Bob's Tech Corner Article #2 - March 11, 2009

Spring Readiness
Is your fleet ready for the new season?

Finally, Spring has sprung! The smell of fresh cut grass is in the air but are your golf cars ready for a new season? Let's take a few minutes to review this short checklist to make sure your Yamaha Golf Cars are in tip-top shape and ready to take on the task.

Yamaha Gas Cars

Winter Service: Unless this was performed before storage (recommended), it should be completed before cars are placed back into service.

  • Engine oil change
  • Air filter and pre-filter replacement
  • Spark plug replacement
  • Fuel filter replacement

Test Drive: Drive car long enough to reach the engine operating temperature. Note: Engine may smoke momentarily if oil was added to the cylinder before storage. This will burn away in a short period of time. Also, you may notice the engine may crank longer after storage, especially if you drained the carburetor float bowl prior to storage. This is normal, just make sure to use the choke when cranking.

Yamaha Electric Cars

Check Charger Operation: Make sure all AC outlets in your storage area are operational. Plug charger into charge receptacle and wait for the charger to turn on.

Battery Care and Maintenance
Battery Watering: Do not use water with a high mineral content. Use distilled or deionized water only.
Water levels: Never add water to a battery before charging unless the water level is below the tops of the plates. If this is the case, add just enough to cover the plates, then charge. After the charge cycle is complete add enough water to reach just ¼ inch below the fill well (see photo).



Clean, tight connections and free of corrosion: Baking soda 50/50 percent solution.
Charging: Make sure each car is fully charged before sending out. It is important to point out how temperature plays a role in the performance of your battery pack. Cooler temperatures reduce the battery capacity or how long we can go on a charge. Also cooler temperatures will retard the charging process. Meaning a longer charge time to fully charge batteries versus in warmer temperatures.

Tire Pressure: Huge on electric cars! The performance of an electric car is dependent upon the proper tire air pressure. 18 to 20 psi.

Test Drive

Both Gas and Electric-powered Yamaha Golf Cars

  • Visual check of engine compartment: Believe it or not, animals have been known to build nests in the engine/battery compartments of golf cars. Look for nests, chewed wires, etc. Also, look for corroded battery connections.
  • Check operation with the ignition key in the “off” position.
    • Brakes
    • Park Brake
    • Accelerator
    • Steering
    • Choke (gas cars)
  • Tire pressure
    • Gas cars - 16 psi
    • Electric cars -18 to 20 psi
  • Test Drive

It just takes a few minutes per car to perform the checks listed. The payback will be ensuring superior performance and reliability in your golf cars.

Download a printable PDF

My name is Bob Bitting and I’m the Director of Customer Service at Golf Car Specialties. I’ve been with the company for 5 years and my experience in the golf car service business dates back to 1978. I started working on and racing motorcycles when I was 14, but before that I worked on Studebakers and Packards as my step-father was a Studebaker dealer back in the 50's and 60's.

In 1978 I started as a mechanic for a golf car dealer when the first Yamaha G1A was introduced to the USA. In 1992 I began working for Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation as a Field Service Representative. During the next eleven years I learned a great deal of the inner-workings and manufacturing process of the Yamaha Golf car.

If you have a specific question or would like some technical advice, feel free to email me. bob@golfcarspecialties.com