EZ Go Shuttle FE350 to FE290

[Livingmylife93]

Hey guys, I recently bought a 1999 EZ GO shuttle. I really only deal with electric carts, but took a chance on this shuttle because I've never seen one before. I'm only looking to get it running and driving, clean it up and pass it on. I don't know a lot about these engines, so correct me on anything wrong please. I just brought these carts home yesterday and have not really put my hands on them yet. I'm looking to gather as much information as possible beforehand.

The shuttle originally had an fe350 in it. This engine is tight, something is wrong. The guy I bought it from, included a parts cart with a "good" 290 in it. I can not confirm this engine runs at this time, but has good compression and looks to be in good shape.

With the research I've done so far, I'm seeing a lot of information that these engine may spin in opposite directions, but that's all from club car threads. Seller told me that does not apply to EZ Go stuff...

From my understanding, everything will bolt in directly. I'll use the clutch from the 290. I'll run a 290 carb (Amazon carbs all day 295cc??). If these engines indeed spin in opposite directions, I don't really want to regear anything and may just pass it on to the next guy, or investigate other swaps.

The seller told me, that the reason the 290 wasn't starting yet had something to do with the ignition. He told me to take the flywheel and all ignition parts off the 350, and put them in the 290 and should fire. Does that sound right?

Pics of everything attached. The 350 has 2 exhaust ports. The engine sitting in a frame is the "good" 290.

Enlighten me... I'd really love to get the shuttle running and driving. But if this is going to be much more involved then swapping engines, and ignition systems I may pass.

Thanks in advance.

[Livingmylife93]

I also can't find any information on what this "shuttle" cart really is. Any info on that would be greatly appreciated. It has hydraulic brakes, a fuel gauge, hand parking brake, 5 lug wheels, etc.

I can't find anything similar with the cabover design on Google.

[Cartmaster]

If both engines are pre MCI with black cambelt cover and a cast iron exhaust manifold, they both have the exact same ignition system. simply swap the engines over. Personally, as these engines are so easy to rebuild, I would find out what is wrong with the 350 and repair it. The manual for these engines is in the tech section for download. As long as the ignition igniter is good, getting it running with either engine should be relatively plain sailing. There are plenty of members available to help. I would not run a 295 in a shuttle as power will be lacking in my opinion. If you can fix up the 350, you can fit the 295 head to it for a fair amount of extra power. This should bring HP up from around 12hp to almost 20hp.
If you install the 295 for an easy flip, you MUST advise a buyer of the lack of power and the reason why, but supply the 350 for them to make the choice of engine themselves.

FYI, both carts appear to be 1999 models.

[Cartmaster]

Originally Posted by Livingmylife93

I also can't find any information on what this "shuttle" cart really is. Any info on that would be greatly appreciated. It has hydraulic brakes, a fuel gauge, hand parking brake, 5 lug wheels, etc.

I can't find anything similar with the cabover design on Google.

The model design of the shuttle is PC956G as stated on the ID plate. this should glean enough information to get the details you require and it looks to be in excellent condition.

The engines are Robin/subaru and not FE290 and 350 which are Kawasaki

[Livingmylife93]

Originally Posted by Cartmaster

If both engines are pre MCI with black cambelt cover and a cast iron exhaust manifold, they both have the exact same ignition system. simply swap the engines over. Personally, as these engines are so easy to rebuild, I would find out what is wrong with the 350 and repair it. The manual for these engines is in the tech section for download. As long as the ignition igniter is good, getting it running with either engine should be relatively plain sailing. There are plenty of members available to help. I would not run a 295 in a shuttle as power will be lacking in my opinion. If you can fix up the 350, you can fit the 295 head to it for a fair amount of extra power. This should bring HP up from around 12hp to almost 20hp.
If you install the 295 for an easy flip, you MUST advise a buyer of the lack of power and the reason why, but supply the 350 for them to make the choice of engine themselves.

