First long distance run with cart, now solenoid doesn't click.

[pgilbert]

Cart: 1986 CC DS
Duromax motor with governor pulse fuel
Stock CC S/G
Stock electrical box - re wired cart last year
Brought the cart up to the cabin this weekend for its initial break in, and it ran great for buzzing around the property. Had to run to the gas station for something so I took the cart, its roughly 5 miles down a dirt road. After about halfway there I noticed it losing power, if I slowed down then gave it gas again it would pick back up. (this may just be fuel pulse pump related?) I have the throttle set low enough to keep the governor from kicking in. I also stopped twice, which the starter still fired the engine when I went to take off.
I made it to the store, when I went to leave I hit the pedal and nothing happened. First thing I noticed is that the solenoid did not click. I opened up the electrical box and saw the 15amp fuse was blown. I replaced it (thank goodness I had spares) but still had no click from the solenoid. The new fuse did not blow when attempting to start. I was able to get home by wedging a screwdriver in the pedal so the micros clicked then just used the pull start. On the way home I just had to make sure to not take the foot off the pedal.

back at the cabin I tried to jump the pos term with the starter term on the solenoid but nothing happens. I could of swore that is how I did it in the past. it safe to assume I burnt up the solenoid on the long distance run? If so should I bother with a CC replacement or buy one of those heavy duty marine solenoid? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

[csason]

hmm..

You should be able to *pretend the solenoid is not there* , by using a screwdriver across the heavy lugs (battery hot side to starter heavy gauge) and elicit a cranking out of the starter..
If it does NOT turn over, it is low battery, or bad starter..

It sounds like you knew that..

also, there are some who have to have the switch or the microswitch engaged to push power through..

But, it sounds like two different problems.. I don't see how your solenoid going bad (provided that is what is happening/happened) would result in a slow loss of power..

The slow loss of power sounds like something else..it actually sound like what mine is doing (a vtwin big block) after I put a newer muffler on. Mine, the muffler is not allowing enough exhaust out, so after a few minutes at higher than idle ( halfway to 3/4 range) it wants to die..slowly.. but if I back off..it catches up again.

[fastercarter]

Originally Posted by pgilbert

Cart: 1986 CC DS
Duromax motor with governor pulse fuel
Stock CC S/G
Stock electrical box - re wired cart last year
Brought the cart up to the cabin this weekend for its initial break in, and it ran great for buzzing around the property. Had to run to the gas station for something so I took the cart, its roughly 5 miles down a dirt road. After about halfway there I noticed it losing power, if I slowed down then gave it gas again it would pick back up. (this may just be fuel pulse pump related?) I have the throttle set low enough to keep the governor from kicking in. I also stopped twice, which the starter still fired the engine when I went to take off.
I made it to the store, when I went to leave I hit the pedal and nothing happened. First thing I noticed is that the solenoid did not click. I opened up the electrical box and saw the 15amp fuse was blown. I replaced it (thank goodness I had spares) but still had no click from the solenoid. The new fuse did not blow when attempting to start. I was able to get home by wedging a screwdriver in the pedal so the micros clicked then just used the pull start. On the way home I just had to make sure to not take the foot off the pedal.

back at the cabin I tried to jump the pos term with the starter term on the solenoid but nothing happens. I could of swore that is how I did it in the past. it safe to assume I burnt up the solenoid on the long distance run? If so should I bother with a CC replacement or buy one of those heavy duty marine solenoid? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Are you running the standard CC solenoid to the SG or aftermarket ? You mention trying a Marine solenoid, are they (or it) constant duty ? CC solenoids are constant duty whereas automotive will be momentary and will burn out rather quickly. Shouldn't stop you running though unless the battery goes low due to loss of a return path.

FC

[pgilbert]

That must be the issue with it bogging down, restricted muffler. The symptoms you described are pretty much spot on with what was happening to me. I have roughly 3 feet of exhaust pipe with close to 5 elbow bends in it to run it to the back of the cart, and for the muffler its the one used on the precedents which use a smaller motor. Would drilling some holes in the bottom of the muffler help at all or just cause issues?

I went in the garage and jumped the two pos and neg terms on the solenoid and found that the S/G would in fact move. But no matter which way i tried to jump the Stock CC solenoid, it would not click like it normally did. Would that not point to it being a busted solenoid?

The marine one i spoke about in my original post can be found here:

Link to Amazon's page

Link to Amazon's page

Its a continuous solenoid so it should do the trick, alot cheaper than stock replacements too.

[csason]

Originally Posted by pgilbert

That must be the issue with it bogging down, restricted muffler. The symptoms you described are pretty much spot on with what was happening to me. I have roughly 3 feet of exhaust pipe with close to 5 elbow bends in it to run it to the back of the cart, and for the muffler its the one used on the precedents which use a smaller motor. Would drilling some holes in the bottom of the muffler help at all or just cause issues?

You might want to get the solenoid done, then run it down the street without the muffler.. to see if that is the issue, it was a lucky guess based on your description, and that you just changed motors..

Originally Posted by pgilbert

I went in the garage and jumped the two pos and neg terms on the solenoid and found that the S/G would in fact move. But no matter which way i tried to jump the Stock CC solenoid, it would not click like it normally did. Would that not point to it being a busted solenoid?

sounds like it to me.

Originally Posted by pgilbert

The marine one i spoke about in my original post can be found here:
Link to Amazon's page
Its a continuous solenoid so it should do the trick, alot cheaper than stock replacements too.

That's your choice, I just know that a solenoid is pretty much a solenoid, I like the heavy duty ones, must be lucky finding "continuous duty" ones..

Regards.

[pgilbert]

Purchased a new solenoid today from the local CC Dealer. 25 bucks. Threw it in and the cart fired right up. Sweet!

For the muffler, I'm thinking i'm going to remove the little exhaust tip on the end and open it up a little, right now i have 1 1/4 inch pipe coming from the motor into the muffler, then a half inch pipe for the tip. Removing the tip should free up some flow... if it works better i'll just weld a piece of the exhaust pipe i used on the end to act as a tip. Hopefully this will keep the motor from bogging down during a prolonged acceleration.