Motor spins but no power to drive shaft

mlpickett · 05-03-2008, 03:54 PM

My 2007 Lynx Club Car has developed an intermittent problem - it won't GO. Upon pressing the accelerator, I can hear the motor spining around at full speed but no power is getting to the wheels. Its like something is disengaged in the rear differential. It did this once and I left it overnight and the next morning it ran fine. Then after riding a bit, I hit a downhill where the automatic braking thing happened - I assume this happens when I reach some pre-programmed to speed going down hills and it has always occurred. As we reached the bottom of the hill and started back up I realized I again was getting no power to the wheels. With the pedal all the way down the motor would just spin and seemed to be just barely making any traction, but no power to speak of and I pretty much had to push it home.

Could this be something in the regen system that is disengaging the drive and then not re-engaging? Is there a manual way to either disconnect or reset that automatic braking or the regen?

roady89 · 05-03-2008, 04:14 PM

The regen system will not cause that to happen. The regen is completely electric and is not mechanical. You could have one of several things wrong....stripped axle, broken differential internals....I would lean more towards the input shaft...or the motor coupling. Do you have the ability to take the motor off?

mlpickett · 05-04-2008, 02:25 PM

I guess I could. But, it is an intermittent problem. I was thinking it was something electrical or computer related - like a loose connection somewhere. When it happens the motor just spins and it gets no connection at all. Then the next time - if I wait a while -it works just fine with no loss of power at all.

I have noticed when its working right that the motor will not spin at all when the accelerator is pressed and the forward/reverse switch is in neutral or the tow switch is engaged. Is there any setting that is supposed to allow the motor to spin without the wheels being engaged - like putting a car in neutral and revving the engine? If I take the motor off - what am I looking for?

roady89 · 05-04-2008, 02:36 PM

There are no settings that allow the motor to spin by itself. Simply put, If the motor is spinning and you are not moving at all the problem is mechanical. There is simply no way for the motor to spin as you say without movement unless something is broken internally either inside the motor or within the differential.

Do you happen to have a locking differential or limited slip of some sort?

mlpickett · 05-04-2008, 06:15 PM

Not sure about the locking differential or limited slip. It is a Lynx which CC sets up for offroad use. It may have something like that.

Today, the problem got a little different. Now it will go in forward, but if I shift to reverse - the motor just spins. If the cart is in reverse - is that a different gear in the transmission or does the motor just turn in the opposite direction? Looks like I headed back to the dealer to have him open her up an see what is coming loose.

I was just hoping there was something I could pretty easily fix. There has been no collision or hard use that should have been the cause of a mechanical failure. Must just be a defective part that failed on its own. Thanks for the help.

mlpickett · 05-05-2008, 08:56 AM

Yes it does have a limited slip - a system Club Car calls Intelli-Loc. Heard of any problems with it?

roady89 · 05-05-2008, 09:07 AM

Nope...never heard of any issues with them but you never know.

mlpickett · 05-05-2008, 02:42 PM

Thanks for your help. The dealer came and got her today. He says he has had problems with other Intellilock carts and is going to put a whole new rear end in it, but I am having him stay with the Intellilock - hopefully it was just one bad apple.

crash12888 · 05-06-2008, 07:35 PM

MLP. Keep us posted on the outcome, It sounds like a problem that might crop up again in the future and everyone here is always looking to gain knowledge of issues.

05-03-2008, 03:54 PM	#1
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23	Motor spins but no power to drive shaft My 2007 Lynx Club Car has developed an intermittent problem - it won't GO. Upon pressing the accelerator, I can hear the motor spining around at full speed but no power is getting to the wheels. Its like something is disengaged in the rear differential. It did this once and I left it overnight and the next morning it ran fine. Then after riding a bit, I hit a downhill where the automatic braking thing happened - I assume this happens when I reach some pre-programmed to speed going down hills and it has always occurred. As we reached the bottom of the hill and started back up I realized I again was getting no power to the wheels. With the pedal all the way down the motor would just spin and seemed to be just barely making any traction, but no power to speak of and I pretty much had to push it home. Could this be something in the regen system that is disengaging the drive and then not re-engaging? Is there a manual way to either disconnect or reset that automatic braking or the regen?
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23

05-03-2008, 04:14 PM	#2
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022	Re: Motor spins but no power to drive shaft The regen system will not cause that to happen. The regen is completely electric and is not mechanical. You could have one of several things wrong....stripped axle, broken differential internals....I would lean more towards the input shaft...or the motor coupling. Do you have the ability to take the motor off?
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022

05-04-2008, 02:25 PM	#3
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23	Re: Motor spins but no power to drive shaft I guess I could. But, it is an intermittent problem. I was thinking it was something electrical or computer related - like a loose connection somewhere. When it happens the motor just spins and it gets no connection at all. Then the next time - if I wait a while -it works just fine with no loss of power at all. I have noticed when its working right that the motor will not spin at all when the accelerator is pressed and the forward/reverse switch is in neutral or the tow switch is engaged. Is there any setting that is supposed to allow the motor to spin without the wheels being engaged - like putting a car in neutral and revving the engine? If I take the motor off - what am I looking for?
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23

05-04-2008, 02:36 PM	#4
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022	Re: Motor spins but no power to drive shaft There are no settings that allow the motor to spin by itself. Simply put, If the motor is spinning and you are not moving at all the problem is mechanical. There is simply no way for the motor to spin as you say without movement unless something is broken internally either inside the motor or within the differential. Do you happen to have a locking differential or limited slip of some sort?
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022

05-04-2008, 06:15 PM	#5
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23	Re: Motor spins but no power to drive shaft Not sure about the locking differential or limited slip. It is a Lynx which CC sets up for offroad use. It may have something like that. Today, the problem got a little different. Now it will go in forward, but if I shift to reverse - the motor just spins. If the cart is in reverse - is that a different gear in the transmission or does the motor just turn in the opposite direction? Looks like I headed back to the dealer to have him open her up an see what is coming loose. I was just hoping there was something I could pretty easily fix. There has been no collision or hard use that should have been the cause of a mechanical failure. Must just be a defective part that failed on its own. Thanks for the help.
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23

Today
BGW	Sponsored Links __________________ This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on Buggies Gone Wild Golf Cart Forum

05-05-2008, 08:56 AM	#6
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23	Re: Motor spins but no power to drive shaft Yes it does have a limited slip - a system Club Car calls Intelli-Loc. Heard of any problems with it?
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23

05-05-2008, 09:07 AM	#7
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022	Re: Motor spins but no power to drive shaft Nope...never heard of any issues with them but you never know.
roady89 nimda Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 13,022

05-05-2008, 02:42 PM	#8
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23	Re: Motor spins but no power to drive shaft Thanks for your help. The dealer came and got her today. He says he has had problems with other Intellilock carts and is going to put a whole new rear end in it, but I am having him stay with the Intellilock - hopefully it was just one bad apple.
mlpickett Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 23

05-06-2008, 07:35 PM	#9
crash12888 Gone Crazy Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chesterfield, Va Posts: 6,021	Re: Motor spins but no power to drive shaft MLP. Keep us posted on the outcome, It sounds like a problem that might crop up again in the future and everyone here is always looking to gain knowledge of issues.

Similar Threads
Thread	Forum
power drive belt for 86 gas ezgo	Gas EZGO
No Reverse 96 48 Volt Power Drive Ds	Electric Club Car
Battery Charger Power Drive $225	Golf Carts and Parts
new pics of my workhorse with jack shaft and power steering	Gas EZGO
no power to motor	Electric Yamaha