1998 Club Car won't start has fuel compression spark

kodire19

Having an issue with a 98 club car with a Kawasaki FE engine. Has compression (120+psi), fuel (brand new carburetor), and spark. No ethanol fuel has ever been used. Drained fuel tank and swabbed dry. Attempts to run for a second and moves about a foot or two before dying. Does pop/backfire occasionally, valves have been adjusted and move freely with no sticking. Have removed exhaust and still no luck. Very very rarely, like once a month it'll run fine for 5 minutes or so. Could it possibly be the rpm limiter? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

BGW

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meimk

How are you determining you have spark & fuel? Have you pulled the spark plug and watched it spark against the head? Have you sprayed either or carb cleaner into the carburetor throat to see if it would fire momentarily on that?

kodire19

I've used my ignition tester to test for spark and have also layer the spark plug against the head to make sure it was firing. I also replaced the plug just to be sure. I've used carb cleaner and starting fluid and it acts the same way. It hits a few times on carb cleaner or just gasoline, then pops/sputters. You can let off the gas pedal and it'll attempt to start again, but does the same thing.

kodire19

I'm also a small engine mechanic of 8 years now so I know my way around most small engines like these, but this one has me really stumped.

meimk

If it "hits a few times" then pops & sputters it sure sounds fuel related to me. Most of the replacement carbs out there are Chinese knock offs - some with the branding of reputable makers stamped onto them. I've seen way to many with metal filings in the jets or passages not drilled all the way through, cracks in the float bowl, loose fits around the throttle shaft.
Even the "let off the gas pedal and it'll attempt to start again" suggests it's not getting enough fuel to match the amount of air going in. I would take a long hard look at that new carburetor.

Jcbrock

I had a similar problem that sure sounded fuel related, but it turned out to be a loose wire going to the RPM limiter (I think). The wire was still connected and looked good, but when I hit it, the cart fired up and has run fine ever since. Turns out the connector had gotten loose so I tightened everything back up.

I say I think it was the RPM limiter b/c I am not a small engine mechanic but the wire ran to a small box on the bottom of the motor. I, too, checked compression, spark and fuel and all looked good. It was purely by the grace of God (because I was about to strangle my daughter who I thought had caused the issue )that I happened to hit that wire.

kodire19

I work at a Kawasaki dealership and ordered it through them so it is an OEM replacement part. I have checked the carb several times, but I guess one more time can't hurt. It honestly does sound fuel related, but I'm leaning towards rpm limiter as stated above. I just don't want to throw unnecessary parts at it.

meimk

FYI: The RPM limiter limits the RPM's by interrupting the spark - shorting the spark to ground. If it's the reason for not running, it would be because there is no spark. Easy to test: Detach the brown wire from the RPM limiter that goes to ground on the mounting strap for the limiter. See if it runs.

kodire19

Already tried that, and didn't make a difference. Is there anything else electrical that could be giving me this problem?

meimk

The coil on those is kind of "self contained", a magneto really. It generates the electricity that it uses to create the spark, times the spark, and delivers that spark through the high tension wire that is built on to it. The spark is only stopped when it's shorted to ground before it lights the plug. There is a black wire (spade terminal) off the coil (sometimes called ignitor) that goes to the RPM limiter box and onward to the lower micro switch in the black control box (by the air cleaner) and finally through the ignition key switch. From the coil itself and the RPM limiter there is a white w/black tracer wire that runs up the passenger side of the engine. That's the path for that ground through the micro switch and ignition key switch. Unplug the bullet connector along that wire (near the oil dipstick tube) and you will have removed everything from the equation except the short wire run from the coil itself to the RPM limiter box.
Thing is, you said you have spark. If the engine is cranking there is nothing else electrical but the coil generating that spark.