i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,
every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

so i figure weak spark. i take apart the whole string start thing on
the side of the thing looking for the points, i then realize the
points are outside under a little metal covering. i put it all back
together, halfassedly, but it still pulls enough for a start. i found
the points, cleaned them. still nothing. now there is no spark at all.
i didn't put two screws back on the big fan thing that's connected to
the crank shaft, that's the only thing i can remember not doing when
putting it all back together.

what can i do to get this thing to run?

also, i was told it needs a new clutch. how and where is the clutch on
a go kart???

thanks!!!!!

wrote in message
ps.com...
i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,
every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

You are touching the spark plug threads to the engine block when you look
for spark, aren't you?

so i figure weak spark. i take apart the whole string start thing on
the side of the thing looking for the points, i then realize the
points are outside under a little metal covering. i put it all back
together, halfassedly

Without knowing what engine you have we can only guess.

Where is the sensor for the ignition at? Is it possible that you've got the
timing way off now?

wrote in
ps.com:

i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,
every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

so i figure weak spark. i take apart the whole string start thing on
the side of the thing looking for the points, i then realize the
points are outside under a little metal covering. i put it all back
together, halfassedly, but it still pulls enough for a start. i found
the points, cleaned them. still nothing. now there is no spark at all.
i didn't put two screws back on the big fan thing that's connected to
the crank shaft, that's the only thing i can remember not doing when
putting it all back together.

what can i do to get this thing to run?

Clean out the old,gummed out fuel,put fresh gas in,clean the carb with carb
cleaner.
If you removed the points,you may not have aligned them properly when you
reinstalled them. It could also have a bad magneto coil,or bad plug wire.

also, i was told it needs a new clutch. how and where is the clutch on
a go kart???

thanks!!!!!


the clutch is a centrifugal clutch,on the output shaft of the
engine,usually with a chain drive to the rear wheel.It engages when engine
RPMs spin fast enough.
It's round,metal,with a toothed gear on it.

They wear down and begin to slip.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

wrote in
ps.com:

i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,
every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

If it were putting out enough voltage,the pulse would REALLY zap your whole
arm,enough to hurt.


--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:15:57 -0700, wrote:

i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,

Then you probably had a spark.

every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

That's why Noozer asked what he did.

so i figure weak spark. i take apart the whole string start thing on
the side of the thing looking for the points, i then realize the
points are outside under a little metal covering. i put it all back
together, halfassedly, but it still pulls enough for a start. i found
the points, cleaned them. still nothing. now there is no spark at all.
i didn't put two screws back on the big fan thing that's connected to
the crank shaft, that's the only thing i can remember not doing when
putting it all back together.

what can i do to get this thing to run?

also, i was told it needs a new clutch. how and where is the clutch on
a go kart???

Was this two years ago? Otherwise, how could they know you need a new
clutch if the engine isn't running?

thanks!!!!!

On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:15:57 -0700, wrote:

i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,
every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

With the plug out, connected to the wire and resting against metal
(ground) pull the cord and look specifically for the type of spark you
have. Yellow/Orange would indicate a weak spark. A nice bright blue
(with the snap snap) is what you want.

I've seen a weak spark when flywheel magnets corroded a bit with
rust. They can be cleaned with a little 220 sand paper.

so i figure weak spark. i take apart the whole string start thing on
the side of the thing looking for the points, i then realize the
points are outside under a little metal covering. i put it all back
together, halfassedly, but it still pulls enough for a start. i found
the points, cleaned them. still nothing. now there is no spark at all.
i didn't put two screws back on the big fan thing that's connected to
the crank shaft, that's the only thing i can remember not doing when
putting it all back together.

what can i do to get this thing to run?

Check the gap on the points. first....

also, i was told it needs a new clutch. how and where is the clutch on
a go kart???

Buy this after the engine runs :-))

thanks!!!!!
--
Oren

...through the use of electrical or duct tape, achieve the configuration in the photo..

mm wrote in
news
On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:15:57 -0700, wrote:

i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,

Then you probably had a spark.

