"Always idle" wiring for '74 3 wheeler?

pos109

Hi everyone, this is my first "tech" post after my intro post and I am chompin' at the bit to get my cart up and running. I understand the starter/generator nature of these carts and how that operates the engine. I was curious if anyone wires their carts to delete the gas pedal micro switch and have the carts start and idle with the key switch? I realize you would have to turn off the engine for forward/reverse changes. Let see whats out there.

BGW

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smkummer

It is probably important that the ignition set-up is used as designed. Someone who understands how the system works such as yourself would probably be fine with doing that but if you were to let a friend drive it (who may have had a cocktail or 2 and claims he has driven many carts) may keep it running as he decides to reverse gear: thats not good.

Whitespider

I thought about doing that very thing with my '74, but changed my mind.

The problem is that even at idle the cart moves (on a '74), unless you set the brake. If the cart idles, with brake set, for very long the drive belt will will start to overheat and burn up in that spot. Because they are (more or less) a direct-drive set-up it wouldn't be the safest thing for fools, drunks and the immature to be operating... and most of us will fit into one of those categories once-in-a-while.

With that said... it's an easy modification.
The micro-switch can be adjusted so it never opens, or the three wires at the micro-switch can just be jumped together. One wire comes from the key switch, supplying B+ with the key "on". The other two wires go to the start solenoid and coil, supplying B+ when the micro-switch closes (and the key is "on").

I originally wanted to set it up that way because I do not golf, my cart is a farm yard utility/leisure vehicle and I was concerned that the continuous start-stop-start would drain the battery... But, the starter doesn't use that much "juice"; I stuck the cheapest group-24 battery I could find in mine and it ain't gone down yet, been about two months.

pachanga90

The other problem with idling is that the motor wasn't meant to idle,so it can overheat if left idling too long due to minimal air-flow when not moving.As stated earlier,this will also beat up the belt,and the seat can get quite warm from the exhaust.As far as the battery-life,I have a small top-post car battery in mine,been there 3yrs.Never once been jumped or charged,and the cart sits outdoors all year(winter it sits untouched for a good 2-3 mos.and starts right up).Leave the starting-circuit as it is,you will definitely be happy with it.

pos109

Thanks for the insight guys. I think I will leave it in the stock configuration.