1980 yamaha golf cart starts but won't run

[tassajara]

my 1980 yamaha golf cart will start and idle but when you give it gas it will do nothing more than idle. Could it have a automatic feature that when you get below a quarter tank that it won't allow you to run it dry or is this a carb problem?

[Michael Eddie]

No automatic feature, to run you need gas, compression and spark. If you are missing any of them then the cart will not run. You can take some 2 cycle mix and pour a tablespoon of it into the spark plug hole, replace and try to start again. If it starts then you know that it is a fuel problem. If it does not then check for spark and compression.

[tassajara]

when you say to put a tablespoon of two cycle mix in the spark plug hole you mean two cycle oil stright? also could this start but idle only symptom be a result of old gas in the tank? Thanks, Ray

[Michael Eddie]

No, mix meaning oil and gas mixed at 80:1 ratio. How long was the golf cart sitting?

[tassajara]

just a little over a week ... but it has sat 3 to 6 months at a time.

[Michael Eddie]

Okay, the gas should be fine unless it is over a year old. Try what I said above, it is an easy way to find out if your cart is getting gas because if it runs for a few seconds, then it is not getting gas. If it does not than you know that there is another problem.