Quick video on adjusting the governor on small engines with a mechanical governor, NOT a air vane governor, as they are non adjustable. Thanks for Watching!!!
Your video on this subject is superior to any other video. I spent hours trying to figure this out, looking at other videos, and your video was short, succinct, direct, and informative. I was able to go out and adjust the high RPM's in 5 minutes. Thank you so much!
100%. I too, have spent hours fiddling with it all to no success. Then I somehow did something and it worked, until I did another adjustment and ruined the setting again. After spending hours searching online for a fix, I finally stumbled across this video that is so simple and makes me feel like an idiot.
Thanks, really appreciate that! I try to focus on the subject, i hate to watch a video when someone has music playing in the background. Thanks for Watching!!!
Of all the web pages i've gone to and about 10 videos, THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST EXAMPLE OF HOW TO ADJUST THE GOUVERNOR ON A SMALL ENGINE. Thank you for making and sharing this video. I knew it was a simple process but could never get a straight forward example of how to do the actual adjustment, everyone wants to talk about springs and how to "jimmy" springs to control idle speed... thanks for the video two thumbs up!!
+doug h I appreciate that! I usually try to keep things as simple and to the point as i can. Yeah, sometimes you have to bend the tabs to fine tune speed, especially on generators. Your welcome!!! Thanks for Watching!!!
I have watched others try to tell us how to adjust the governor on a motor. You are the only one that I have found that go straight to the subject. Most people do not know how to teach because they go through to much and get to complicated. Keep making videos.
Appreciate that, I try to keep my videos as simple as possible and to the point, I do get carried away or get off subject now and though haha Will do! Thanks for Watching!!!
Hi there from Australia. Your videos are fantastic! They have given me the confidence to tackle things like this instead of paying big money for someone else to fix it. And by the way, my wife is quite impressed too. Thinks I am quite the handyman thanks to you! I owe you one😉 Just about to try process and adjust my govenor. I just fixed my one piece carburetor. I cleaned out all the jets but still wouldn't work. As it happened, it was the needle getting stuck and not dropping in and out properly. Not getting fuel. I had to drill it out slightly (in reverse) just to get a little bit more clearance. No amount of cleaning worked. Thanks heaps. Mick.
Hi! Appreciate that! Glad to hear! Thats why i make these videos to help people save money by doing repairs your self. haha i hear ya! I hear ya, sometimes they can be really bad. Your welcome glad to help out! thanks for watching!!!
I feel silly saying this but I have struggled with this for years.. You have made an AWESOME video .. the best and most simple explanation anyone could ask for.. I appreciate your time and effort..Cheers
Just wanted to say a quick thank you. I put a new short block in my rider (13.5hp B&S) and got it back running but couldn't figure out how to set the governor. It was running really high and would bog down with the engaging of the blades and going up a hill. I had looked for quite a while on the internet and couldn't really find what I needed. I found your video and couldn't believe how easy it was and I was a very skeptical. Well I went out and adjusted it and it worked great. Thanks!!!!!!
Dang ! That might explain why (after installing a new carb kit) the engine on my tiller is acting up. A simple adjustment that I never thought about. Thanks a million. I was about to buy another kit thinking it was a bad one. Thumbs up
This is by far, the best, straight to the point, clear video description I've seen yet. I've watched about 30videos or so. Just opened up my shop last year (2 more weeks is my 1 year anniv for opening. doing free labor all day for all 70 of my customers if they provide the parts.!) Couldn't ask for a better video, the most direct!
Jeff Fixererer Thanks, I really appreciate that! Glad to hear it helped out! Congratulations on your shop! I hope to one day have my own shop. haha i hear ya! Thanks for Watching!!!
Good job! As a note from a retired ASE Master but green Loctite is low strength and applied after a nut is installed. Now, I will do this to my tiller because it runs faster than normal and won't idle down. If I am throwing snow, I like to push the throttle down while the mail guy/gal shows up. I use plastic covers for manuals, but take photos to numbers of the snow machine, s/n, model and engine to. Clean & brighten photos & print them place these in the file cabinet as well. It helps 4-7 years later when things need adjusted or fixed. DK, ASE Master Tech since 78, Retired. Thanks!
