Early Marathon Problem

capthump1 · 08-28-2012, 09:12 PM

Just picked up an ealy 80's Marathon gasser, got it running. Previous ower had the starter wired wrong. I disconnected the oil injection system and removed it. Premix 128:1.Cart rans faorly well. The one problem I'm having is with the clutches. It has to rev pretty high before it starts to move and it kind of does it with a jerk. Primary clutch? Up on blocks everything looks ok, primary closes secondary opens. On the ground you have to rev it before it jumps into gear, both fwd & rev.And it seems like it should be going faster, but it I'm used to my Workhorse. Any ideas?

pachanga90 · 08-28-2012, 10:06 PM

Is the belt worn?A loose and Narrow belt will cause alot of problems,I'd start there if everything else looks ok.

capthump1 · 08-29-2012, 09:16 AM

Belt looks ok. Its just that you have to get the revs up before the clutch engages. Then bang, off you go, you can get whiplass on this cart.

1fast67 · 08-30-2012, 09:52 PM

A new belt is 1 3/16" wide and if your belt is below 1" it is most likely slipping cause it to grab hard. I would measure it to be sure. Im with pachanga on this one.

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capthump1 · 08-31-2012, 08:00 AM

I'll break out the ruler but my calibrated eyeball says its about that.

1fast67 · 08-31-2012, 08:03 PM

I just thought of something else to check. Maybe try spraying some wd-40 on your secondary clutch where the spring is. There might be some dirt in there or the bushing is getting worn enough to where the sheaves are binding up. Food for thought.

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pachanga90 · 08-31-2012, 08:21 PM

If its' taking off hard,thats either the belt is too narrow,too short(not the case here,revs alot on takeoff),or the Primary-Clutch spring is too stiff,or the clutch is binding.The secondary won't start to open till its' underway.

1fast67 · 08-31-2012, 08:31 PM

Now that i think about it your right. My bad. It was just a thought.

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capthump1 · 09-10-2012, 11:17 AM

Well I finally measured the belt it was 1 1/16, I orderd a new one. Will see if that does it. It seems the primary has to move abit before it grabs the belt, the extra 1/8" will definetly help.

pachanga90 · 09-10-2012, 06:25 PM

If the belt is worn on its' width,its' also stretched in length,which will also cause your complaint.Keep us posted.

08-28-2012, 09:12 PM	#1
capthump1 Getting Wild Join Date: May 2009 Location: (winter) Homosassa,Fl / (summer) Bayonne,N.J./ Port Jervis, N.Y. Posts: 131	Early Marathon Problem Just picked up an ealy 80's Marathon gasser, got it running. Previous ower had the starter wired wrong. I disconnected the oil injection system and removed it. Premix 128:1.Cart rans faorly well. The one problem I'm having is with the clutches. It has to rev pretty high before it starts to move and it kind of does it with a jerk. Primary clutch? Up on blocks everything looks ok, primary closes secondary opens. On the ground you have to rev it before it jumps into gear, both fwd & rev.And it seems like it should be going faster, but it I'm used to my Workhorse. Any ideas?

08-28-2012, 10:06 PM	#2
pachanga90 I Refuse To Get Stuck!!! Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Hilton,NY Posts: 5,427	Re: Early Marathon Problem Is the belt worn?A loose and Narrow belt will cause alot of problems,I'd start there if everything else looks ok.

08-29-2012, 09:16 AM	#3
capthump1 Getting Wild Join Date: May 2009 Location: (winter) Homosassa,Fl / (summer) Bayonne,N.J./ Port Jervis, N.Y. Posts: 131	Re: Early Marathon Problem Belt looks ok. Its just that you have to get the revs up before the clutch engages. Then bang, off you go, you can get whiplass on this cart.

08-31-2012, 08:00 AM	#5
capthump1 Getting Wild Join Date: May 2009 Location: (winter) Homosassa,Fl / (summer) Bayonne,N.J./ Port Jervis, N.Y. Posts: 131	Re: Early Marathon Problem I'll break out the ruler but my calibrated eyeball says its about that.

08-31-2012, 08:21 PM	#7
pachanga90 I Refuse To Get Stuck!!! Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Hilton,NY Posts: 5,427	Re: Early Marathon Problem If its' taking off hard,thats either the belt is too narrow,too short(not the case here,revs alot on takeoff),or the Primary-Clutch spring is too stiff,or the clutch is binding.The secondary won't start to open till its' underway.

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08-30-2012, 09:52 PM	#4
1fast67 Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: spokane,wa Posts: 974	A new belt is 1 3/16" wide and if your belt is below 1" it is most likely slipping cause it to grab hard. I would measure it to be sure. Im with pachanga on this one. Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

08-31-2012, 08:03 PM	#6
1fast67 Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: spokane,wa Posts: 974	I just thought of something else to check. Maybe try spraying some wd-40 on your secondary clutch where the spring is. There might be some dirt in there or the bushing is getting worn enough to where the sheaves are binding up. Food for thought. Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

08-31-2012, 08:31 PM	#8
1fast67 Gone Wild Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: spokane,wa Posts: 974	Now that i think about it your right. My bad. It was just a thought. Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

09-10-2012, 11:17 AM	#9
capthump1 Getting Wild Join Date: May 2009 Location: (winter) Homosassa,Fl / (summer) Bayonne,N.J./ Port Jervis, N.Y. Posts: 131	Re: Early Marathon Problem Well I finally measured the belt it was 1 1/16, I orderd a new one. Will see if that does it. It seems the primary has to move abit before it grabs the belt, the extra 1/8" will definetly help.

09-10-2012, 06:25 PM	#10
pachanga90 I Refuse To Get Stuck!!! Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Hilton,NY Posts: 5,427	Re: Early Marathon Problem If the belt is worn on its' width,its' also stretched in length,which will also cause your complaint.Keep us posted.

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