ClubCar 2003 Club Car Carryall engine loses spark

[John]

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Hello from Green Valley, geezerish retirement place with lotta golf courses. Lotta carts on the street and golf cart lanes on many streets. My Mom gave me her old 2003 Club Car Carryall Turf 2.
problem is engine cuts our cuz spark quits at any position less than full throttle. At half throttle it runs for 10 seconds or so, then the juice to spark plug quits. Push down on the gas pedal and it surges back to full power. I used an online tester to confirm. I have also disconnected the rev limiter, so that may not be the problem. I await your suggestion


MOVED TO GAS CARTS ...CTD

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

YEA I'VE SEENTHIS A TIME OR TWO ... CHANGE OUT THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR
I WOULD RECONECT THE REV LIMTER ...

 

[John]

YEA I'VE SEENTHIS A TIME OR TWO ... CHANGE OUT THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR
I WOULD RECONECT THE REV LIMTER ...

Crash,
Thank you for the advice. I will swap the Regulator and let you know how It goes. The 290 cc engine is weaker than I’d like. I live on dirt road. There’s a hill you have to climb to get outta my neighborhood to head for town and the cart climbs it now but when my 23 inch wheels arrive I’m sure it’s not going to pull that hill. Planning an engine upgrade to Predator 420.

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

yea just remember it was made for golf courses

 

[John]

yea just remember it was made for golf courses

 

[John]

CTD,
I checked the regulator and it pegged the need. Over 16 volts. Waiting for the part to arrive. Thanks

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

your welcome
stick around and be part of the group we are small but friendly

 

[John]

I should get my new voltage regulator for the 2003 CC Carryall today. I’m excited to see if that fixes the problem of full throttle or no throttle. I’ve been fixing the brake and ebrake Somebody off roaded it and bent the brake pedal supports so it was caddy wompus. Then it was jerry rigged with a piece of pvc conduit and a hose strap. The correct brake shaft holder were $4.00 each from hydraulic shop!

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

I HAVE HAD SOME FRANKENSTEIN CARTS
THERE WAS AN ELECTRIC CART MADE INTO A GAS CART ... WITH A LAWN MOWER ENGINE IN IT

 

[John]

I HAVE HAD SOME FRANKENSTEIN CARTS
THERE WAS AN ELECTRIC CART MADE INTO A GAS CART ... WITH A LAWN MOWER ENGINE IN IT

ENGINE SWAP next?
The new voltage regulator seems to be working ok. I can run at 3/4 throttle without the engine cutting out. I did put on the 23 inch wheels and my carryall will not pull the hill to get out of my neighborhood.
Engine swap recommendations? We are leaning toward the clone 420 predator from Harbor Freight

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

i have not done an engine swap on a carryall
but i have heard good things on the 420 predator
keep us advised

 

[John]

i wanted to swap in the 420 Predator engine in this 2003 Carryall. Vegas carts only sells the install kit for the 2 cylinder Predator which is around 625 or 670 cc. Don’t need all that power and also don’t know if the bigger engine will fit ok. I lifted the cart 6 inches and put 23 inch tires. So it really needs more power than the Kaw puts out. Any thoughts or words of advice? Is there an install kit available anywhere for the 420 Predator?

 

[Crash Test Dummy]

i am not good on the 420 Predator
but i did find this

How to Install/Swap Golf Cart Engine with Predator 420 Engine (STEPS) - Golf Storage Ideas

This article will give a step-by-step guide on swapping and converting your existing golf cart engine for a predator engine. If you are not a trained mechanic, please don’t

www.golfstorageguide.com

i hope this helps
oh and here is a 420Predator upgrade i found

 

[whiteGIANT510]

I have a predator 420cc and it has lots of torque because it has 16:1 gears. I want 8:1 it should get me to 22-24 mph. With the stock 8 in wheels I go 10mph. But I get there fast.

 

[John]

When we put 23 inch tires speed went from around 12 to 15. MPH. Approx. Cut the governor wire and it went about 17 mph. When we installed the harbor freight 670 engine top speed is 30 mph. The torque converter from Vegas carts install kit may have helped with the speed but I think it’s the 4,000 rpm max engine speed.

 

[whiteGIANT510]

My cart was originally 2 stroke so I also don't have reverse. The 2 stroke runs at much higher rpm so I have lots of power but lower speed.. Whoever put it together did a crap job. They welded the engine mount bolts to the mounting plate. The belt was too long , the rear axle was flipped so the pumpkin is on the passenger side. Probably because of the rotation of the predator engine but idk. But when they welded the rear end back on they left almost half an inch gap,and while I was riding I went over a speed bump and the axle broke off the subframe. It's been an adventure and a free one so I can't complain.


What I can and did complain about is the Stores that call a cvt a "torque converter " that's a part of an automatic transmission. A cvt IS the transmission hence the "t" continuously variable transmission. I had a long back and forth with someone at comet and eventually I won. Well. They stopped replying and couldn't prove why they were right.