Spawn of Satan cart won't run!

[mdaddyrabbit]

Originally Posted by yurtle

If you download the service manual from the stickies, they should have the specs - say 0 - 5000 ohms (I'm guessing) - and how to adjust it. I don't have a pot box, but have heard this comment enough to know if the resistance is too high, the controller will stop responding when you exceed this value.

As to having to remove, I don't think so, but check the manual. Other than cutting out at wide open throttle, does it accelerate normally/smoothly thru the range until it cuts out?

Also, can you check the Resistance at wide open throttle? The manual may tell where to take this measurement.

It only cuts out at wide open throttle.

[yurtle]

My guess would be you can adjust this. If you can't find a manual, do an advanced search for pot box adjustment, or something like that. There have been pics posted within the last year.

[DaveTM]

Originally Posted by mdaddyrabbit

It only cuts out at wide open throttle.

Hmmmmmm......I would consider gluing a piece of 1/2" wood under the gas peddle. Then..."wide open" will have a new meaning.

[mdaddyrabbit]

I am sick of this cart......I am going to sell it as is!

[CCFanatic]

Originally Posted by mdaddyrabbit

I am sick of this cart......I am going to sell it as is!

Location?

[mdaddyrabbit]

Originally Posted by CCFanatic

Location?

North Carolina

[kgsc]

Come on dad, don't give up..

[mdaddyrabbit]

Originally Posted by kgsc

Come on dad, don't give up..

I am out of money....I have sunk a fortune in this cart and it still dollar-ing me to death. I wish I could afford to buy her a brand new one.

[JohnnieB]

If the cart is running okay except for shutting off when pedal is pushed to floor, the problem is the 0-5K potentiometer that tells the controller how many amps to feed the motor is out of adjustment, or the potentiometer is bad.

The Curtis 1204/5 controller in your child's cart has a safety feature that is supposed to prevent the cart from running away if the throttle fails. Basically, it shuts off if it sees more than about 7000Ω at the throttle input.

The potentiometer can get dirty, which increases the resistance between the wiper and the resistor, so the Ohmic value the controller sees is higher and can eventually get out of the acceptable range.

Also, the mechanical adjustments can slip, and can change since the expansions and contractions due to the temperature make the rods and lever arms connecting the potentiometer shaft to the pedal get longer and shorter.

Pull the small black and the small white wires off the controller and connect your Ohmmeter between the wires. With the pedal up, you should read about Zero Ohms (<50Ω or so). With the pedal on the floor, the reading should be above 4800Ω, but less than 6000Ω.

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I've never adjusted a pot-box type throttle, in fact I've never seen one, and I don't have a service manual specifically for your daughter's cart, but I do have one that covers adjusting the pot-box type throttle and I know there are members on the forum that have adjusted them.

The drawing (Fig. G-6) on Page G-6 of attached manual indicates there are several adjustments that change the arc of rotation for the potentiometer shaft as well as the relative position of the shaft within that arc. The adjustments are on page G-7

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Give it a try. It might simply be out of adjustment. At worst, the pot is bad and I believe the pot (which probably isn't all that expensive) can be replaced without having to replace the entire pot-box assembly.

[Steve Holchak]

Originally Posted by DaveTM

Hmmmmmm......I would consider gluing a piece of 1/2" wood under the gas peddle. Then..."wide open" will have a new meaning.

My 1990 does the same thing. I Ducttaped a peice of 2" pvc to underside of pedal 3 years ago, still works today-17 mph