Solenoid clicks but cart will not move (sometimes)

[jfarrior]

2000 Ezgo TXT series cart
All upgrades were through Scotty B. Scotty B helped me though the 36-48v conversion and was awesome.
-Upgraded it to 48v. 8 6v batteries with 48v charger.
-Alltrax 500 controller
-48v solenoid
-Heavy duty F/R switch
-2g wires
-6 inch lift with off road tires

I upgraded my cart over 3 years ago and have had this issue for over a year and it is getting worse. I should have addressed the issue a year ago but my daughter was born and she has me wrapped around her finger.

There are times when I put it in forward or reverse and it will not go. I can hear the solenoid click and the Alltrax controller will light up green (4 blinks with no error code) but nothing happens. in the past, i have been able to get it to work by switch it from forward to reverse and back again several times but lately this is not working. I have also noticed that sometimes it will eventually work if I press the peddle down past 50-70%, but then my cart will almost do a wheelie. Once i get it to run, it will not die while driving it and I don't remember a time where it would not work if I keep it in forward. This issue is also happening in reverse. I checked and double checked all the connections and the digital battery meter shows 51.1 volts so it has power.

Has anyone had this issue before or know how I can fix it? I appreciate your input.

[yurtle]

Intermittent problems are the hardest to find. If the solenoid always clicks when you press the throttle, you can rule out all of the switches (reed switch, FNR microswitch, key switch, throttle switch), and the connectors - both spade and molex.

There is one more small wire that could be causing the problems - the throttle ITS. There are spade connectors inside the throttle box that could be bad, and there is a 4 wire molex plug, located between the FNR and the controller, that also could be intermittent. Mine has this problem. A couple of times a year, I have to unplug replug the connector. It connects the throttle microswitch and ITS to the wiring harness. The ITS itself could be bad.

If those aren't the problem, you'll have to look at the high current cables.

[Sir Nuke]

one more easy fix.....this happened to me about a year after I did a total upgrade to my drive system, as you did.....and I too have a series cart.

after a while, the F&R contacts can wear a little, causing intermittent lose of power, all you need to do is tighten up the center post of the switch a little. piece of cake. It worked for me and only took a minute.

[scottyb]

I agree - test the ITS signal. If it tests good I would remove and inspect the F&R switch cam for signs of arcing. You may need to replace the F&R if it has been operating with poor contact for some time. The heat caused by poor contact damages the housing which cannot be fixed.

[jfarrior]

I did the ITS test by jumping the BL+ and the solenoid. I tested the red wire on the controller and had full power. Tested the black wire and only had 9.9v. The diagnostics test said it should be above 14v but less than 15v. I was able to test it when it was working and when the cart was having the issues. Both times the test had the same results of 9.9v.

Any suggestions? Should I have got different reading when it the cart was working and not working?

[jfarrior]

Forgot to mention that when I disconnected the six pin connector I got 14v. Thanks

[scottyb]

We may have misled you a little. The controller sets the ITS operating voltage. Alltrax uses 10v up and 6v down. Your 9.9 reading was good. What does it read when the peddle is down?

[jfarrior]

5.5v with gas

[jfarrior]

Cart was not working so I did the controller test.
Without the jumper
Connect (-) probe to M- terminal.
Connect (+) probe to B+ terminal.
Key on, no gas
Reading was at 13.5v and started losing power about .1v per second.
Shouldn't this be at 0v?

When I pressed on the gas, cart didn't move but voltage went to 49v

Strange!

[jfarrior]

Anyone out there?