How to Fix Golf Cart Spark Plugs Not Sparking (STEPS)

Table of Contents

Why your Golf Cart Spark Plug is Not Working

A golf cart spark plug may not be working due to a broken insulator, loose ground connection or a faulty RPM limiter in the golf cart.

A spark plug helps to ignite the air/fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber of an engine. This component plays a critical role in small engines. There could be many reasons why your golf cart spark plug is not working. Some of them are given below.

The insulator in the spark plug is broken causing an internal grounding.
There is a loose ground connection from the battery to the frame or frame to the engine. The grounds fitted near the igniter and solenoid may also be loose. Alternatively, the connections may be dirty.
There is a faulty RPM limiter in the golf cart.
The igniter has failed because of a bad voltage regulator.

How to Fix a Golf Cart Spark Plug Not Firing

Your can fix a golf cart spark plug not firing by replacing the igniter coils and cleaning the carburetor.

1992 to 1997 model Club Cars

Remove the black/white wire connection from the limiter near the base of the dipstick and start the cart. If it starts, it indicates a problem with the microswitch present behind the F&R lever or in the black box. Sometimes, the key switch may be at fault or there is a short in the wire connection to the black box.
Disconnect the brown-colored ground wire connection of the limiter and tape it. This is normally seen to the left of the limiter and below the limiter mounting bolt. The disconnection results in bypassing the RPM limiter. If the cart starts with this wire removed, the RPM limiter needs a replacement.
Replace the igniter with a new coil that has an inbuilt regulator. This step can be omitted for 1997 model carts.
Replace the coil if the above igniter replacement was done with an igniter that was not fitted to a coil.

Yamaha G16 Golf Cart

Ground the threaded portion of the spark plug that is connected to the engine.
Crank the engine and check for spark.
If there is no spark, unplug the white plug with blue and black wires that are at the bottom of the engine under the valve cover.
Check for spark once again. If there is a spark, the coil is in good condition and the ignition kill relay or its wiring is at fault.
If there is no spark once again, the coil is at fault and needs a replacement.
Disassemble and clean the carburetor thoroughly. Allow the parts to air dry completely and then put them back again.
Ensure that the throttle shaft opens up when the pedal is pushed.
Check for a broken accelerator cable and plugged air filter. Replace the cable if it’s broken and clear the air filter so that it can create the vacuum to pull out the required fuel from the bowl.
Check the wiring connections on the starter/generator and correct them if they have been reversed.

1997 EZGO cart

Tap the microswitch with the pedal pushed downwards. Sometimes the switch may have corroded because of extensive contact with water or dirt and this may have caused a bad connection. Check the continuity of the switch wires using a meter.
Check if the compression valve used is appropriate for the golf cart.
Check for grounding connections between the frame and the battery as well as the frame and the engine. Ensure that the igniter is grounded to the frame.
Check if the small wires by the side of the igniter have a voltage rating. You’ll need a voltmeter to check this.
Check for cracks in the plug wires and do a replacement if needed.

Golf cart spark plug socket size

The spark plug socket size depends on the type of golf cart that you have and its model. The plug gap also varies accordingly.

Most EZGO golf carts have a 15/16 inches socket while a 1993 model has a socket size of 1-1/8 inches.

Yamaha G1, G9, G16 cart spark plug socket size

Yamaha golf carts usually have a standard socket size of 13/16 inches for their spark plugs.

The Yamaha G1 has a socket size of 13/16 inches.
The Yamaha G9 has an NGK BR5ES spark plug with a socket size of 13/16 inches.
The Yamaha G16 has a socket size of 13/16 inches.

EZGO TXT/RXV Spark Plug Gap

EZGO TXT/RXV with NGK BP4HS spark plugs have a spark plug gap between 0.025 and 0.030 inches.
EZGO golf carts with NGK BPR4ES spark plugs typically have a spark plug gap between 0.028 and 0.030 inches.
EZGO golf carts with NGKBP5HS spark plugs have a spark plug gap of about 0.025 inches.

94 Club Car Spark Plug Gap

94 Club Cars have a spark plug gap between 0.028 and 0.032 inches. Maintenance can usually be done at 0.30 inches.
92+ model Club Cars with Kawasaki OHV FE engines and NGK BP5ES spark plugs have a gap ranging between 0.027 and 0.031 inches.

Club Car DS spark plug gap

The spark plug gap of a 1998 Club Car DS and a 2006 Club Car DS range between 0.027 to 0.031 inches.
The spark plug gap of a 1996 Club Car DS can be anywhere between 0.028 to 0.032 inches.

Club Car Precedent Spark Plug Gap

A 2006 Club Car Precedent with an NKGBP5ES spark plug has a spark plug gap of about 0.027 to 0.31 inches.

Yamaha G1 Spark Plug Gap

Yamaha G1 golf carts with either an NGK BP5HS (medium-altitude) or an NGK BP4HS (high altitude) spark plug have a spark plug gap of 0.024 to 0.028 inches.

Yamaha G2 Spark Plug Gap

Yamaha G2 golf carts with an NGK BP4ES spark plug have a spark plug gap of 0.028 to 0.031 inches.

Yamaha G9 Cart Spark Plug Instructions

Yamaha G9 golf carts have NGK BR4ES spark plug with a long reach of 14mm x ¾ inch. However, some of them utilize anNGK BPR2ES spark plug. The following are some points worth looking into if you have an issue with the spark plug in your cart.

