hesitation to start

[millclubcar]

Hello, I have an 88 club car DS. I am having problems with it hesitating to turn over and start. Some times it turns over and starts right away and sometimes it takes three to five seconds and you can watch the starter trying to turn over the engine and eventually it will. I have a new starter generator that I tested according to the standards I have gathered from this site and it tests good. I have a new voltage regulator that I tested and it test good also. I have a new battery that also test good. So can anyone give me some insight on what is going on? Thanks

[shadowman]

have you load tested the battery? even a new battery can fail under load......how is engine compression? oil level?..............................

[millclubcar]

I have not load tested the battery, how is this done? I checked compression about six months ago and cant remember what is was, but I thught it was ok. What should it be? As for the oil, the last time I checked it was fine ready to be changed but the level was fine.I will check again. Thanks

[crash12888]

Also check your positive and ground cables and ends for corrosion.
Corroded cables or ends will still read 12v with a meter but will block the amps needed to spin the starter properly.
A solenoid with burnt contacts will do the same.
Try using two heavy gauge jumper cables straight from the battery to the starter to bypass your cables and solenoid, if the starter spins promptly then you know what to replace.

[RSP]

Starter motor going bad

[millclubcar]

I put new battery cable ends on, so I know they are not corroded.The old starter that I still have was doing the same thing.The new starter that I put on made no changes. So I dont think it is the starter since I have two that are doing the same thing,I could be wrong though. Is there anyway to test to see if the starter is going bad?I will also double check my wires for corrosion.Thanks again

[RSP]

when you say new starter, you mean new used starter or brand new stsrter?

[millclubcar]

I believe it to have been a new one. It could have been a rebuilt/reconditioned one. I will have to check. It was one I bought though not just one I had laying around. Hope this answers your question.Thanks

[RSP]

I`d figure out witch wire on the starter is the hot wire for cranking and hit it with jumper cables off your car or truck, I`ll have to look at the book again to see what post is the hot one, one jumper cable on that post and the other to engine ground, will be some sparking when connecting the groud but no big deal, always connect to vehicle battery first, dont want no sparking there. then connect hot cable to starter cranking post, then ground to cart frame or cart engine ground last, we need full power to the starter to see if if whipps over every time, if your not confident trying this please dont, take that starter to a rebuild place tell them what its doing wrong and they can test it for you.............. from my expeirence 85% of the time its the starter that does as you explain, try this too, when you have the seat and rear cover off, make it do the 5 second hard start thing and then quickly check to see if any of the wires connected to the starter are hot or not. Be careful not to get burned, sometimes you will find a wire that is pretty hot compaired to the rest, clean that connection, keep us posted

[millclubcar]

Well I finaly got some time to work on my cart.I pulled the battery charged it and ran it in my little mazda truck. It worked fine that evening but in the morning she wouldnt whirl over enough. I took it back to battery mart and they said it had a dead cell so I had them give me another one a little bigger.I took it home put it in the cart and it has fired right up each time now.I hope this was the culprit. I guess a little time will tell.Thanks for all the help. Shawn