86 parcar starting issues

[Troyhfd]

When i turn my key switch to reverse and hit the pedal to take off the engine starts to turn but it never gets going fast enough to take off. If i keep pressing the pedal on and off it will eventually backfire and take off. If i turn the switch to forward it acts fine and operates as it should. After a while of driving if you pull up to a stop aign and go to take off it will do the same thing as reverse does. You have to feather the pedal and play with it and it will backfire and take off for a while and do it again. Not necessarily at the next stop sign but it will do it again

[Lochlin]

Wow, that's certainly an odd set of circumstances there.

Really, it can be a number of things yet but one thing you have to do is determine if you are getting consistent spark while you cart is acting up. An inline spark detector would do you wonders. They are very cheap and can be had at Amazon or Harbor Freight or most auto parts stores.

If I had to guess, I would think that you have a fuel delivery issue. Check out the fuel delivery "sticky" at the top of the Harley Davidson sub forum as it applies to Columbias as well.

[Lochlin]

I just worked on a camp neighbor's cart this weekend that had similar issues. I replaced all ignition components with known good ones (coil, key switch, HEI ignition system, spark plug) and nothing work. I ended up replacing all of the wiring going from the key switch to the micro switch and to the solendoid / coil and that made things much better but not perfect. I don't have a microswitch on hand but I will order one and replace it. I suspect that this replacement will render things just about perfect.

These carts are old. Sometimes you have just have to replace stuff.

[Troyhfd]

Can you send me some parts numbers and where to get them. It probably wont hurt to replace parts

[Lochlin]

This is a link to a host of documentation of all of the service and parts manuals associated with Par Cars:

https://www.buggiesgonewild.com/columbia-parcars/

There are a lot of manuals there. Scroll around into you find what you need. As well, visit vintagegolfcartparts.com, even if you end up not getting parts there. This site is a great reference source, is categorized by brand and part type, and has OEM part numbers and photos for reference. You can then use all of the information to do some Googling so that you can find a supplier.

[newtjl]

Almost sounds as if its flooding to me. Then the backfire blows it out and off it goes. So a rich carb or weak spark? Like Lochlin said, these are old carts and some fresh parts usually add a little zip. Thankfully most of the parts are still available and cheap. Id check the compression and spark first, then go from there. You are looking for 90 0r better on compression and a nice blue strong spark. The coil is oil filled if its original. Those can leak out, get hot, or just get weak. Let us know if you get it straightened out.