Clutch(es) or Belt or ???

[BrewCityMusic]

Still in the process of "dialing in" my 2001.5 Workhorse, and I'm feeling like a newb with this dilemna but it IS driving me pretty nuts, hopefully some advice will kick me in the right direction ... The cart has a new carb, new intake, compression is top notch and the valves have been set to .004 so I'm GUESSING my issues are belt or clutch related even though the clutches appear to be working correctly ...

What happens is this, occasionally (as in quite often) when I go to take off the engine RPMs will climb and then BANG the drive will engage (hard enough to chirp the tires occasionally) ... The OTHER entirely opposite thing that happens is that the cart will occasionally bog down on taking off, to the point where if I'm on an incline it will just sit there and bog but not move a bit. When THAT happens and I do get it moving, it struggles and backfires almost like something is holding it back until it gets in the powerband "groove", and then it'll do pretty much just fine.

NOW, that said, the belt is definitely worn but not as bad as some I've seen (measures just a hair over 1 1/16" and the edges are clean, not frayed) and the drive clutch outer sheave is clean as a whistle while the inner has some frost on it that wont wear off or clean up very well (again though, doesn't seem at all bad enough to bind the belt or anything like that) ...

Anyone want to suggest where I start? Keep in mind that both of these symptoms occur about 1/3 of the time I'm running the cart each, the other 1/3 of the time things seem relatively normal and she pulls just fine.

Thanks in advance - OH, and if I get a new belt I'm going shorter, butthe local auto parts place can only get a 1 3/16 X 40.875 - is that too short and I need to keep looking for a 41" ? Thanks again

[Heliarc]

I'd almost think that if a belt is slipping, it's going to do so all the time and not just suddenly slam you forward when it hooks up. It would be more of a sluggish start off like having a bad clutch in a car. Speculation of course.

With the clutch on mine going out, sometimes it does one thing, sometimes another. I'm having trouble getting real answers on it myself. Mine doesn't BANG and you're moving all the sudden but apparently a malfunctioning clutch can do some erratic stuff. Sometimes it won't downshift, other times it does but it doesn't seem to be pinching the belt hard enough on a hill and barely creeps forward if at all.

Have you gotten to try it out while watching the clutches moving?

Also, the original belt on my cart had frayed edges, missing teeth, and was worn down over a quarter of an inch on the sides but somehow still pulled hills ok for awhile. I'm leaning towards clutch myself. Maybe some real awesome guy will let you pop the clutch off his cart to try it out.

[BrewCityMusic]

Well thanks, but it's turned out to be a weird day and the whole issue is mute - I sold the cart (long story but the offer was insane and I couldn't pass it up, LOL) ...

[Heliarc]

Problem solved!