FYI, both carts appear to be 1999 models.

Thank you.

So the 295 has the exhaust port casted in to the head. I believe that makes it MCI? Which sucks. How much of a pain is it to swap an MCI into a non MCI cart?

I may rebuild the 350, it looks like an entire rebuild kit is $3-350. Im not against it. Just did not want to put hundreds into this. I thought I was buying everything I needed...

[JPonLKN]

Different electrical system. Different ignitor, different pulsar coil and flywheel, and different ignition coil. You can't bolt Pre-MCI stuff on an MCI engine and have it work. To make it work, you need the whole MCI electrical system. The coil bracket is physically a little different if I remember correctly. Good luck finding a MCI ignitor...the aftermarket ones are junk. The muffler won't bolt up correctly, but it can be made to work. Carbs are a little different. They can bolt up, but the jetting and orifice is a different diameter.

If it were me, I would try and rebuild the 350. Pull the head and see if the cam spins freely, inspect the cam bearing ends. Low oil, and they fail here. If someone did a rebuild on it and used the aftermarket kit, the oil pump cover o-ring in those kits is too fat, and the pump doesn't work well enough to push oil to the cam bearings, they overhead and seize up. Head is pretty much junk if it gets to that point. MCI head is not interchangeable with pre-MCI either. I presume a machine shop could fix the cam/head interface. I have a couple I need to get to a machine shop to see if that will work. It is also very possible that a rod bolt has loosened up at the crankshaft. Very common. For some reason, they loosen up and drop out. It could keep it from turning easily. This is a super simple fix. Might need a new rod, and may need to clean up the jounal, but repairable.

[StoveBolt]

What's wrong with the txt?

[Livingmylife93]

Originally Posted by StoveBolt

What's wrong with the txt?

I've barely looked at it, but it's rough. Bunch of parts missing, leaf spring mount broken. The engine thats in it was dropped in to replace an engine that failed, but I'm assuming they stopped when they realized it was an MCI engine...

[Livingmylife93]

Originally Posted by StoveBolt

What's wrong with the txt?

Originally Posted by JPonLKN

Different electrical system. Different ignitor, different pulsar coil and flywheel, and different ignition coil. You can't bolt Pre-MCI stuff on an MCI engine and have it work. To make it work, you need the whole MCI electrical system. The coil bracket is physically a little different if I remember correctly. Good luck finding a MCI ignitor...the aftermarket ones are junk. The muffler won't bolt up correctly, but it can be made to work. Carbs are a little different. They can bolt up, but the jetting and orifice is a different diameter.

If it were me, I would try and rebuild the 350. Pull the head and see if the cam spins freely, inspect the cam bearing ends. Low oil, and they fail here. If someone did a rebuild on it and used the aftermarket kit, the oil pump cover o-ring in those kits is too fat, and the pump doesn't work well enough to push oil to the cam bearings, they overhead and seize up. Head is pretty much junk if it gets to that point. MCI head is not interchangeable with pre-MCI either. I presume a machine shop could fix the cam/head interface. I have a couple I need to get to a machine shop to see if that will work. It is also very possible that a rod bolt has loosened up at the crankshaft. Very common. For some reason, they loosen up and drop out. It could keep it from turning easily. This is a super simple fix. Might need a new rod, and may need to clean up the jounal, but repairable.

I have everything you just mentioned, included in the parts cart. Its a non MCI cart with an MCI engine bolted in that was never made run. I wanted to put that in the shuttle. But sounds like it won't work.

[Livingmylife93]

This post should have been named **putting a 295MCI in place of a 350 non MCi**

But I wasn't bright enough for that, at that time. Lol

The "good" 295MCI is in the text parts cart. This engine was put in as a replacement and never finished.

The 350 non MCi that came out of the shuttle, is tight. I need to look further in to why... I was hoping I could take the flywheel and all ignition parts off of that one, and put them on the 295MCI