How to Troubleshoot a Taylor Dunn Tee Bird

The Tee Bird is a vintage golf cart that was manufactured by Taylor Dunn from 1961 until 1969. The earliest models had three wheels, but later versions had four wheels. The Tee Bird is a fully electrical-powered cart powered by a 6-volt rechargeable battery. The Tee Bird is a versatile vehicle, but does need minor repairs from time to time. Troubleshooting and repairing most problems on the Tee Bird will take an hour or two.

Things You'll Need

  • Digital multimeter
  • New battery (if needed)
  • Phillips screwdriver
  • New start switch (if needed)
  • Brake fluid
  • Air pump
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Instructions

    • 1

      Analyze the battery first if the cart will not power up. Access the battery by lifting up on the seat. Turn the multimeter on to the voltage setting and place the red meter lead to the positive battery cable and the black meter lead to the negative battery terminal. The voltage reading should be 12 volts. If is lower, either charge the battery or replace it if the battery will not take a charge.

    • 2

      Analyze the start switch connections if the cart will not start. To do this, remove the start switch panel screws with the Phillips screwdriver and pull the panel forward out of the dash. The wire connectors must be plugged in tightly. If they are, and the switch does not work, it needs to be replaced. Remove the connector wires from the back of the old switch and remove the retaining screw holding the old start switch in place. Slide the new switch in, tighten the retaining screw and then plug the wire connectors to the terminals on the back of the switch. Slide the switch panel back into the dash and replace the retaining screws.

    • 3

      Evaluate the brake fluid if the cart has trouble stopping or if there seems to be play in the brake pedal when it is pushed in. Raise the hood of the cart and locate the master cylinder reservoir on the right hand side of the engine block. Flip the reservoir locking bar over with the screwdriver and remove the lid. Fill the reservoir with brake fluid, replace the lid and flip the locking bar back into position.

    • 4

      Add air to the cart tires with an air compressor if the tires are low. Tee Bird tires take between 20 to 22 pounds per square inch (PSI) of air.