Club Car DS slow to start

[ddavis6384]

My '93 DS turns over, but takes a long time to "fire". It smells like its flooded, but it helps if I push the choke for just a second. Then it will fire and run. Without using the choke, it could take 30 secs or so to fire.

Rev limiter is disconnected, has new igniter and a new carburetor and fuel lines.

Don't know what to try next. Micro Swithes? Coil? Fuel pump?

Doug

[golfcartg]

Definitely water or some contaminant in the fuel, pump the tank and start fresh just to easily rule that out. That said, sometimes aftermarket carburetors can have internal issues like improperly set float levels or partially obstructed jets, which might lead to a lean condition when starting. The float height controls the fuel reservoir inside the carburetor, and if it’s set too low, the engine may struggle to draw enough fuel.

When you engage the choke, you are effectively restricting the airflow into the carburetor which increases the air to fuel ratio by pulling in a greater volume of fuel. This process enriches the mixture and compensates for conditions where the engine struggles to ignite due to factors like bad fuel, weak fuel delivery or improper atomization. The fact that using the choke briefly remedies the situation suggests the issue might be tied to fuel delivery or a weak spark as the enriched mixture makes it easier for the engine to fire under suboptimal conditions.

Pull the main fuel line off of the carb and crank the engine, you should see a steady pulse. If it is not maintaining consistent pressure or volume, the engine may not receive enough fuel during cranking causing it to hesitate. Fuel pumps on these models operate off engine vacuum pulses and a worn diaphragm or a weak vacuum source could lead to inconsistent fuel flow.