Gasoline Powered Golf Carts...
 

I have noticed that the exhaust from a gas-powered golf cart tends to smell a bit like an outboard boat motor or an old Saab from the 1960's. Do you have to mix oil with the gas on a gas-powered cart?

No, all current gas golf carts use 4 stroke engines

Thanks.

Carts exhaust can smell bad from couple things carb. problems, choke sticking or stuck not fully opening, Dirty or gummed up carb., carb. out of adjustment causing over riched condition. Oil not being routinely checked or changed causing the cart engine to burn oil from overheating and wear (IMO this what's your smelling oil being burn if it smells like outboard engine, usually see blue haze coming out the exhaust pipe when load put on the engine or when letting off the gas pedal).

IMO most exhaust cart smell comes from over riched fuel mixture caused by lack of servicing. Nice about fuel injected cart engines most fuel related problems are gone. But in time fuel injected require routine maintenance like ejector cleaning and cold start mode operating properly.

I add a little stabil to each tank. Keeps the engine clean and it changes the smell.

IMO Stabil only treats the gas, your carb. or ejector may still get gummed up over time. Additives such as Gumout, Star Tron, Sea Foam, are few that actually remove deposit build ups.. Lots of other brands STP, Prestone, Red Line, ect... I find the marine brand sea foam does the best in both worlds tank and carb. being Boats usually set around most of the time. Setting causes gumming deposits. I agree stabil helps in alcohol blends and if you run your cart every day won't see problem for few years. It's when the cart sets idle the gumming of carb starts. Fuel injection carts don't have the gumming effect cause no fuel setting in carb. bowl. So if you only have to treat the gas stabil works good.

Your powers of observation are truly astounding:icon_bored:

I wish they would ban these obnoxious machines un the Villages. That would end all the debate about which to buy.

I never thought that they smelled bad. But it occurred to me that their scent was like an engine where you had to mix oil with the gas.

Do you mean ban gas carts? Or all carts? :^)

If you use high octane gas vs 87, your low compression golf cart engine cannot burn all the fuel that blend introduces into the combustion chamber. The unburned fuel that you pay extra for goes out the exhaust, and you can smell it. I know a lot of folks have bought into the mythology that your car, mower, cart, etc will run better, cleaner, and produce more HP on premium fuel, but you should never use the high octane unless your engine was designed to use it. If your engine is not a Turbo or high horsepower, it does not need high test gas. Don't take my word for it, do some research..

Remember lawn mower air cooled engine don't have modern day vehicle equipped emissions or standards. just in 2007 the two stroke engine was outlawed by the EPA now about every thing now 4 stoke due to the emission standards so you won't get the rotten egg smell or the nice clean smell coming from new car after it warms up. (why do cars smell bad when first started (cat hasn't got hot enough to burn off the hydrocarbons yet.)

IMO Those cart engines are getting worn out if you smell oil in the exhaust. Some are from lack of oil changes or checking the oil and keeping it in the XXXXX area on the dipstick. Some maybe just worn out from thousands hours of use (cart engine are air cooled lawn mower engines in majority of GCs) They should change the oil every 50 hours maximum (what ever the owners manual recommends?). IMO that would be at least 3 times year for most gas cart drivers due to the amount of use in the villages beings they do double duty transportation and golf course duty. ask any of the Golf cart dealers see what they tell you about oil change schedules. I bet they will tell you most cart owner don't do oil changes enough. maybe new cart will come with service light like most cars now days.

Elect cart drivers have less to worry about, but still have to do routine maintenance like charging the batteries, checking and filling batteries to the proper level, checking battery cables for corrosion, tires for proper air pressure, inspecting wiring under the bonnet for corrosion that battery acid fumes produce.

Same as cars/SUV/Trucks vehicle's still have pre-ventive requirements that most don't do or don't read owners manual for servicing schedule maintenance IMO.

We'd like electric but have met several couples who have one gas and one electric.....and the gas one frequently tows home the electric one when out of charge.

We see electric owners serving the batteries and electrical wiring glitches more than the machine serves them.

Yamaha gas cart is fine with regular tune-ups and Sta-bil added (less exhaust fumes).

To Buy Or Not To Buy A GasCartThat Is TheQuestion
 

Based on RC Moser's posts #4, 6, 12 a gas cart requires attention to the motor. While other posters have stated electric carts require attention to the batteries

The debate continues concerning the range of an electric vehicle. This single issue creates the decision to buy a gas cart. The question would be more precise for electric if the number of and age of the batteries were considered? 8-6 volts v 6-8 v 4-12 1-2-3-4-5- years old.

A prime factor is use of a cart. for golf only, as a second vehicle, as a primary vehicle

Weather also affects the range of an electric cart.

Your correct. People make the same mistake with motorcycles. I have had this discussion for years.

[QUOTE=Rc Moser;762240They should change the oil every 50 hours maximum (what ever the owners manual recommends?). IMO that would be at least 3 times year for most gas cart drivers due to the amount of use in the villages beings they do double duty transportation and golf course duty. ask any of the Golf cart dealers see what they tell you about oil change schedules. I bet they will tell you most cart owner don't do oil changes enough. maybe new cart will come with service light like most cars now days.
.[/QUOTE]

Yamaha manual specifies changing oil every 250 hours or 1200 miles. The Villages golf cart store recommends once a year. I drive my cart over 4,000 miles a year, none of it on a golf course, and have them service my cart once a year, but in between I change my oil twice using full synthetic Mobil 1.

