EZGO won't go

[djohns6]

EZGO gas golf cart won't crank. Engine will turn over but won't fire up and run.

It's not that hard ..

 

[SweetMK]

The the automotive world cranking is the function of the starter.

,,,,,,,,,,BUT, not in the golf cart world!!

The golf cart that runs on liquid fuel is a strange unit. (as opposed to a battery cart)

We bought one this year, it has operated flawlessly.
The drive is variable pulley like a snow mobile,,

The starter is also the alternator (or generator,, whatever)

Push the "GO pedal", the engine starts,
and runs, as long as the pedal is held down.
Release the pedal, ignition is removed, the engine coasts mostly until the cart stops,
or is close to stopping.

When I first got the cart, I thought it had a fuel issue, whenever you let up on the "gas" pedal, the engine stalled.

In most of the motoring world, an engine that stalls when the "gas" pedal is released is considered to have a problem.

In the golf cart world, that is exactly what you want to happen.

You want the cart to quit when you jump out to hit your ball, I guess.

 

[MRB1]

I had almost exactly problem with my old cushman cart. The repair shop couldn't duplicate the problem and everything checked out OK... until I was a mile or so away from camp and it would die, and not start again. An old farmer solved it for me in minutes. Turned out to be the fuel line was too close to a heat source and the fuel was perking, causing a vapor lock. He purged the fuel line, wrapped a piece of asbestos solder blanket around the line and it never happened again. Hope your solution is as simple as mine was.

 

[BC38]

I'm not familiar with golf carts, but any chance it has any interlocks - like a riding lawn mower. You know, like maybe there has to be someone sitting in the seat for it to run? What kind of ignition switch does it have - a key?
My thought is an intermittent interlock switch or ignition switch.
Just spitballin'...

 

[Grayfox]

There are also any number of safety switches that can cause issues. Neutral start switch, seat switch, seat belt, temp, etc and so on. Being hot or cold can also make a difference. Best bet is to try to get a wiring diagram and see what all is on the start and run circuits. Then check each part.
Electrical gremlins can drive you nuts!

 

[tops]

Took it too a 3rd repair shop and they decided it is a sticking valve. We sold it at a price that the buyer can replace or rebuild the engine and still be ok. We decided a Honda Pioneer 700 Deluxe would be more fun than a golf cart. Larry

 

[Narragansett]

EZGO gas golf cart won't crank. Engine will turn over but won't fire up and run. Sometimes when running engine will just quit running. Three trips to one dealer and he can't find anything wrong. Three trips to another dealer and it quit running or wouldn't start and he replaced carb., fuel pump, ignitor and air filter. Second day home and it ran good for 1/2 day and now won't crank. Does anyone have any suggestions to fix it? I need HELP! Larry

I would not go back to dealer #2 ever again. He is one of those people that diagnoses by throwing parts at the problem. Actually he should make an adjustment. You obviously needed none of the work he did

 

[BC38]

There are also any number of safety switches that can cause issues. Neutral start switch, seat switch, seat belt, temp, etc and so on. Being hot or cold can also make a difference. Best bet is to try to get a wiring diagram and see what all is on the start and run circuits. Then check each part.
Electrical gremlins can drive you nuts!

My thought exactly. In this context "safety switch" and "interlock" are pretty much synonyms.

My first thought was a safety-switch (or interlock) with slightly burned or gummed up contacts that work well enough when it is cold, but that breaks contact when it gets warm. The same could be true of the ignition switch. It may energize the ignition circuit just fine when it is cold, but if the contacts are only making a marginally good connection, once the switch warms up the contacts may not make enough of a connection to keep it running.

FWIW, Ohms law says that if the connection between the contacts is poor it will create resistance. Resistance=heat, and the connection will heat up. Which then causes the connection to degrade even further - until it is so bad it fails. Once it cools down it may work again.

Anyway, that may sound a little "far out there" but it is one theory of what could fit with the OP's symptoms.