G2 spark problem

[lamboman316]

When you first press the gas pedal it starts right up and will run, after you have stopped doing that and want to start back up again it won't start. I have determined that it gets spark the first time and than after that no spark. Come back in a few hours/next day will do they samething all over again. Wanted to get everybody's opinion on it, just drive it around yard and let kids drive. Do not want to spend money on taking it anywhere. If anyone could guide me in the right direction I would appreciate it. Thanks,

[lamboman316]

ANYBODY???? I'm leaning toward new coil. seeing how it gets spark every now and than....

[Snuffy]

Hi lamboman,

I'm not really familiar with a G2 but when I'm troubleshooting an intermittent problem, I start with easiest, cheapest possibility and work up. Don't know if you have replaced the spark plug but that's the first thing I would do. Ignition coil would probably be next followed by ignitor and then pickup coil. This would be after verifying you have no wiring issues.

Good luck with it.

[lamboman316]

thanks for reply, I have an ignition coil on the way. Hope that fixes the problem. It was running great than all of the sudden it died while I was giving my son a ride and the trouble started. We changed spark plug, We hooked up the tester to see if it was getting any spark , it wasn't, than it would once or twice but really weak. I will know in a few days.

[lamboman316]

I replaced the ignition coil, and replace the spark plug. I checked he spark with my spark plug tester and it was working great. I took it down the road. I got back to my driveway and it died on me. I checked the battery voltage and I had 11 volts, it would drop to 5volts when I pressed the gas pedal. I installed a new battery, I went to start it and I had spark for a second and no longer have it again. I' m back to where I was in the begining. I checked the terminal on the ignition coil that the red wire is hooked to and I have power. My question is, what is the orange wire for? should I have power on that? Every now and then I will get spark. I'm no mechanic, not sure where I should head from here. I just spent $140 and I haven't solved anything..

[Snuffy]

The orange wire supplies a ground pulse, at the proper time, to complete the coil circuit to generate the high voltage to fire the plug. The pickup coil, which is triggered by the rotor, 'tells' the ignitor unit when to fire the plug. I'm not sure but I suspect the pickup coil to be less likely to fail than the ignitor unit. I have had an ignition coil and an ignitor unit to go bad on my G9 (at different times) but have not had the pickup coil to give me a problem so far.

You might want to take a close look at the fuse(s). I did have a fuse to develop a bad connection where it was plugged into the fuseholder and cause me some intermittent problems once. I cleaned up the terminals and replaced the fuse, which was obviously 'melted'. The supply voltage to the ignitor unit is 'after' the fuse.

[lamboman316]

Thanks for the reply, I went out tonight to mess around with it a little bit. I was gettting voltage on the orange wire tonight. It started right up. I took it down the road and not even five min. and it died again. I got it back in garage and retested the orange wire and it was reading .01-.02. Where before it was over 9 close to 10. I'm thinking it must be the ignitor. I don't even see any fuses, if they are there, they must be covered with dirt and can't see them. I think at this point I have to spend the money and get the ignitor.

[Snuffy]

Even with my wordy explanation of the purpose of the orange wire, I never did say 'It comes from the Ignitor Unit', which it does. I think the Ignitor Unit would be the likely fix, assuming no wiring problems.

The G2 wiring diagram shows two fuses. Again, I'm not familiar with a G2 but on my G9, I have only one fuse on the front of the left (drivers) rear wheel well, under the seat, in the engine compartment. It is the large, plastic, automotive, plug in type fuse and has a cover on it.

It looks like the Brown wire at the Ignitor should have battery voltage (~+12V) on it at all times.

The Black wire at the Ignitor should be 0 volts and common to the negative (ground) terminal of the battery.

It looks like the Red/White wire at the Ignitor (as well as the Red/White going to the Ignition Coil) should have battery voltage (or at least ~ 10V) on it when the starter is turning the engine. (i.e. key on, throttle pressed, and engine running or turning, trying to start)

The Orange wire at the Ignitor Unit would show voltage through the Ignition Coil when the Ignitor is not 'telling' the Coil to fire the spark plug. Mine reads ~ 8V when engine is turning, on a DC voltmeter.

