On Line Remote Diagnosis Please

[OneTimeUser]

The facts: Fox Hornet cart with stage one (or so) Predator 212. It has a series 30 TC on it--the kind with the driver and driven on a backing plate. I had the thing running real well--lots of low end, good mid, and top speed of 25 maybe pushing 30.

Today it learned a new trick.

It starts and runs fine, pulls off the line and through mid range pretty well and then the RPMs start climbing but no increase in speed. Probably tops out at less than 20 with the engine SCREAMING. Much higher RPM then ever before, but no increase in top speed. Clearly a slipping connection between the driver and driven.

I looked it over real well and put a new, identical, belt on it. No change.

The only thing I could find wrong was that the little "idler" brass ring on the driven shaft was split--into a "C" shape, not in two separate complete rings. I'll replace the idler ring (if I can find one) but don't think that is the culprit.

Anybody had this experience and/or have any clues? I've had this kind of performance in the past in an automobile with a manual transmission and a worn out clutch plate--specifically, rising RPMs and no increase in speed.

Thanks in advance ...

 

[Whitetrashrocker]

Whats the tooth counts just for our knowledge?

Since the brass bushings were split, leads me to believe maintenance is low.

Put the rear tires in the air, watch the cvt. Does it smoothly adjust itself with rpm?
If its sticking that could be your issue.

 

[OneTimeUser]

WTR,

That's a good test. I considered a broken spring on the driven but haven't taken it apart to check yet.

Drive sprocket is about a 12 or so, but unchanged during this little episode. I'll count tomorrow.

You did cause me to think to inspect the CVT operation on stands. I'll check tomorrow (if I can find some jack stands not in use--sigh). Had the big Murray up on stands for a couple of months now.

BTW, I found the driven clutch idler ring on Amazon and they will be here tomorrow--iffin' the Creek don't rise.

Thanks.

 

[Denny]

Pictures of the clutches would be handy too.

 

[OneTimeUser]

Real garden variety stuff.

 

[OneTimeUser]

Recall, it worked just fine yesterday

 

[Denny]

Is that the correct belt (COMET BRAND). What is the foreign substance on the clutches? Is it on the belt? Is the belt smeared all over the clutches shieves? Is the belt on correctly?

 

[OneTimeUser]

Denny,

The foreign substance is just discoloration of the outside of the driven clutch cover. It sat (prior to my ownership) out in the Texas sun for a few years and got a little rusty. When I cleaned it up with Ospho it came out spotted. The internals are from another and better clutch and are clean and proper and lubed with just a touch of dry graphite.

It's not a Comet belt (I bought an Amazon three pack before I knew better, and am going to use them up). The belt does seem a bit loose to me, but is the best part number match I can find from the Comet belt chart.

Remember please, this exact set up worked fine one day and then didn't work well the next. I'm hunting for the variable. Something changed one day to the next.

Today I will disassemble the driven and check for a broken spring. This is my current working theory.

Thanks for the reply/help...

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Que Denny in 3, 2, 1... (see below)

 

[Denny]

Oh you’re using the yack grease rice fiber belt. There’s your problem you melted it and now it gummed up everything. Get a GENUINE COMET BELT!!! And clean up those clutches.

 

[Edwin Spangler]

Denny,

The foreign substance is just discoloration of the outside of the driven clutch cover. It sat (prior to my ownership) out in the Texas sun for a few years and got a little rusty. When I cleaned it up with Ospho it came out spotted. The internals are from another and better clutch and are clean and proper and lubed with just a touch of dry graphite.

It's not a Comet belt (I bought an Amazon three pack before I knew better, and am going to use them up). The belt does seem a bit loose to me, but is the best part number match I can find from the Comet belt chart.

Remember please, this exact set up worked fine one day and then didn't work well the next. I'm hunting for the variable. Something changed one day to the next.

Today I will disassemble the driven and check for a broken spring. This is my current working theory.

Thanks for the reply/help...

Those cheap belts have a threshold, it seems. After a bit of hard use, they suddenly stretch and are pretty much unusable.

 

[OneTimeUser]

Oh you’re using the yack grease rice fiber belt. There’s your problem you melted it and now it gummed up everything. Get a GENUINE COMET BELT!!! And clean up those clutches.

Clutches are clean as a whistle. Just ugly from sitting in the Texas sun for many years. I'll get Comet belts after I burn through the ones I already got from Amazon.

 

[OneTimeUser]

MYSTERY SOLVED. I replaced the little brass "idler" bushing and everything went back to norbal. I don't quite understand how a split (longitudinally into a "C" shape) idler bushing could produce the bad results that it did--but it did. Go figure.

Thanks to all for the ideas and help...

 

[OneTimeUser]

The culprit.