1997 DS gas starting issues!?!?

[Club17]

Hello all,
I have a 97 DS gas cart I picked up last week. I've been working on it over the weekend to try and get it running. New battery, cables, etc. I tried starting it and the solenoid just clicks. I jumped the solenoid + in to white wire to the starter and the cart spins over. What is not allowing it to not spin over through the solenoid?

[Golf cart guy]

You have a clicking solenoid- but it doesn't turn over-BUT-you jump the solenoid and the motor cranks over.......bad solenoid

[Club17]

Bought new solenoid, same thing. I have power to the blue wire when the key is turned on. The orange wire that goes from solenoid to limit switch never receives power. Not when the key is on or when you press the pedal. There is no power going to the starter or the VR when the pedal is pushed. The fuse is good. Could it be a ground issue? I did wiggle the ground wires on the VR and the reverse buzzer started buzzing! Any direction would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[FloridaCart]

Club17 I just had a problem similar to what you're describing . My Club car is a 2001 model and assuming your 97 is wired the same. What I found on my cart was the ground wire running from the starter generator to the frame ( directly above starter) had pulled loose in the terminal lug. Just an ideal.....
Good Luck

[meimk]

Lets back up just a bit. You say about the small wires at the solenoid that the blue DOES have battery + when the ignition is on but the orange wire does not ever show voltage? That's a problem. Was the solenoid you bought the correct one for the Club Car? The reason I ask is that some automotive starter solenoids LOOK just like it but are wired differently inside. Those two small terminals are part of the same circuit in the correct solenoid. The blue wire supplies the voltage and the orange wire leads (through the micro switches) to ground to complete the circuit. The terminal the orange wire is on SHOULD have voltage showing once the ignition switch is on, then go to ground when the gas pedal is pressed. Grounding doesn't do anything if there is no current to ground. Does that make sense?

[Club17]

Thanks guys for your responses. After further digging I found the new solenoid to be bad also. Received a new solenoid, wired it up and as soon as I turned the key on the engine started turning over. So new solenoid is good. Then found the orange wire going to the micro switch was on the wrong terminal. Switched the orange wire and now it operates as it's suppose to. Thanks everyone for pointing me in the right direction.

I know this is a totally different question but why would the governor seem sluggish when stepping on the throttle? It's not very responsive at all. All the cables are free and move with easy. The governor lever itself seems a little stiff.

[Golf cart guy]

Sweet