Very little power after about 10 to 15 feet.

[Done Deal]

I have a 2002 DS with the 290 motor. Kart was running fine going down the road. Tried to accelerate and it had very little power. It had enough power to get home but only about 25% of normal power. I thought maybe the brakes were sticking so I pulled the wheels and drums and jacked it up. It takes off good then falls on its face. I pulled the valve cover and all looks well. The fuel filter has very little fuel in it. It starts up fine and will idle(key start). It sounds ok at take off then it will not keep pulling. Will the fuel pump start start to go and work but not pump hard enough to provide enough fuel at higher RPM`s? The problem started all at once. I think normally the filter is at least half full of fuel. I believe it is fuel related. Any help of ideas are appreciated.

[BearsFan315]

could check all the fuel lines & vacuum like make sure they are not cracked/ leaking and they are not blocked/ clogged, kinked, etc...
faster engine runs faster it sucks fuel, or should. simple mechanical vacuum fuel pump & Fuel Lines should be cheap to replace if required, local parts store usually sells by the foot.

does it do all of this in maintenance mode. watch the fuel flow in the filters and line at idle and under acceleration.

may not be feeding fast enough ? since there is fuel in line it sucks that up and then slows down because not enough fuel being fed ? supply can not meet demand.

seen the fuel pumps for $15-50 depending On brand, not sure if the aftermarket are as good as the OEM or if they are crap. I plan to pick up one to have JUST in case :-)

[mrlmd]

It's difficult (for me at least) to understand what you are trying to say.
What do you mean by "it had very little power"?
Does the engine speed increase when you step on the accelerator pedal and the cart does not increase it's speed, or does the engine not rev up when you step on the pedal?
The former could mean your drive belt is slipping and the later could mean an engine issue which could have multiple causes.
Can you clarify please?
Try it in maintenance mode and see what happens when you step on the pedal. And the fuel filters are usually only half full or less when you watch them.

[Done Deal]

Thanks for the replies. I talked to a local Club Car dealer today and he told me to check the pickup tube it looked alright, I might still put a new one in. I checked the lines and they look good,I am still going to replace them all and use new clamps. I have the rear of the kart on jack stands with the wheels and drums off during my tests. I was not sure the brakes were not dragging so I eliminated that chance. I pulled the line off the the feed side of the fuel pump and it was a small pulse of fuel at idle,not a lot of fuel but it was pumping. The motor is not revving up so I do not think it is a drive belt problem. My kart has two fuel filters,one just after the fuel cut off valve. and one after the fuel pump. The one after the fuel pick up has hardly any fuel in it,the filter looks clean. The second filter is nearly full. I do not see much flow in the first filter. This problem happened all at once. Thanks again for your help and ideas.

[BearsFan315]

2 fuel filters is correct..make sure they are installed the correct direction, should be an arrow on them. 1 is from tank to fuel pump, second it from fuel pump to carb.
amount of fuel in them, would not be a concern, mine have a little bit in them.

pick up tube looked alright ?? pull it out, plug one end with finger and pull a suction on the other end and see if it leaks or pulls a hard suction on your finger. think of it like a straw should collapse hose if enough suction if it does not then leaking and sucking air vs fuel. poke a few holes in a straw and try to drink through it with on top of straw end in the drink. also make sure vent is good on tank to let air in !! air in to replace fuel out.

check all hoses this way or replace them all. i plan to replace all mine eventually with new clamps.

[lockman1]

Originally Posted by Done Deal

...It had enough power to get home but only about 25% of normal power.
...It takes off good then falls on its face.
...It starts up fine and will idle(key start). It sounds ok at take off then it will not keep pulling.

I had something VERY similar happen to my cart! (pedal start, but idles)

After a friendly, but brief encounter at the campground bar one winter afternoon,
my friend took my cart to his campsite while I took his snowmobile for a ride...

Not realizing that it didn't shut down when he got off the cart... my cart sat idling for 20 minutes!
when I dropped off his sled and took my cart back to my site, It pretty much did the EXACT same thing as yours!

After worrying about it for the rest of the evening, the next morning, I pulled the spark plug and it was full of carbon!
I cleaned it up, and it ran fine after that! (I replaced it the next weekend)

Check/clean or replace your spark plug, it's cheap and easy to do!
(It may, or may not solve your problem, but at least you can mark it off of the list!)

[Done Deal]

Thanks guys! Lockman one of the first things I tried was a new plug I keep them on the shelf. I do appreciate the idea I know you have helped many people on here. Bears fan,I tried something I ran a 1/4 inch piece of fuel line from the first filter right into the tank. In my mind that would tell me if the pickup tube was the problem. It did not run any different. I then ran all new fuel and vacuum lines with new screw clamps and 2 new filters. I think it sounded a little better,not sure if it really did or if I just wanted it to. I am still working and thinking, maybe on to the carb. Again thanks for any help!!

[Done Deal]

If the vent in the tank is bad will opening the cap vent the tank or does the cap need to be onto help the pump draw suction?

[BearsFan315]

in regards to the pickup there should be a tube inside the tank on the other side of the valve. wonder if you could just run a TEST tube from the fuel pump directly into the tank into the fuel. Cap off should not effect it too much as it is creating a vacuum/ suction in the line which should be IN the fuel to suck it up into the pump and into he carb.

also make sure valve is OPEN and not partially open or such, valve is red on line coming from tank to fuel pump

[unknwn]

The carburetor has a float chamber vent that MUST be unimpeded.
I think that mine has a hose leading from it's nipple on the top/side? (I'll have to look at it closer to say for certain -where- it actually is).
If that hose is kinked or plugged somehow, or the carburetor body passage is somehow obstructed, problems with reliable operation can occur.