the service
& repair hub
These are the basics for any gas-powered
engine. These points can be checked
BEFORE spending any cash on parts.
Check the Air Flow
Begin by raising the seat upon its hinges and
lifting the cushion out of the hinge brackets.
These hinges allow removal of the seat by
sliding the double-eared tab out of the hinge
slot. I missed this feature when I got the cart
and didn’t realize I could remove the seat
quickly and not have to hold it up with my
elbow while I worked.
Set the seat aside and locate the air filter box.
On the 1992 – 1996 model DS Club Car with
the FE290 Kawasaki engine, this is located
on the driver’s side of the opening, and it is
a black plastic box with two thumbscrews at
the back. Turn each of these 90 degrees to
unlatch and the back swings out. Note: if the
box’s position in the well makes it too difficult
to access the latches, remove the entire airbox
by loosening the hose clamps at the front and
back of the box.
Remove the Air Filter and inspect. It is
supposed to be white (or as close to it as
possible), not brown or black. If the filter is
not too oily but just dusty, use compressed
air to blow the dirt out of it. If you can’t get
enough of the contaminant out of the fibers,
you will need to replace it. Inspect the hose
that connects the airbox to the carburetor and
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make sure no splits or cracks are allowing the
air to bypass the filter and choke.
Check the Fuel
The fuel tank is on the passenger side of the
engine well and has a fuel filter inline on the
fuel line leading to the carburetor. If you have
one of the clear plastic filters, you can check
the color of the fuel inside it to ensure the
gasoline has not gotten too old and turned
to a “shellac” condition, usually indicated by
a darker amber color rather than a light clear
color…c’mon, we all know what gasoline is
SUPPOSED to look like. If it gets too old, it
not only loses its combustibility but becomes
thick and hard to pass through the filter and
carburetor jets. Note the position of the filter
with the tapered end and the flat end. The fuel
flow on this filter goes from tapered to flat
end…Don’t get this reversed!
Fuel Filter Orientation
If the filter is opaque and you cannot see the
fuel in it, open the gas tank and check the
gasoline there….you can tell if it is going to
shellac just by the smell. If the gas is too old
and you have any question about its quality,
pump the old gasoline out using a hand
pump and replace with fresh gas. Remove
the filter from the line and tap the back (the
side leading to the top of the fuel tank) on a
clean paper towel and see if any black sludgey
deposits stain the sheet. If so, you probably