What is a Golf Cart Carburetor?

A golf cart carburetor is the "throat" of any gas golf cart engine. It works to blend air and fuel together at just the right amount for your engine to run smoothly. Fuel injected golf cart engines are available on many newer model carts, but if you have an older cart, you may have a carbureted example.

How a Carburetor for Golf Cart Works

1. Step 1: Air Intake: When your cart's engine turns on, it creates a vacuum (sucking effect). When this happens air is drawn into the carburetor through your air intake.
2. Step 2: Venturi Effect: Inside your carburetor, there's a narrowed section called the venturi. When air flows through this tight spot, its speed increases rapidly, which then pulls fuel into the air as it rushes past.
3. Step 3: Fuel Mixture: Your carburetor controls this fuel flowing into the air based on both throttle settings and how hard you are pressing the accelerator on your cart.
4. Step 4: Ignition: The air/fuel mixture enters your engine's combustion chamber, where it’s ignited (explodes) to produce power. Ideally, you have an optimal fuel-air mixture for healthy combustion, full power, and the best gas mileage out of your cart.

Golf cart carburetors can be adjusted for different driving conditions, and their main parts include the jet, float chamber, a throttle valve, and choke to help add extra fuel to get your cart going when the engine is cold.

When to Replace or Clean Your Carburetor

Over time, your golf cart's carburetor can get clogged up from old or bad gas and debris. You might notice a few things if your golf cart carburetor is going bad:

1. Cart runs rough: If your cart shakes at idle or feels underpowered, your carb could be clogged.
2. Struggling to accelerate: Reduced torque and acceleration off the line for your cart can also be a sign of a bad carburetor
3. Golf cart won't start: One potential reason your cart may be failing to start is a bad (gunked up) carburetor. You may also have flooded your carb, which is a different issue that is pretty easy to fix.
4. Carb leaking: You may notice the seals on your carb are dripping.

Keeping your golf cart carburetor clean and doing a minor adjustments every once in awhile can make all the difference in how well your carburetor makes your engine perform. If your gas cart is running rough, we always recommend cleaning the carb first (along with a new air filter and spark plug). But if your carb is truly shot, then have no fear! The Golf Cart Tire Supply stocks tons of golf cart carburetors for all EZGO, Club Car and Yamaha golf carts.

We also stock thousands of replacement golf cart parts for your cart. Don't see the part you need? Give us a call at 1-844-422-7884 today!