Remove the carburetor, dismantle it and clean it thoroughly. Assemble the unit and put it back in place.
Check that the airbox is completely sealed at the top. You may need to wrap bungees around the air box for the sealing to be effective.
Ensure that the spacer present on the carburetor is not cracked because of over-tightening and do a replacement if needed. The cracks will cause poor running of the cart at low throttles.
Check for a bad igniter. You can do this by taking one from another cart and putting it in your cart to test.
Clean the main jet spray and remove any clog present in it.
Remove the air box hose and try to run the cart at varying choke levels. If you aren’t able to identify the exact level at which the cart runs, it may be a problem with the carburetor or an igniter or fuel supply issue.
Check for black smoke from the exhaust. Black smoke is a sign of incomplete combustion. This will increase as the choke level is increased. As a result, the spark plug tends to get fouled.

Yamaha G14 Spark Plug Gap

Yamaha G14 golf carts with an NGK BP4ES spark plug have a spark plug gap of 0.028 to 0.031 inches.

Yamaha G22 Spark Plug Gap

Yamaha G22 golf carts with an NGK BPR2ES spark plug have a spark plug gap of 0.028 to 0.031 inches.

EZGO TXT/RXV Won’t Start and Not Sparking

Check for spark by replacing the existing spark plug with a clean and new plug. Although the old plug may appear to be in good condition, it could have got shorted because of carbon.
Check if the coil wires are secured firmly on to the coil studs and the bracket is well-grounded.
Check if there is power in the coil during cranking and also on either side of the field. If there is no power, it’s an issue with the fuse wiring.
Check for a single spark after cranking. This indicates that there is power and the coil is in good condition but the igniter is faulty. You’ll have to go in for an igniter replacement.
Check the micro switch by tapping it with the gas pedal pushed downwards. Extended use in water or dirt or the cart sitting idle for a long time can make the contact corroded.
Check for a bad ground connection by disconnecting the three cables from the ground point on the frame. Keep the frame sanded to the bare metal. Clean the lugs present on the disconnected wires and replace them in case of damage. Also, check the ground wires connected on to the bracket on which the starter solenoid and igniter are fitted.
Check for power connection at the wiring behind the flywheel. A damaged wiring connection can result in no juice at this point. You’ll have to redo the connection.
Remove the connector from the igniter and check if you have a 12-volt rating on the wire in the plug from the harness when the pedal is pushed.
Check if the battery polarity is reversed and change it by allowing it to run completely dead and recharging it with the correct polarity.

Club Car Golf Cart has No Spark

Remove the small black/white wire that is present near the oil tube and is fitted with a connection. This removal disconnects the kill wire.
Disconnect the brown wire that is connected to the mounting bolt on the rev limiter and tape it to avoid contact with the engine’s metal surface. This bypasses the rev limiter.
If the above two methods do not work, it’s time for a coil or igniter replacement. Some igniters come with coils fitted on them.

How to Fix Yamaha G2 Cart that has No Spark

Check for a loose or broken wiring connection and tighten it or replace the broken wire as needed.
Check the resistance of the primary coil, test coil and secondary coil. This should ideally be 11.2 to 15.2 kilo ohms.
Unscrew the spark plug cap and cut off a small portion. Screw the cap back in position.
Check the pickup coil resistance by unplugging the round connector coming from the wire harness. This should be between 495 and 605 ohms.
Check for reverse connection of one or more batteries and correct the same. Also, check for a faulty battery.
Check if the wiring harness is too short or thin. You may need to replace it with a longer 12 gauge wire.
Check the switch in the gas pedal and for a good ground in the coil. Often, black wire is present under the screw that holds the coil in place.

How to Fix Yamaha G16 Golf Cart that has No Spark

Disconnect the single blue wire connection from the coil. Ensure that there is a gap of 0.012 inches between the magnet on the flywheel and the coil.
Crank the engine and check for spark. If it sparks, the coil is alright and the disconnected wire is grounded and you’ll have to look out for the bad start/stop relay. If there is no spark, the coil will have to be replaced.
Remove the white plug present ahead of the motor and on top of the sub-frame mount. This will inhibit the coil grounding action by the engine stop relay.
Replace the TCI coil present below the air shroud that is located on the passenger side of the engine. It’s likely to have rubbed through the insulation and come out of the cover.
Check for a malfunctioning CDI unit. This is present at the rear of the flywheel on the passenger side.

How to Fix Yamaha G22 that has No Spark

Take off the white plug with two wires present at the bottom before the engine and check for spark. This plug acts as an interface between the kill relay and the TCI coil. When it’s unplugged, if the kill relay or its wires are faulty, there should be a spark whenever the engine turns.

How to Troubleshoot Yamaha G9 that has No Spark

Check all the connectors, fuses and plugs, especially the plug present on the igniter for a wiring problem.
Swap the igniter with one from another G9 cart. It’s recommended that you do the tune-up and wire checking before buying any igniter related parts.
Check to see that there is no problem with the fuel line or fuel pump.
Check for a faulty stop-start switch. Unplug the pedal switch and cross it over using a jumper.
Check for a faulty CDI and do a replacement. Make sure that the coil is replaced as well.
Check for a corroded or loose connector as well as a broken or bad wire in the harness. Do an appropriate replacement.