How to Change the Oil in a Club Car Golf Cart
by Kevin Mclain
A Club Car is a golf cart brand. The Club Car golf carts come with either gasoline-powered engines or electric motors. The gasoline-powered engines require an oil change at regular intervals, just as regular vehicles do. The Club Car engine does not have an oil drain plug for the engine oil, so the oil has to be drained from the oil filter itself. The oil is added through the oil cap located on the top of the engine.
Step 1
Park the Club Car golf cart on a flat surface and turn the engine off.
Step 2
Locate the round oil cap on the top of the engine. Unscrew the oil cap and place it in a safe area. Remove the oil dipstick from the driver's side of the engine. Wipe the dipstick off with a clean rag and place it in a safe area.
Step 3
Slide under the driver's side of the engine and locate the oil filter that is attached to the engine, in front of the clutch pedal. Place a drip pan under the oil filter. Loosen and remove the three bolts that secure the base of the oil filter to the engine, using an open-end wrench. Hold the oil filter with one hand while removing the bolts with the other hand. Place the bolts on the ground.
Step 4
Slowly pull the oil filter off the engine. Ensure that the O-ring is still attached to the top of the oil filter. If not, check the oil filter base on the engine for the O-ring. Place the O-ring on the ground, near the bolts. Place the oil filter into the drip pan and wait for all of the oil to drain out of the engine.
Step 5
Ensure that the new oil filter has a new O-ring attached to the top of it. If not, place the old O-ring on top of the new filter. Secure the new oil filter to the engine with the three bolts, using the open-end wrench. Torque the three oil filter bolts down to between 25 and 30 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and a socket.
Step 6
Move back to the top of the engine and place a funnel into the engine oil cap hole. Pour in 1 1/4 quarts of 10W-30 motor oil into the engine. Remove the funnel and screw the oil cap back on. Place the dipstick back into the dipstick tube.
Step 7
Crank the engine and let it run for about 30 seconds. Turn the engine off and let it sit for about one minute, so that the oil can drain back down out of the engine. Pull the dipstick back out and check the oil level on the dipstick. The oil should be at the "Full" mark. If not, add oil in small amounts until the oil level reaches the "Full" mark.
References
- " Factory Service Manual for 1995 to 1996 DS Gas and 1995 to 1997 DS Electric Club Car;" Club Car LLC; 1998
Tips
- The gasoline engine on the Club Car golf carts hold between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 quarts of 10W-30 engine oil.
- The oil filter for the Club Car golf cart can be found at major retail hardware stores or at a Club Car golf cart dealership/parts place.
Things You'll Need
- Protective gloves
- Clean rags
- Drip pan
- Open-end wrench set
- New oil filter with O-ring
- Torque wrench
- Funnel
- 2 quarts of 10W-30 motor oil
Warnings
- Use caution when changing hot engine oil. Wear protective gloves to prevent burns to the skin.
- Do not overfill the engine. This can result in permanent damage to the engine.
Writer Bio
Kevin Mclain has more than 20 years of automotive, home improvement and landscaping experience. He has been writing for various online publications since 2002. Mclain has U.S. Army certification in automotive maintenance and repair, among more than 15 additional certifications related to the automotive field.
