01 EZ GO Electric barely moves.

[Off Road SHO]

Hello all,

My 01 (Model no F 101) EZ GO electric decided to go into barely moves/ just shudder mode the other day. Batteries are fully charged, between 6.2 and 6.3 on all 6, and they are 4 year old Interstates that have been working fine.

When put in forward or reverse and the go pedal depressed, I just feel a slight shudder, but no movement.

When I do the same with the rear on jack stands, the wheels spin fine, and I get something like 30 volts at the solenoid and 24 and 27 at two of the posts on the controller and zero at the third. Should I be getting voltage at all three of the posts?

The solenoid looks brand new ( as does everything that is under that cover ) and I get something like 37+ volts on both sides (due to a resistor across the main posts).

I seem to have enough power to spin the wheels when there is no resistance but once there is a load ( back on the ground ) I get the no movement shuddering.

I did check the lube level in the rear pumplin and did get some out when I removed the plug.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Tom

[hvywt77]

I am having similar issues on my 93 marathon txt. i have good connections, good batts...
anyone have any ideas?

[pggroves]

Originally Posted by Off Road SHO

Hello all,

My 01 (Model no F 101) EZ GO electric decided to go into barely moves/ just shudder mode the other day. Batteries are fully charged, between 6.2 and 6.3 on all 6, and they are 4 year old Interstates that have been working fine.

When put in forward or reverse and the go pedal depressed, I just feel a slight shudder, but no movement.

When I do the same with the rear on jack stands, the wheels spin fine, and I get something like 30 volts at the solenoid and 24 and 27 at two of the posts on the controller and zero at the third. Should I be getting voltage at all three of the posts?

The solenoid looks brand new ( as does everything that is under that cover ) and I get something like 37+ volts on both sides (due to a resistor across the main posts).

I seem to have enough power to spin the wheels when there is no resistance but once there is a load ( back on the ground ) I get the no movement shuddering.

I did check the lube level in the rear pumplin and did get some out when I removed the plug.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Tom

Originally Posted by hvywt77

I am having similar issues on my 93 marathon txt. i have good connections, good batts...
anyone have any ideas?

I know y'all said your batteries were fine but 6.2v-6.3v is just over 70% to under 90% fully charged. You should get a discharge test done on your batteries. Sometimes batteries can show just fine on voltage but when a load is applied they drop off significantly. Your symptoms sound like this or something similar.

[TDOG]

You should check your drive hub. I have seen cars with damaged hubs do fine on Jack Stands but not move under a load.

[Off Road SHO]

I will try and find my hydrometer and do a better test on the batteries.

Where is the drive hub? Inside the rear differential?

Tom

[Off Road SHO]

Okay, here are my hydrometer readings after a top off with water, a charging and letting the batteries set for 2.5 hrs. Starting at the battery whose positive terminal is connected to the Solenoid with the corresponding voltage after the charging

12.750
12.600
12.600 6.52

12.600
12.750
12.700 6.53

12.750
12.750
12.750 6.53

12.500
12.500
12.600 6.48

12.600
12.750
12.750 6.51

12.500
12.500
12.500 6.50

Maybe I should have turned on the headlights for a while to drain the surface charge off a little better, eh?

My hydrometer only reads to hundredths, I added the extra decimal place because I read in the online manual that the specific gravity readings should be within 50 thousandths of each other within the same battery. With that criteria, only two of my batteries pass.

Any ideas on these readings?

Tom

[Off Road SHO]

Anybody?

[pggroves]

Is the SG data temp corrected? Connect a meter to the pack and then drive it and monitor voltage drop off when applying load. I still think you need to get a discharge test done. A discharge test leaves no doubt. If you have a 6v charger, charge each battery individually or use a 12v charger and charge in pairs. It will help to balance the pack.

[scottyb]

This may be enough of a load test to tell the tale right here?


Quote[When I do the same with the rear on jack stands, the wheels spin fine, and I get something like 30 volts at the solenoid and 24 and 27 at two of the posts on the controller and zero at the third. Should I be getting voltage at all three of the posts?] end quote

Can you tape the voltmeter leads to the battery pack and try to drive what is the voltage before and during the drive test?
Sounds like one or more batteries dropping out under load as PG said

[Off Road SHO]

It wont even move a foot under it's own power. I'll try charging the batteries individually.

Thanks.

Tom

Edit, ScottyB, who is the little guy with the goggles? He looks like he's ready to ride.