Mark,
If you can get your hands on an external starter, try that. Check the battery voltage. Check the ground wires, the one on the block and the one across the isolator for the coil. You mentioned that the stator was replaced. Was the rotor replaced also?

Mark,
Hopefully the battery will fix your problem. Let us know the results. Picking up a used external starter wouldn’t be a bad idea. You could put a second battery on your to buy list as well. And also with any Leopard, spare starter motor brushes and a tube of silicon.

Mark,
have you tried removing the spark plug and clutch drum to check how easily the crank spins? Also look thru the plug hole and the exhaust port to see if there is any damage to the cylinder wall. I suppose you could have a partially stuck engine.
Take one of your starter motors apart. Check the brush leads. Take a volt meter and check the resistance between each one of the segments on the armature. The readings should all be close to each other. But I have doubts that both starters have the same problem.
I’d also check the connector to the starter for a pushed in pin. What made you think originally think that started was bad?
At this point it may not be a bad idea to take the engine into a shop.

Mark, any luck?

I just repaired the broken brush in my starter. Took a couple of hours, but was not too bad. I soldered the broken braid back to the tab.

Samir

I think your box needs a new starter relay. That’s why I need to know if it starts with an external

Call Jim Russell Jr at Russell Karting. 1-888-karting. He’s a guru. If he doesn’t fix them, let me know.

The first time we took our Leopard out, it had a weak battery. Cranking plus a push started it. (I tried a drill and impact wrench to start it, not enough torque.)

So, since it just took a push to start it, instead of an external starter, could one wrap a strap around a tire (on the stand), and pull it to simulate an external starter? Make sure the strap is not too long so it does not pull you in or get trapped on the chain in the event it starts.

Samir.

Mark, I think Samir is thinking of a shifter. You can’t push start a leopard, unless he had it set up with direct drive.

Yeah, since it has a clutch, push starting alone won’t work. You need to get up enough RPMs to engage the clutch to turn the engine. I bet an external pull start will work too – I’ve seen animal engines being started with a pull start instead of an external battery powered starter, so that could work here too. You might be able to find a pull starter cheap at a garden appliance repair shop.

My suggestion was not to push start, but to use a strap on a tire – mimicking the pull starter. I think I’ve seen a strap being used at the track too.

Samir.

A strap around the rear tire? Think about that. All you’re going to do is spin the clutch drum. It takes engine RPM to engage the clutch.

I found this on youtube – guy starts kart with a strap. Will it only work on a shifter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyZaWdeQIYE

Think about this. Was the kart in gear?

Only works with a shifter because it can be put in gear thus creating a direct mechanical path between the tire and the crankshaft, even at zero rpm.  You need an external starter for a Leopard, as the starter fits on a nut that is affixed to the crankshaft.

Mark, you say “no spark.”  Do you mean that literally?  You should be able to remove the plug, attach it to the plug wire, ground the end of the plug to the motor (e.g., hold it on the motor with a rubber handled pliers) and then crank the motor.  Since there is no compression with the plug out, the motor should spin easily even if the starter is weak.  You should see a spark jumping from the electrode to ground.  If not, the starter is not your most immediate problem.  If there is a spark, then perhaps the motor just isn’t spinning fast enough to start when cold.  Are you choking it by putting your hand over the air box intakes?

Does the engine seem to turn over as fast as it did originally did while cranking?

The starter only has 1 plug – that is the positive, and connect that to the battery positive. Connect another wire to the battery negative, and when you touch the body of the starter with the other end of the negative wire, it should spin the starter.

Actually, leave the ground wire on the starter hooked up when you test it with the jumper wires. Just add the extra ground wire to the same place to touch to the external battery. That starter ground may be the main or only ground on your kart, if its unhooked it may not let the ignition function properly.

Did you check the fuse? There is a 5A fuse inside the power pack, according to the manual. (see the last page). Also check that the screws holding individual wires inside the power pack did not vibrate loose and allow a wire disconnection.

Did you check the spade connector on the side of the coil? Clean? Connected?

Almost every section of the troubleshooting guide Item 16 of manual mentions a power pack internal bad connection or failure.

Samir

The earlier version of the push button box did have a fuse that could be replaced. Later models were epoxy filled and there was no access to any of the electrical components within the box.

Ok, now I’m confused, how did you crank it with the plug out, if nothing happens when you hit the starter button.

I think you just need a new starter relay. Easy enough, even with epoxy filled boxes.

I replied but didn’t see the second page of troubleshooting, so edited/removed my post. Hopefully that works for you.