The White/Red and White/Black wires at the Ignitor Unit are from the Pick up Coil and probably would read less than 1 volt DC on each when the engine is turning.

All voltages are referenced to Negative battery terminal.

Hope this may help and good luck.

Hey, if anybody has experience with these or I'm telling him something wrong, please chime in.

[lamboman316]

Thanks for the reply Snuffy, I was able to locate a used working Ignitor today. Alot of dealer searching and calling around. He's pulling it off a G2 he has in the yard that has a major engine problem and is basically using it for salvaged parts. Will have it next week. I got it for 50.00. With Ignitor, ignition coil, battery I will have 200 into it. My dad bought this for me about 6 years ago for 200.00 and this is the first time I've had any problems with it. I guess I can't complain. I will keep you posted. I appreciate all the info you have given me. My grandfather use to help me out with all my engine problems. I don't have him anymore, I have to wing it. Thanks again.

[lamboman316]

When I got this cart he told me it's a 91 g2, after doing some research and finding the label on the frame. I think its a G9, here is the number that was on the tag attached to the frame. JG5-106110. G9??

[Snuffy]

Hey, that looks like a '92 G9. That's what I have. The difference I saw on the wiring diagram was the G2 has a Brown wire (hot at all times), and a (solid color) Red wire that goes to the Ignitor Unit. The G9 does not. Seven wires on a G2 and five on a G9.

I 'assume' they would not be interchangeable.

The remaining wires and colors are the same and have the same function as written above.

I've had good service from mine. You may still want to look for the (single) fuse on the wheel well just to make sure it looks good. When I said mine was obviously melted, I didn't mean the element. The fuse was not 'blown' just melted from the added resistance / heat caused by the poor connection between the fuse and the fuse holder.

Again, good luck.

[lamboman316]

tonight I went out and messed around with it, I checked the fuse and that was fine. Tonight I had 10 volts on the red wire at the ignition coil, like I always do. and I had 10 volts on the orange wire at the igniton coil while turning the engine over. (Strange) but I still had not spark on my tester and engine would not fire. I tested the wires coming from the pickup to the ignitor, when I turn the engine over I'm getting .5 than drops to .1 on both wires. I put my tester at the end of the plug wire and it was reading 10v. If I have 10v on red and orange wire at the ignition coil why am I not getting spark? Do you think the pickup is putting out what it should be? Here I was sure it was the ignitor the otherday and now not sure being I'm getting voltage all the way to the ignition coil.

[Snuffy]

I think the fact that you are getting the full 10V on the Orange wire is indication that the Ignitor is not providing the ground pulse to fire the plug. It should be more like 8 volts on the Orange wire when it's working correctly. (Assuming the Ignitor Unit is connected)

It could still be either the Ignitor Unit defective or the pickup coil. I would still lean towards the Ignitor Unit as being the more likely faulty part. Sounds like the wiring is probably good.

[Snuffy]

lamboman,

One more test for the pickup coil. Disconnect the connector that goes to the Ignitor Unit. Measure resistance with an Ohm meter between the White / Black and White / Red wires. It should read between 495 and 605 ohms. These are wires in the wiring harness, not into the Ignitor itself.

If you read either wire reference to 'ground' you shouldn't read anything or rather you should read an 'open' circuit.

If those tests pass, the pickup coil is probably good.

[lamboman316]

My new ignitor showed up today, I installed it and had spark. I went to back it out of garage and would not start. Here we go again, no SPARK!! you got to be kidding me. I was messing around with some of the connectors and I noticed the 3 pin connector with the red,black,orange that goes to the ignitor had a little play in it. It would move in and out like 1/8 inch. I held it in, and guess what? I had spark. all along it was this little connector giving me the trouble. I was driving it around the yard tonight. Its fixed, The guys at DIYGOLFCART are great, I can send the ignitor back and will purchase a windshield instead.

I would like to thank you Snuffy for all your replys and help you provided. It was very much appreciated. I'm sure we'll be talking again. Another thing I learned from all this is, I have a 92 G9, not a G2. Thanks again..

[Snuffy]

Great! Glad to know you found the problem and got it going.