-30-2020, 04:43 PM

What model year golf cart?

hotdog · 07-30-2020, 07:06 PM

1986 club car

Springbok · 07-31-2020, 04:59 AM

How's your compression? When you put the cylinder head and valves back together, did you put the little tappet caps back in and check valve clearance at TDC on the compression stroke?

hotdog · 07-31-2020, 08:25 AM

Compression is 100 psi. and holds. Caps are in. Not sure about vale clearance.

Springbok · 07-31-2020, 10:19 AM

100psi of compression is good. Should be between 80 and 120.

Those tappet caps come in a few different sizes. When you re-installed, it’s possible that you may have swapped them. They can be accessed through that little cover on the front of the motor and with some finesse you can pry the springs back and take the caps out with needle-nose pliers or a small magnet (this is much easier to do with the body off so you can get down in front to see what you’re doing).

Also, was the replacement valve you installed a new valve or an old one?

Did you ever have the side cover off? If so, did you set the timing properly by lining up the marks on the gears?

hotdog · 08-05-2020, 02:50 PM

The tappet caps looked like the same size. It is possible they got switched.
The valve was new.
We only took off the head to replace the valve. Would that have messed up the timing? We never saw the gears. As you can tell, I'm a novice.

Thanks in advance for any more advice.

hotdog · 08-06-2020, 08:30 AM

OK, a little background. I bought a new fuel pump for my cart and a new spark plug came with it. I assumed it was the right one. It wasn't.

That is how the valve got bent. It hit the plug.

Question, could this have messed up the timing? If so, how would you get to the timing marks?

Springbok · 08-06-2020, 09:46 AM

I doubt it would have affected the timing unless the plastic camshaft gear teeth were damaged from the impact. In order to check timing you have to remove the drive clutch and side cover to make sure the timing marks are lined up. I just posted a sticky recently showing photos of the timing marks when doing a rebuild:

https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/showthread.php?t=166885

hotdog · 08-06-2020, 09:59 AM

It must have hit pretty hard. It flattened the plug.
Do you think it would be worth pulling the cover to check?
As far as you know, are the tappet caps the same or different sizes between intake and exhaust?

07-29-2020, 03:47 PM	#1
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54	Cart has no power You guys help me years ago with a carburetor problem. It's run GREAT ever since. So, here is my new problem. Long story short I bent and replaced the exhaust valve. It now runs but has a slight backfire and has no power. Any thoughts? I used to step on the gas and it would jump, now it just putters.
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54

07-30-2020, 04:43 PM	#2
Springbok Photoshop Guy Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Canal Fulton, OH Posts: 3,845	Re: Cart has no power What model year golf cart?

07-30-2020, 07:06 PM	#3
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54	Re: Cart has no power 1986 club car
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54

07-31-2020, 04:59 AM	#4
Springbok Photoshop Guy Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Canal Fulton, OH Posts: 3,845	Re: Cart has no power How's your compression? When you put the cylinder head and valves back together, did you put the little tappet caps back in and check valve clearance at TDC on the compression stroke?

07-31-2020, 08:25 AM	#5
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54	Re: Cart has no power Compression is 100 psi. and holds. Caps are in. Not sure about vale clearance.
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54

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07-31-2020, 10:19 AM	#6
Springbok Photoshop Guy Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Canal Fulton, OH Posts: 3,845	Re: Cart has no power 100psi of compression is good. Should be between 80 and 120. Those tappet caps come in a few different sizes. When you re-installed, it’s possible that you may have swapped them. They can be accessed through that little cover on the front of the motor and with some finesse you can pry the springs back and take the caps out with needle-nose pliers or a small magnet (this is much easier to do with the body off so you can get down in front to see what you’re doing). Also, was the replacement valve you installed a new valve or an old one? Did you ever have the side cover off? If so, did you set the timing properly by lining up the marks on the gears?

08-05-2020, 02:50 PM	#7
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54	Re: Cart has no power The tappet caps looked like the same size. It is possible they got switched. The valve was new. We only took off the head to replace the valve. Would that have messed up the timing? We never saw the gears. As you can tell, I'm a novice.Thanks in advance for any more advice.
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54

08-06-2020, 08:30 AM	#8
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54	Re: Cart has no power OK, a little background. I bought a new fuel pump for my cart and a new spark plug came with it. I assumed it was the right one. It wasn't. That is how the valve got bent. It hit the plug. Question, could this have messed up the timing? If so, how would you get to the timing marks?
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54

08-06-2020, 09:46 AM	#9
Springbok Photoshop Guy Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Canal Fulton, OH Posts: 3,845	Re: Cart has no power I doubt it would have affected the timing unless the plastic camshaft gear teeth were damaged from the impact. In order to check timing you have to remove the drive clutch and side cover to make sure the timing marks are lined up. I just posted a sticky recently showing photos of the timing marks when doing a rebuild: https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/showthread.php?t=166885

08-06-2020, 09:59 AM	#10
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54	Re: Cart has no power It must have hit pretty hard. It flattened the plug. Do you think it would be worth pulling the cover to check? As far as you know, are the tappet caps the same or different sizes between intake and exhaust?
hotdog Not Yet Wild Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 54

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