1999 gas 350 workhorse crazy problems

[sdmikey]

This is a wierd problem that no one seems to have heard of. I have had this cart for like 10 years.. problem just started like 3 months ago. While driving it will have a loss of power but then the power will come back like someone used a switch to turn it back on. So if driving it will be 100% normal and like a switch it goes to like half power. The funny part is when driving it at night the lights will be on and then when the cart losses power the lights get brighter! Almost as if someone turned on high beams... Then 30-90 seconds later while driving slow with bright lights and gas peddle to the floor, lights go back to normal and cart speeds up to normal. I say 30-90 seconds but there doesnt seem to be any amount of time that it does this, sometimes for a short time and others for a little longer. When running normal everything is 100% fine and it goes back and forth from this "limp" mode instantly. I would love to get rid of this problem.

[sdmikey]

Wow 65 views and not one reply? Someone has to have heard of this problem.

[BrewCityMusic]

I would check your grounding points (all of them) - it's possible You're losing the main engine ground and the cart is trying to get a ground through the accel cable, which would explain the loss of power (and the lower draw would possibly cause the lights to brighten as this was happening) ...

It's a stab in the dark (no pun intended) but it's a common issue with the exception of the lights getting brighter (but the above scenario does hold water)

[LostHusker]

Someone will chime in on this, just this is a different problem. You will get a bunch of people that will read the thread but not necessary respond. This is just a wild guess but could it be the ignition coil is going bad and you are then only firing on half the engine?

[kgsc]

Possibly voltage regulator going bad. If it is failing it will kick the starter gen into overdrive and put a severe load on the drive train as well as making the lights brighter. But like bcm suggested check the grounds.

[sdmikey]

OK I will check the ground to chassis and motor. .. I will look and see how much a voltage regulator is. Thank you guys for the replys. As silly as it sounds I would think someone has had this problem or seen it but I guess if someone at a shop was doing repair during the day they would have never seen the lights get brighter.

[kgsc]

I would not assume anything without further testing. If you can get it to do it again put a VOM on the battery and see what the voltage is. Should be 13.x.

[sdmikey]

I can put a meter on it and drive it and see...

[sdmikey]

:) ....

[sdmikey]

OK I was finally able to test the cart... battery was very low from sitting for a while. I charged the battery for like 20 minutes and got it going. I put the VOM on battery and started driving, it was reading 17.9volts. After driving around for about 15 minutes the voltage seemed to come down to like 14 then a little while later after stopping and starting again it was 12.8, does it sound correct?