Starting Problem, Newbie!!!

[ads357]

First off, I want to thank all of the great minds here. This is my first post, but I have garnered a ton of info from this site. I have a 2005 Club Car DS that I bought about 2 months ago. The oil had been changed in 2013, but I am not sure on the age of the battery. With the weather, it hasn't been used much until this last weekend, but has always run fine.

My Drama:
My cart ran perfectly all day Fri, Sat, and most of Sunday. On Sunday evening, we jumped on it and hit the gas pedal and just nothing happened. The fuse was fine and nothing seemed to be out of place. I was able to "jump" it and it would take right off, but as soon as the engine stopped, it would not restart.

I took the battery today and got it checked. It tested at 11.8 volts, so they charged it for 30 minutes and when I came back, it is showing 13.4 volts. They said the battery seemed fine. I put it back in the cart and now it seems to run great.

I am concerned as to why it quit. I got lucky and it died about 2 driveways from home, so it wasn't a big deal. At our cottage lots of guests ride the cart and I would hate to have it die on them further from home.

Does anyone think it is as simple as the battery being low and that since it is charged now, I am all set? Or do I need to take it in to get the alternator checked or what? Please help!!! I should mention that my wife says she thinks she left the key "on" for about an hour while they were stopped.

[corkscrew]

The key left on for an hour or so shouldn't kill the battery. Unless you have a huge radio playing and lots of lights on. An old timer told me years ago to take a hack-saw blade and while the engine is running, lightly touch the end of the S/G. Be very careful not to hit the belt. But if you lightly touch the hack-saw blade to the end of the bolt were your big nut holds the pulley on. If it sticks to it while your holding the hack-saw blade..(magnetizes) The it is generating. I have done this many times and has worked. Also check all your connections as well. Hope this helps.

[lockman1]

OR.... you could use a multimeter on the battery posts , while running the engine at a mid throttle,
it should show around 15 volts when it's charging!

[Springbok]

Originally Posted by lockman1

OR.... you could use a multimeter on the battery posts , while running the engine at a mid throttle,
it should show around 15 volts when it's charging!

Yep.

[ads357]

I went out this morning to check on things. I am reading 12.8 volts at the battery but it won't start. I am assuming its the starter/generator. Is there a way to check that?

[Springbok]

What's the voltage when you're trying to start it?

[sjfishon]

sounds like at the beginning you just had a loose battery connection,, when you took it out to have it checked did you clean and tighten all fittings real well,, also the small black wire on the neg. side,, very important;; id sounds like just a currant problem.

[robbiescd]

Possibly a bad solenoid or micro-switch in black box by battery. I went to pick up a customers cart and the same thing happened. It wouldn't move. Pushed the accelerator very slowly and it fired up.

Then the reverse happened in my shop. Had it in service mode, didn't have spark plug in, or fuel line connected. Pushed the accelerator, and it started turning over. Let off the accelerator and it continued to turn over....cut the key off....kept turning...put it in forward (which should kill it in service mode).....kept turning. Finally had to disconnect battery. Solenoid locked up on me! Changed both micro-switches, disconnected solenoid from all connections to bench test it. Reconnected everything and it's running fine. Go figure!

[jbc118]

My vote is the voltage regulator

[robbiescd]

I just picked up a cart with those symptoms. Push the accelerator and nothing. Push about 4 to 5 times and it will eventually go.

The next time it happened.....I took a tool and tapped the solenoid. Pushed the accelerator, and it ran. I believe the solenoid is going out.

Sounds similar to what you have.