Oil change
 

Yamaha 2010 gas cart: is there an oil filter? If so where do you buy them? Can you change the oil easily without jacking it up? Thanks

There are retirement communities that only allow electric carts. You might want to research them. You might be happier there because I don't think you'll get your wish here.

The state of California has banned gas carts....so apparently they adapt to the range issue...it just seems environmentally speaking, we are moving backward by getting gas...but I can't get over the noised....it's like riding on top of a lawn mower..

Shimpy IMO you are very wise, may I ask how much oil does you cart hold, I guessing around 1 quart? If so 7 bucks every 4 months is very cheap engine insurance IMO.


Well, I guess I lost that bet..:confused: Being mechanic for 45 years I would never leave oil in air cooled engine that long, but that me.. Not all gas cart exhaust omit obnoxious odor. Tunnels hold air if the wind not blowing like in Okkieland exhaust smell will build up (some tunnels are very busy, when I was there carts was lined up in peak times). So if you have several carts going in and out just like vechicle tunnels you will smell carbon oxide.

If your smelling oil (like the two stroke engine then something wrong with that cart. most likely with all the miles put of most these carts engines wear especially the the long oil change intervals IMO of course .. I was going to buy used cart due to my ability to do repairs and routine maintenance. Now I think I'll just buy new not get burned on these HIGH mileage carts beings there are no cart faxes.:wave::loco:

"The state of California has banned gas carts" sound like some need to move back get good whiff of that LA SMOG?" !:wave: IMO they also need to ban private airplanes, SUVs, limo's, sports cars, Hollywood, and movie stars. Amazing how actor's get rich and think they know everything when most of them only real job they had was waiter's.:rant-rave::rant-rave: Really don't want to here what I think of their Politlicktions so I will reframe myself. I normally don't respond to cala posts, but it's raining here and I am bored:Screen_of_Death:

just pointing it out....not wanting to live there, still debating which to get...but still feel the need to think about the environment...yes California has awful smog....but at least they recognized the problem and are doing something about it...rather than just taking a "live for today, who cares about future generations" approach

How does California generate it's electricity? I believe FL uses coal to generate electric power here, far stretch to the say electric is good for the environment, if that is the case.

Hey Bonnevie if it's that important to you then get electric. Nothing wrong with that and nothing wrong or against any law to get gas either in 56 other states:swear:. "o" I mean 49:a20:

For me I will probably get both. elect for short events and gas for the long hauls!

as for where cala get it energy source for electricity 53% from natural gas generated. Only 1.7% from coal Source gohttp://energyalmanac.ca.gov/overview/energy_sources.htmlggle search .

No oil filter on your cart - it's a "splash" lubrication system. A "pressurized" lubrication system will have an oil filter.

You can change the oil on in your cart without jacking it up.........but you'll probably be laying on your garage floor doing it since the cart sits so low. Pretty easy to get to the drain bolt. One thing I'd offer as a tip: Stuff a shop rag/paper towel into the small area between the bottom of the engine (right under the drain bolt) and the supporting frame/pan beneath it before cracking that drain bolt loose. The oil will have a tendency to want to drip back into that area when it's down to the last little bit of oil draining from the engine. If you don't catch it before in gets into that area, you'll wind up with occasional oil drips on your garage floor for a while - the oil that would get in there lies on that pan and winds up dripping out eventually. Remove the shop rag/paper towel after you're done reinstalling the drain bolt. Refill with one quart of oil.

FWIW, I change the oil in our cart every 1k miles. Seemed to be a reasonable balance based on the various recommendations in the owners manual - they list "rounds of golf", "hours (of engine operation)", and "miles". Using a semi-synthetic blend right now - switching to full synthetic on the next oil change.

Bill :)

Electricity doesn't just appear out of thin air. Much of what California considers environmentally friendly is bogus...and costs too much to pay for. I wouldn't cite California as a source of wisdom or foresight in any such matter.

And aren't newer gas cart getting just a bit quieter?

Sure a bit, but they are still noisy no matter.

I take it you don't own Harley!:a040: Any noise use to be regulated, now it like all well off nerd's and movie stars own Harley's and all sudden the noise from them OK. BS :cus:

I say reason gas carts are noisy same reason HD's are so people can hear you coming so you don't pull out in front of them or weave over into them. yep that's makes it alright!:popcorn:

Anyone notice if their gas cart emits fumes when parked overnight in their garage? Are there any gas carts that have non-vented fuel tanks like a car? Nothing worse than having a gasoline smell in your garage.

Carts do not have the complex computer controls/emission controls that auto have. These gas engines are similar to large lawn mower/lawn tractor motors.

2011 Yamaha has a sealed gas cap and there are no smells in the garage from the cart whatsoever..no battery acid leaking on the floor or driveway either..

Zero smell or fumes in the garage. Those that complain about fumes are in tunnels and it only lasts for a few seconds (tunnels are not that long). If they were behind a car it would be worse because the tunnels have no ventilation system and are not really needed as compared to a tunnel on the Penna. turnpike which are several miles long.
That said I don't know why they can't muffle a small engine in a cart when they can muffle a V8 in a car. If Honda would build one it would be quiet. Compare any A/C generator to Honda's and see how quiet Honda is. Notice all the vendors at the squares use only Honda. I guess it's just a matter of how much would you be willing to pay for quiet as Honda is expensive but so quiet.

the reason we bought electric golf carts is because of the noise and odor of the gas ones. :gc: