97 club car will not start until !!!

[BassMan]

I'll try and explain this the best I can. Cart will not start turns over but will not start. so I started checking what I knew fuse, fuel, changed the plug, nothing....then the spark... I put a screw driver in the plug wire plug and grounded next to a bolt and started getting low arc to a very strong arc, put back on plug fired right up. This has happen a few times now and after using the screw driver to get a arc it will start right up.....Any thoughts...

[golfcartg]

It sounds like you're experiencing an intermittent spark issue which is often tied to a failing RPM limiter in these carts. The RPM limiter’s job is to prevent the engine from over revving by cutting off the ignition when necessary. When it starts to fail it can cause irregular spark issues like what you're describing. It's a fairly common problem and it’s one of the easier things to troubleshoot and rule out.

First, locate the RPM limiter on the front of the engine. It’s a black box usually mounted down low on the engine block. You'll notice a ground wire coming from it and in most cases it’s brown. What you want to do is disconnect that ground wire. After you’ve disconnected it, make sure to neutralize it by either pushing it away from any contact points or wrapping it in electrical tape to prevent it from accidentally grounding.

Once you’ve done this, go ahead and run the cart like you normally would. If the issue goes away, you've likely found the culprit. In this case, you’ll want to replace the RPM limiter. Even though disabling it temporarily can solve the immediate issue, running without an RPM limiter long term can risk over revving the engine which can lead to serious damage down the road. If you have any questions feel free to ask!