You just saved me! I changed the carb on my B&G 9.5 snow blower engine and it was racing after I started it. I stopped it in a second or two. I thought I had a bad carb. I was extra careful not change anything but it turns out the governor was way out! Thank you!
@@grahamlocklin thank you! Im gonna set it today! Its my sons new tractor hes been building and he just got it running and it scared both of us when it took off at full speed lol
excellent! this is exactly how to adjust the governor. Normally you will not need to do this, but with old antique motors, these friction/clamp type fasteners get rusty and they slip. The other thing that can happen, and I want to mention this to anyone dealing with an older vintage motor is that the governor arm has a bushing type seal. This bushing type seal can build up lots of crude an dirt and that can cause the governor arm to get "stuck" or bind up in one range of motion. So before doing anything, spray some brake cleaner all over the governor arm bushing seal. Blast it with some compressed air, then coat it lightly with regular motor oil. (the brake cleaner will cause most rubber bushings and seals to dry out and then they can crack...so put some lube oil on it to prevent that. It's like how you wash your hair. shampoo to get rid of dirt and then a conditioner to prevent dry out. Same idea. also...on old vintage motors, springs rust out and break. Always check that ALL springs are intact, in the correct holes/positions, and replace them if they are weak or stiff. t
I have been searching for info on the throttle, choke, and governor on my riding mower. I am so glad that I found your videos. Just what I needed. You definitely do need to "keep them coming"!
Another great video Frank! You have the best small engine videos on You Tube. I always thought this was not adjustable. I have a 12.5 hp Briggs that is surging right now after a carb rebuild. I will bet that this is the problem. I will adjust the governor in the morning. Thanks so much for the timely video!
At 2:47 you explained my problem! I was having an issue with mice that chewed my plug wire down to bare wire and shorting out. I took head and carb off to check valves, but never touched the gov assembly. When I put it all back together, it was way over revving. I couldn't figure out what I did to make it rev up like that, but I knew the fix was resetting it. Not untill you explained that anytime you take the carb off, you should re-adjust your gov....I didn't know that! Thanks for the info! Great vid, bro!
Awesome video. I have been looking for a video like this for weeks. I called Briggs yesterday, and there engine support team wouldn't tell me how to do it. I was checking your channel out, and low and behold this was the first video. Thanks so much man. You don't know how much your videos help us out. Appreciate you taking the time to show us how to do this. My next goal is to get a tachometer to tune the carb. Trying to figure out how to tune it properly, with idle, and top no load.
This is the exact video I needed! I just bought an old murray riding mower and it has the 12.5 band g i/c motor. It runs very high rpm pretty much non stop and doenst have much of a change in the throttle,. it does surge in a rythmic fashion and blows a lot of oil/white smoke out of the exaust when it does the surge. lawn mower mechanic up the street said to try adjusting the governor. this video was perfect for showing me what to do. I just hope it does the trick once i actually do it.
glad someone finally records a real how to video, very detailed, stays on topic,clearly speaks and demonstrates,no background bs like music,and he isnt trying to break into the acting career by dressing up as some bucktoothed idiot on other videos ive tried to watch and learn but couldnt because the acting was in the way...great job..and great teaching
Thanks for your videos! Between this one on adjusting the governor and your others on rebuilding and tuning the flowjet carbs, my old B&S powered mower is running perfectly. Thanks for take the time to share your knowledge.
Between this video and the one that explains how the governor works where it was completely disassembled, I have a very good understanding of how to recognize and fix governor issues. I fixed my rototiller that was basically new, I bought from someone who couldn't fix it and now it runs like new! it was loping... Thank you sir!
brotha, THANK YOU!!! I have never adjusted a governor before and I been needing to on an old 1982 JD214 garden tractor. This solved my problem! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!
Excellent video. One of the best I've seen. Not a lot of wasted rambling on, just good information presented in a good fashion. Thank you very much. I'll be watching more of your vids.
+James Brown Thanks, appreciate that! Yeah i usually try to stay to the point, now and then I'll get sidetracked haha Your welcome, appreciate that! Thanks for Watching!!!
Hi I’ve a Briggs quantum engine and I’ve cleaned the carb and replaced air filter and gaskets spark plug and governor spring and adjusted the governor arm as per video but still engine races ?
