1992 Parcar slow turning over, fast with spark plug removed

[bill0554]

My cart ran great for a year, then it started to slowly turnover. Had the starter checked out at a starter shop, everything checked good. Checked all the grounds and cleaned them as I went. New battery, starter solenoid,checked coil, points look good, but still turns over slow. Take out the spark plug and it turns over great! Need help please!! I'm lost.

[Kplhdryder]

Could be a plugged muffler, try removing it then start it, if it takes right off then thats your issue. Gonna be loud.

[bill0554]

Tried it last weekend, didn't do anything. Might be time to call in a professional!! Thanks for the help, will post what becomes of it.

[Yttermayn]

This is probably dumb, but have you changed the spark plug? I am wondering if the plug is somehow shorted inside and increasing the load on the battery. Also: What are the chances of something being wired wrong. I am wondering if the starter current is being sapped somewhere. Maybe get some jumper cables and connect the battery directly to the starter (disconnect everything else from the starter first) and see if it turns over good or not. The results should help you figure out if the problem is electrical or mechanical in nature.

[flylear45]

Is the belt slipping by chance?

[bill0554]

After reading another post with the same kind of problem, I started doing a continuity check with all the grounds again, but this time I turned on the key and also checked the starter motor. Someone had switched the A2 voltage regulator wire to the F1 terminal, which was somehow grounding most of the positive contacts on the starter, also the wire to the coil was reversed, so when I took out the spark plug the starter was turning over fine. Went back to the wiring diagram and found these two problems. This explains every symptom I was having with the battery not charging and the starter turning over very slow. Who would have thought checking to make sure the wires were right when it had been running fine for over a year! Mystery solved. Now if can only find the guy that did it!!!

[Kplhdryder]

Nice job on tracking it down bill0554, Its good that you posted the resolve of your problem , that helps us all.

[flylear45]

Nice detective work!

[Yttermayn]

Nice job! I delt with a similar wiring issue, resolved it the same way. Thank goodness for this forum and the service manuals!