Last night I starting tearing down the 295cc Robins 4-stroke for Leigh’s E-Z-Go Golf Cart.
Quite some time ago this engine started smoking and then it would intermittently die. I’d walk out to wherever the cart quit, clean the plugs and it would be good to go for a while. I figured it was just going to be a piston ring and valve seal job, but had other projects in the works so I removed the engine from the cart and decided to take it to Mowers and Motors on Nevada Ave in Colorado Springs.
I had already expected to pay more than I wanted to, being able to do this stuff myself, but also not at all against paying someone a fair rate for a good job. So I dropped it off and after more than a month of phone calls to them and excuses, I was told, “Come pick it up. There’s nothing we can do with it.” When I got there to pick it up, I was given my previously running engine back as a bunch of parts in 3 separate boxes!
I took those boxes of parts home and proceeded to reassemble it like a puzzle, not having been the one to disassemble it in the first place. At least everything was there. Then I went online to Blockbuster Golf Carts, Inc and ordered what I thought I’d need. In about a week, I was back at it. The gasket kit was complete and everthing I ordered was there.
These little engines are quite a bit more industrial than I expected, having crank bearings that are a standard ball & race instead of some cheap sleeve bearing, replaceable seals at all rotating penetrations, O-rings where possible, and sealing sufaces on the lower case that would make Harley and/or Davidson drool. Even though they’re well designed, I noticed some improvements in the replacement parts over the OEM such as oil ring design & 2nd ring wiper surface, and springs around inner seals where there were no previous accommodations (see inset, photo below).
I popped out the pistons to replace the rings, but there were no major wear indications on the bearings and they were in spec so I reinstalled the originals after a good cleaning, lapped the valves in their seats, and set the lash @ .004. The engine and head were so little and light that the job was done at a relaxing, hobby-like pace on the work bench in less than a day – a nice break from the cast iron stuff I usually seem to find myself hossing around.
By the end of the night, I had the engine back in the cart and was driving it around the yard. It’s running well but seemed weak beyond half-throttle so I’ll pull the carb back off tomorrow and give it a good going over. I should’ve just done this job myself in the first place.
I know the ‘installed’ shots are a little dark, but it was late and the flash gave up the ghost on the camera. Maybe I’ll just drop it off at a repair shop to get the bulb changed…
Nah. ;-)
