1997 Club Car DS not starting when hot

[windlaker]

Good day all,

'97 Club Car. Problem started back in late May. After 12-15 holes of golf, I'd hit the gas pedal, and it would turn over but not start. Voltmeter on dash never went below 11.5 volts. It would sometimes start after a lot of monkeying around with the gas pedal.

I took it in to a golf cart shop that is a Club Car dealer. They asked for the original carb, and rebuilt it...said the one I put on was a piece of junk. The replaced the coil wire (said it was old & cracked...probably original). Replaced all the fuel lines.

Last Monday, It ran great. Smooth, faster than when I took it in. Then, once again, it died on the 6th hole. Would turn over, but not start the engine.

The shop picked it up. I called today, and they said they can't replicate the problem. They let it run, get hot, but it always starts for them.

I'm pissed, not having a cart. They're pissed, because I'm asking "Why can't you fix it?".

Anyone have ideas why it won't start when hot?


Thanks in advance.

[CP241]

How did they replace the coil wire? It’s part of the coil and as far as I know can not be removed. A new ignition coil is around $125 for the OEM (and the OEM is the only one I would use). And you have to remove the engine to replace it, so if a shop did it I’d factor in a couple hours labor as well. If it cost less than that, I’d think either they didn’t replace what you think they did, or they used an aftermarket coil. Either way no bueno.

In the front of the engine right above the drain plug is a little box. That’s the rev limiter. On the left of it is a brown wire going to a 10mm bolt. Remove that brown wire, tape it up and give it a try. That disables the rev limiter. If it is failing it will cause exactly what you describe.

If that doesn’t take care of it we can dig deeper but just a hunch, I’d give that a try first since it only takes about a minute to do n

[windlaker]

Originally Posted by CP241

How did they replace the coil wire? It’s part of the coil and as far as I know can not be removed. A new ignition coil is around $125 for the OEM (and the OEM is the only one I would use). And you have to remove the engine to replace it, so if a shop did it I’d factor in a couple hours labor as well. If it cost less than that, I’d think either they didn’t replace what you think they did, or they used an aftermarket coil. Either way no bueno.

In the front of the engine right above the drain plug is a little box. That’s the rev limiter. On the left of it is a brown wire going to a 10mm bolt. Remove that brown wire, tape it up and give it a try. That disables the rev limiter. If it is failing it will cause exactly what you describe.

If that doesn’t take care of it we can dig deeper but just a hunch, I’d give that a try first since it only takes about a minute to do n

I'm new to owning a cart. They are a reliable shop, recommended by a few guys at my course, so I'm taking them at their word. The bill showed a cable + labor. When I called to tell them it died again, he said a new coil + install labor would be over $200.00.

I'll try the rev limiter trick when I get it back.

Thanks

[Fairtax4me]

I’d go after the rev limiter first, but a hot no start is usually a failing coil.
In 97 Kawasaki switched the coil design when they changed from the Counter clockwise motor to the Clockwise motors.
Yours should be clockwise rotation looking at the primary clutch. May even have a small sticker on it with an arrow pointing clockwise. So your coil should have an integrated igniter.

Prior to 97 the coil and igniter were separate, and on those it was common for the igniter to fail and cause hot starting issues even when the coil itself was fine.

[windlaker]

Update...

Last week Friday (July 15th) the shop called and said they still can't make it "crap the bed" (his words). They are keeping it until they figure it out, and dropping a loaner off at my golf course.

So I can't try your suggestions at this point. Feel like an A-Hole telling them to try things I saw online. Whatever, at least I can golf.

[windlaker]

So, I finally got my cart back from the repair shop yesterday. They said they ran it (stop and go) for many hours, and it never failed. I'm now calling bullshit on them.

I got to the 13th fairway this morning, and it died again. Turns over, but doesn't start. Just like before. Just like before I paid Above Par in New Berlin, Wisconsin $382.00.

Anyway, I let it sit for about 20 minutes. It cooled down, then it started. I did not continue to golf, just drove back to the barn. Once in the barn, it would not start again.

I tried CP241's advice about disconnecting the wire from the rev limiter. Still wouldn't start.

Talked to a different cart shop (not too close to my house) that said it may be the coil. Told me to check the spark when the engine was hot and not starting. By the time I got back to the course, it started perfectly.

So, I'm guessing my next step it to let it get hot and fail again, then check the spark....right?

[CP241]

Rev limiter is usually where I try first just because it’s easy to get to and only takes a minute to disconnect the wire.

Carry a spare spark plug with you and drive it until it is hot and won’t start anymore. Quickly unplug the wire from the spark plug that’s in the engine and plug in the spare one you brought with you. Put the shifter In Neutral. Pull out on the little yellow knob on the back of the shifter, spin it 180 degrees. This puts it in service mode so you can run the engine in neutral.

Now hold the spark plug (that’s plugged into the coil wire) against one of the valve cover bolts and step on the pedal. The engine should spin. Ideally the spark should be bright and blue in color. If it’s yellow or white then the coil is weak and needs to be replaced.

If there’s no spark at all, last thing you can do is find the black/white wire that’s near the dipstick tube. There’s a little bullet connector right around that area. This wire goes to the rev limiter. Disconnect that bullet connector and try again and see if there’s spark.

This wire goes to the microswitches and will kill spark if a microswitch is bad, or that wire is shorted somewhere. Disconnecting it bypasses all that. Just make sure you plug it back in because if you don’t, the cart will run and then it won’t shut off.

If related to heat I highly doubt the kill circuit would be at fault, but sometimes things are awe fully coincidental and what you may think is heat related is actually a wire rubbing on the frame or something… as said it’s very unlikely but worth a shot before condemning the coil because it’s no fun to change that sucker.

If you replace the coil get one from David hicks at revolution golf cars. That’s about the only place online I’d trust to actually get a genuine OEM coil. The aftermarket ones are junk and that’s generally the only ones you’ll find online.

[windlaker]

OK, got it.

I have league play today & tomorrow. I'll try this Monday or Tuesday and get back to you.

Will also be contacting Above Par and ask for some sort of credit. This is work they should have done for the $380.00 they charged me.

[windlaker]

So I didn't play today, but I drove the cart until it failed. About 90 minutes, 38 Stop and Goes when it would not start. Put a spark plug in the coil wire, put it near a bolt and started...NO spark. So I'm guessing the coil.

Went to the dealer (who SEEMS almost as frustrated as I was), and gave him the story. He told me to try the ""If there’s no spark at all, last thing you can do is find the black/white wire that’s near the dipstick tube. Disconnect that bullet connector and try again and see if there’s spark." that CP mentioned. I'll be doing that tomorrow. I should be able to get a loaner from him for Labor Day golf weekend.

[windlaker]

OK, so I played today. After 7 holes about 75 minutes, the cart wouldn't start.

I disconnected the bullet connector on the front of the engine, and it still would not start.

This leads us to believe it's the coil, right?