Thanks. I had rebuilt a 30 year old Briggs, 1904oo series engine, on a Mighty Mac chipper, governor similar set up to this one, my engine is horizontal. My engine was way over revving, was driving me nuts right after a rebuild like that wanted to break engine in without throwing the rod out. I knew there was a governor adjustment of some sort on that shaft you worked on. Here I'd been trying to adjust my maximum governed speed with a nut which has s spring behind it, on my engine which is located behind the white (black on mine) plastic throttle slider, and sticks out toward the pto side. This spring / nut does not seem to be present on lawn mower application in video, at least that I could see. This WORKED, my engine now runs at a decent regulated speed not too fast like the Wright Brothers only caring if the engine lasted long enough for that first 59 second flight, lol. Engine purrs right along as it continues to settle in, undergoing break in from its rebuild. Chippers always run really fast, one reason chipper engines do not last. I still have not found out what the adjusting nut with spring behind it exactly does on my engine, but believe it may have something to do with running speed although does not allow you the wide a range you have on a lawnmower application. Way engine is mounted you can NOT safely make adjustments with engine running. Some differences on my chipper engine, are the white (or black) plastic square throttle slider on mine, you can NOT move. Also, look ma, no third hand required: did not need hold throttle wide open while turning governor shaft to the right, and tightening the clamp nut. My engine the linkage kept the throttle WIDE open for you. In fact idk what the idle screw even has got to do with anything on mine, only way that idle screw EVER touches, running or stopped is if you somehow override the throttle rod linkage manually. Good informative video, great pictures, and as another poster mentioned no music viewers may not like. Nice job!
First off, fantastic explanation! I watched the video on what a governor does and then followed it up with this video. I have the opposite to your problem where it is surging at idle actually, hope this does the trick :)
Appreciate that, glad to help out! I hear ya, alot of times if they are running to lean it may be a carburetor issue causing that too. Thanks for Watching!!!
Thanks for showing how to do this. I have a Yamaha MT 110 2-stroke lawnmower motor and it was giving me all hell revving like it was going to take off whenever it feels like it. Well, just as you said: 5 minutes later the problem is fixed & it is running smoothly and solid. The throttle cable was replaced some time ago and ever since that it was uncontrollable but worked sort of.
Excellent videos (this one and throttle linkage one). Saved my butt! Just rebuild the LMT carb and couldn't get it to work properly. Overlooked governor adjustment like you said. Thank you so much!!!!
Thanks. I hear ya, I didn't know about it either until about 3 years ago i think it was, had a 12 horse briggs that was surging no matter how i adjusted the carburetor, did some research and adjusted it, and it smoothed right out, wish i made a video on that motor. Thanks for Watching!!!
no problem! yeah I didn't either until about 4 years ago, when my engine was loping/surging and i couldn't adjust it out with adjusting the carburetor.
Thank you so much for this video! I have recently taken off the carburettor and the engine's started surging since that. I will give this a go - I'm sure this is the cause. Thanks again!
I think I see. Every day I feel a little closer to really understanding how the governor and autochoke work. My B&S has a similar setup. It has a half moon governor shaft. I'd like to have a special tool for that. I really don't quite understand the throttle + choke position of the throttle control though. There doesn't seem to be any connection from the throttle cable to the choke at all. The only linkage for the choke leads up into the engine near the muffler, I assume this being the heat controlled autochoke. I understand the governor action in the following way: For a given midrange throttle control position, when the oil slinger (or the air vanes) go faster, such as under a decreased load, the pin comes out (or the air arm moves out), which pulls the governor arm forward (to the right), which closes the throttle valve a little bit to slow the RPM down. Similarly, when an increased load slows the engine down, the governor arm moves to the rear (to the left), opening the throttle valve a little to increase engine RPM. I can understand that. Now when you adjusted the governor arm, you were effectively adjusting the governor up against it's closest position to either the oil slinger or the air vanes (depending on the type of governor). Taryl says to hold this shaft position, then adjust the governor arm so that the throttle is all the way open (as far away from the idle screw as it will go). Then he says to tighten the governor arm to the governor shaft while holding these two positions. This agrees with what you said. So that must be correct. The spring that rides on the throttle linkage, which connects the throttle to the governor, must only serve the purpose of keeping the linkage from falling apart, and performs no other function. My throttle cable is attached to a lever having a throttle control spring running to the governor arm. This spring must be the important one. I would also assume that the clamp holding the throttle cable down should be loosened, and with the throttle control in idle, the throttle cable should be adjusted in its clamp so that the throttle control spring is just at its limp position (no tension). At idle, the throttle control spring is limp, allowing the governor arm to rest against the stop, being held against the stop by an internal spring inside the engine I assume. Here is what confuses me: The choke seems to have no input from the throttle cable, its only connection being the autochoke linkage running up inside the engine cover near the muffler. But that doesn't seem right. Obviously, the choke comes on in this throttle control position because the engine won't start cold unless it is in that position. So what am I not seeing?
