The hierarchy of equations of motion for equal-time Green functions in temporal gauge SU(N) Yang Mills theory is truncated using an expansion in terms of connected Green functions. A second hierarchy of constraint equations arises from Gauss law and can be truncated in a similar way. Within this approximation scheme we investigate SU(2) Yang Mills theory on a torus in 2+1 spacetime dimensions in a finite basis of plane wave states and focus on infrared and ultraviolet properties of the approach. In all truncation schemes considered up to the 4-point level the connected Green function approach is found to be UV divergent and to violate gauge invariance. The problems associated with adiabatically generating a nonperturbative ground state are discussed as well.1998 Academic Press 155 0003-4916Â98 25.00