I just picked up a used 2002 GEM, and have put about 300 miles on it around town in three weeks. It has just started a squeak in the right front which sounds suspiciously like a wheel bearing.
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I note a zerk on each front wheel, assume that is for the bearing. What lube is recommended (there is no mention of lubrication in the owner’s manual)
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What schedule for lube? are there other points I should be looking for?
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Is there another potential cause?
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If the bearing is shot, how big a deal is it to replace?
Love the car, which seems perfectly suited to my community which has low speed limits, short distances, mild climate and $.05/kwh hydro power.
Bill Butler
Ashland, OR
If you have a 2005-newer GEM there are no grease zercs. So the squeak could be from a brake or wheel bearing. Vehicles prior have 4 grease zercs on the front suspension (upper & lower) Kingpins of the front Knuckles. Grease those once every few months at best. Most people never lube them the entire life of the vehicle. They will get dry and may not take grease but in worse case can be replaced. You can get a new Owners manual that may help or a Service manual from GEM Parts @ NEV Service
[QUOTE=nev.tech;7963] You can get a new Owners manual that may help or a Service manual from GEM Parts @ NEV Service[/QUOTE]
Thanks,
I discovered that I have a service manual on disc in the stack of stuff that came with the car; am working my way through it now. (seems to be for '04 and later, though–mine is an '02)
I’m sorting through the kinds of stuff one should expect in the impulse buy of a 7-year-old car: local glazier is replacing the crazed plexi moon roof with lexan, I’ve replaced one wheel cylinder, etc., but a new one cropped up yesterday:
The speedometer stopped indicating; shows 0000. It time-shares with the charge indicator as normal, and the governor seems to be telling me we are doing 25-28 per normal, but no speedo.
At just the same time, perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, I got a new noise from the front end. (differential has oil; I checked) Got any thoughts?
Bill Butler
Ashland, OR
p.s. where is the nearest NEV mobile service?
Speedo is gone due to loss of tach signal from speed sensor on motor. You will have to replace the speed sensor to start accumulating mileage again and show speed. Noise could be from motor, or diff, or bad cv joint on one of the front shafts. Try to narrow it down left to right. I would put the car on jack stands and have someone run the accelerator while you use a stephoscope (piece of pipe will suffice) to pin point the noise.
Service might be tough in that NW region of the US. The market is not that strong up there. Call NEV Service to find out if they have a service center they can direct you to if you need help. Otherwise for parts go to their parts web site at NEV Service or gemcar.com to locate a dealer.
[QUOTE=nev.tech;7965]Speedo is gone due to loss of tach signal from speed sensor on motor. You will have to replace the speed sensor to start accumulating mileage again and show speed. [/QUOTE]
Thanks,
I’ve also just noticed a slight hesitation when I depress the accelerator. Would that have the same cause?
Bill
Yeh the hesitation may be due to speed sensor inoperation, sometimes may even create a surge when driving. The power and ground wire to the sensor are not shorted otherwise it would create a stall out condition and possibly an error code -51. My best guess is the green transmit wire is not sending signal to the controller or it is not receiving signal from the motor magnet. If the motor magnet is broken then the motor would probably have to be replaced. GE brand motors are not user friendly on that end unless it is a very old style 3.5hp motor that actually has a replacement magnet for it and separate speed sensor. You would have to contact a GEM dealer for part inquiries.
Thanx,
Your replies have been very helpful. I’ll post updates as I wade through this. I suspect this is one of the 3.5hp motors; how will I know for sure? If it needs replacement, I’d like to go to the “Ride-4-Fun” 7.5. Any opinion?
Bill
The motors have labels on them which will tell you HP. My opinion on those D&D 7.5 motors is, don’t touch 'em! I’ve heard guys have problems that then ruined their controllers.
[QUOTE=nev.tech;7970]The motors have labels on them which will tell you HP. [/QUOTE]
Thanks. The label is located so you can’t see the hp, of course, but I could just make out the pn for the 5hp. I disconnected the pigtail and sprayed a little contact cleaner to no avail, so have ordered the replacement sensor.
Before I start prying and pulling, is there any trick to removing the old sensor?
Thanks for all your invaluable advice.
Bill Butler
Ashland, OR
The sensor is held in place with a small wire clamp and screw over the pigtail harness. The sensor itself just pops in to the motor housing. Small flat screwdriver will suffice.
[QUOTE=nev.tech;7976]The sensor is held in place with a small wire clamp and screw over the pigtail harness. The sensor itself just pops in to the motor housing. Small flat screwdriver will suffice.[/QUOTE]
Thanx,
Got one on the way.
Bill
[QUOTE=nev.tech;7976]The sensor is held in place with a small wire clamp and screw over the pigtail harness. The sensor itself just pops in to the motor housing. Small flat screwdriver will suffice.[/QUOTE]
You were right; FEDEX’d in before noon, 5-minute install. No change.
I assume this means new motor?
Bill in Ashland
I have a 2007 GEM E4 with an Error code 81 indicating the speed sensor is bad. I have replace the sensor and it did not correct the problem. The magnet is good and the batteries are fully charged. Any ideas?
Have a 2002 E825 however it looks like the previous owner upgraded the motor, as the Speed Sensor doesn’t match the 2002 images from the E825 Parts Catalog.
From reading other posts it looks like the Club Car Speed Sensor may be usable as a replacement?
Thanks in advance!
-Clint
