Starter Not Turning: Solenoid Click Only

[Lochlin]

Gentlemen,

The '85 DX4 has been running unbelievably well for the past couple of weeks.

Yesterday, it quit running in reverse but still ran in forward. Today, nothing at all. The solenoid clicks in both forward and reverse, that's it. I can't get the starter to spin. Obviously, this speaks to a circuit issue but I am just about at my wits end as to what it can be. Circuit-wise here is what the cart has:

New F/R switch
New voltage regulator
New solenoid
New points
New condenser
New brushes / brush assembly
Mostly new wiring

Proper wiring is always a concern but I have been over this cart over and over again the past couple of months. Again, the thing was running like and champ. No changes were made and now this happens.

While troubleshooting the "no reverse" problem this morning I saw a couple of sparks near the top of the starter / generator and a bit of dreaded white smoke in this general area. I couldn't determine the source though. I pulled the starter / generator off and opened it up but saw no obvious signs of issues. Unfortunately, properly troubleshooting the starter / generator via the repair manual is a bit over my head at present.

Do starter / generators actually ever go bad? I always thought that the brushes were the only things that ever needed replaced? All the same, I found a site that sells after-market replacements for $100 (with $8 shipping) so if I need to get one so be it. That said, I don't want to get a new starter / gen only to find out that it wasn't the problem after all.

I could use some help with this one, folks. I have come long way with this cart and this is the first time I have no clue.

[Lochlin]

UPDATE.

I spent a while trouble shooting my circuit via the below instructions that I found online. Sorry about the length but these instructions are awesome and I thought others might appreciate them.

Anyway, I followed the below steps to a the "T" and I have 12v the entire way through my cart, ending with the starter.

Incidentally, when I jump the starter (12v + on A1, 12v - on F1, jumper between A2 and F2), it spins. But it does nothing on the cart's circuit.

Do I have a new starter / generator in my future?

Thanks


Testing Procedure:


With your multimeter find the DC setting or settings.

Next hold the black wire to the - terminal on the battery and the red on the + terminal. At this point you should be reading 12.6 V if its a digital meter. If its analog (needle) 12V is close enough. If you don't get 12V your battery is bad or your meter is not working.

If its good then keep the red on the battery and move the black to a bare part of the frame. You should still get the same reading of 12.6.

Next move the black to a bare part of the engine. Again same reading. This would indicate that the grounds are likely good.

If your black wire has a alligator clip clip it on a ground somewhere or see if you can find somewhere to jam it so you still get the 12 v reading if you hold the red to the + on the battery.

Next follow the + wire from the battery down to the solenoid. Put the red wire there you should still get 12v.

Next follow the small wire that is under that terminal. It should go to a small rectangular device with 2 terminals. This is a circuit breaker. Both terminals should read 12v with the red wire of your meter.

From there its the small terminals on the key switch.

From there its the single wire on the gas pedal micro switch (key will have to be on after this point).

From there its the double wire end of the microswitch that shoud be 12V when the pedal is pressed. For testing this I usually push the pedal down and jam something in that disc thing to keep it from closing all the way so the switch stays on. If you listen close you should be able to hear that click also but is not that loud so you will have to listen close.

From there you can go to the + side of the ignition coil and you should still have 12v.

Then check the small terminal on the solenoid. This should also be 12V.

If its all good so far then check the other fat terminal of the solenoid.

If thats got 12V then you are up to the fat wires on the key switch or the starter itself.

If thats dead then its just about got to be the solenoid.

[Lochlin]

I got this rectified.

On the diodes in the feeds going to my starter / generator burnt out. That caused me to lose reverse. Not knowing that a failed diode was the problem, I replaced the F / R switch thinking it went bad. After installing it everything was dead.

After tearing the sheathing off of the wires I found the bad diode. Rather than mickey-mousing I replaced both of these diodes and as well as their attached wiring. After all this, the cart still wouldn't kick over.

On a hunch, I replaced the new F / R switch with the old one and the cart started right up. New switch bad, old switch good. Go figure.

On the road again.