Not one good enough to fire an engine.
YOU grab an ignition wire and see how it feels;it will zap your whole arm
and your shoulder too,if it's a good spark.
And you definitely will not want to do it again.

(my personal experience with MY mini-bike;it "shut off" by pushing a
grounding clip against the spark plug,and I reached under the seat to do it
without actually LOOKING at what I was doing,made contact with the tip of
the spark plug instead of the clip,and ZAP,I raised up like someone set
off a firecracker under my butt.It HURT,and I was shaky for a minute or
two.I imagine that is what being zapped with a TASER feels like.)

every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

That's why Noozer asked what he did.

so i figure weak spark. i take apart the whole string start thing on
the side of the thing looking for the points, i then realize the
points are outside under a little metal covering. i put it all back
together, halfassedly, but it still pulls enough for a start. i found
the points, cleaned them. still nothing. now there is no spark at all.
i didn't put two screws back on the big fan thing that's connected to
the crank shaft, that's the only thing i can remember not doing when
putting it all back together.

what can i do to get this thing to run?

also, i was told it needs a new clutch. how and where is the clutch on
a go kart???

Was this two years ago? Otherwise, how could they know you need a new
clutch if the engine isn't running?

Maybe the last time they tried to use it when the engine -was- running,the
clutch was slipping.
Then they let it sit for 2 yrs,and then decided to sell it "as-is".


--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

On 7 Jun 2007 04:12:47 GMT, Jim Yanik wrote:

mm wrote in
news
On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:15:57 -0700, wrote:

i just got a go kart that has been sitting for two years. it won't
start. i pulled the spark plug and pulled the string, no spark. i put
a new spark plug in, still no spark. i held the live wire with my
fingers to see if there was anything, and i felt a spark. however,

Then you probably had a spark.

Not one good enough to fire an engine.
YOU grab an ignition wire and see how it feels;it will zap your whole arm
and your shoulder too,if it's a good spark.
And you definitely will not want to do it again.

I figured either it was a strong spark but he didn't say so (people
are always leaving out important stuff, or he assumed spark was equal
to strong spark), or he wasn't conected to the go-cart anywhere else
so the spark felt weaker.

I got to the point where shocks from my car's spark plug wires, while
I leaned against the fender, weren't so bad that they made me pull
back my arm.

(my personal experience with MY mini-bike;it "shut off" by pushing a
grounding clip against the spark plug,and I reached under the seat to do it
without actually LOOKING at what I was doing,made contact with the tip of
the spark plug instead of the clip,and ZAP,I raised up like someone set
off a firecracker under my butt.It HURT,and I was shaky for a minute or
two.I imagine that is what being zapped with a TASER feels like.)

every time i attached it to the plug, nothing.

That's why Noozer asked what he did.

so i figure weak spark.

Oops. I missed this.

i take apart the whole string start thing on...

also, i was told it needs a new clutch. how and where is the clutch on
a go kart???

Was this two years ago? Otherwise, how could they know you need a new
clutch if the engine isn't running?

Maybe the last time they tried to use it when the engine -was- running,the
clutch was slipping.
Then they let it sit for 2 yrs,and then decided to sell it "as-is".

Maybe.

On 7 Jun 2007 04:12:47 GMT, Jim Yanik wrote:

(my personal experience with MY mini-bike;it "shut off" by pushing a
grounding clip against the spark plug,and I reached under the seat to do it
without actually LOOKING at what I was doing,made contact with the tip of
the spark plug instead of the clip,and ZAP,I raised up like someone set
off a firecracker under my butt.It HURT,and I was shaky for a minute or
two.I imagine that is what being zapped with a TASER feels like.)

Testing a small engine/old auto points condenser was fun. Think that
it's bad? Pull a plug wire from your car engine and slightly
attached the condenser to the plug and wire. Do not let it ground.
Crank the engine, run a moment and turn off. Remove condenser, holding
the wire and toss it to a friend...hey catch!. If you like; just cup
the condenser in your hand. It BITES! :-)

--
Oren

"I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you."