Takes a long time to start - whirring sound

[Island2island]

Hi all -
New to forum.
Have had 2002 gas ClubCar CarryAll2 for about 5-6 yrs.
it’s always been slightly wonky - will cut out while driving around but if you just turn ignition key, it restarts right off.
For a while, it has been harder and harder to start.
Since it seemed worse when cold, thought it was battery. That helped some (last year) but now seems harder than ever to start.
Solenoid has been replaced, as has belt.
Right now, when you turn key in ignition, it makes a whirring sound for anywhere from a few seconds (usually when hot) to several minutes (when cold) until it catches and starts. Sometimes I give up and walk to the fields.
Hubby tells me, just be patient and it will start! I think it’s probably not good to have it crank for 3 minutes before starting. New battery is probably getting sad.
He is quite handy in general, but is not that much of a mechanic. Twenty or thirty years ago, I used to do things like rebuild my junky cars’ carburetors and replace starters/radiators. I’m pretty good with electronics and ok with electrical but really do not know Jack about troubleshooting this buggy.
We just decided (after 6 years!) that this thing is pretty useful (animals are about a quarter mile from the house and I get lazier every day) and, after a tire blew out, decided to get these brutal tires with a 6” Jakes lift, so he doesn’t have to use the tractor to push me out of the mud 3 months of the year (LOL).
Good time to work on some old nagging things (and I don’t mean me!)
Any ideas? And what is a microswitch? Reading other similar problems, people say ignition microswitch?
You know how I say it’s always been wonky? I can remove the key while it’s running, and it still runs! Is that a clue?
Appreciate any ideas.
He said do a little research and we’ll work on it. I said I would ask the internet!
Thanks.

[meimk]

Make sure that starter generator belt (the skinny one) is tight enough. The "whirring sound" could easily be the starter spinning, but not grabbing the belt tightly enough to turn the engine. If you spin it long enough the friction between the pulley and the belt heats it up enough that the rubber of the belt gets more sticky and eventually it grabs and starts.

[Doc]

Replace the starter/gen belt with a brand new one. If the "Severe Service" belt is available, get that one. Trust me, this is your issue!

[kgsc]

First jack it up, take the seat off and hit the go pedal. Is the clutch turning when you hear this noise ? If no check and see if the starter pulley is spinning. If yes tighten belt. If no you have issues with the starting circuit. If the clutch is spinning have you tried choking it while starting?

[Fairtax4me]

Sounds like a key start maybe? You turn the key to start it and it stays running, right?

There is a microswitch on the throttle and one on the back of the shifter that can go bad and it will cause it to shut off randomly when you lift your foot off the pedal. The easy fix for that is to bypass the one on the shifter and that usually takes care of it.

Whirring sound when starting is the starter belt slipping. Tightening that up a bit should fix that.

[Island2island]

Thanks for the suggestions. Was going to try new starter belt (seems like consensus), but cart out of commission. Tire blew out, thought it would be a good time to upgrade tires, wheels and add lift kit, but after ordering “in stock” package, have only gotten tires on wheels. Lift kit apparently back ordered. 3 promised ship dates have come and gone. Sounded like fun to fix this thing up for the winter, but now it’s just getting depressing/irritating. Hubby is grumbling about will have to lay in the cold mud when lift kit finally comes (no garage) and says will not touch anything until lift kit shows up. Oh well.
Crossing fingers