Thank you for this information...I'll try it this morning and see if it he's the surging on my older 8hp Briggs & Stratton. I've tried just about everything else I could think of.
thanks for the video ,i was beating my brains out trying to figure out why the surge ,I pulled the new carb off twice cleaning it and it didn't help I seen this video and in 3 minutes wah-la , ,,thanks again
Thanks. Yeah i just put it up yesterday, thats funny because someone else said i put the video up at the right time as well haha. Thats crazy that they wouldn't tell you how to do it, but it really doesn't surprise me. Your welcome! I need to get a tach as well, it would be very handy to have. thanks for watching!!!
jj again. The air vane on my 6.75 just works the carb's choke butterfly. I believe it's Briggs' autochoke feature added some years ago to supposedly make for easier starting for the avg. homeowner; that is, no primer nor choke to fool with. The carb's inside butterfly (throttle) is operated by linkages routed from front to back finally disappearing through the crankcase. There is a bolt/jamb nut and shaft just like on a mechanical gov. Glad to send a picture if you will tell me how. Appreciate your patience; I've learned a lot from you.
I worked on those before, I don't care much for it, i'd rather have a manual choke or primer. that is a mechanical governor going to the inside, it should just have a air vane choke. it could very well be the slinger / gov is bad or just needs adjusted like i did in this video. Thanks for Watching!!!
Thanks! Really appreciate that! That probably is whats wrong with it. Thats how my rider was doing about 4 years ago, i thought it was in the carburetor all along haha That was pretty good timing haha no problem! thanks for watching!!!
I have a really old twin 18 Briggs on the original mower that has been stripped down to pull a small tilt trailer. lately when the engine is started the choke has been had to be left open for the engine to continue running and idling. this mower has a fuel pump. what adjustments need to be made in your opinion? thanks Tony
Just set my govner due to surging revs.( up and down) exact ally the way you showed. Everything on my 550 brig and strat was the same as video, mower runs better then new, in fact I'm concerned it revs too high lol. Fantastic information!
Yes it should, I know its the same on the opposed cylinders, i think it basically the same setup on all mechanical governor engines. thanks for watching!!!
Well here it is a few years after you so kindly made this video and I find that I should thank you,,,Thank You! It took me some time to find a video that is useful and detailed, I didn't even have to hear all about things that have nothing to do with the engine. Thank You again.
Your welcome! Out of curiosity, where did you get a new block for it? yeah they will do that, most common problem is surging up and down, which is very very annoying haha Yeah it does seem like its to simple but it works! no problem! thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video, it was actually very very helpful. Question though: I have a 14hp B&S riding lawn mower engine. I'm putting it on a go-kart frame for a friend of mine, and I have seen a lot of videos that say you should remove the governor to let the engine rev higher. But as I soon figured out, the governor goes along with the oil flinger, which obviously is necessary. So how would i remove the governor w/out having to remove the flinger? Also, how would removing the governor arm on the exterior affect how the throttle does it's job? Thank you
Your welcome! I don't recommend removing the governor on small engines, they won't take it. It will throw a rod or break the counterweight link. But if your going to do it, you don't have to take it apart, do away with the assembly where the throttle would normally mount, or leave it in place and connect your throttle cable directly to the linkage going to the carburetor's throttle plate (the long linkage that runs from the governor arm to the carburetor that i showed in the video). (or simply, remove the long linkage between the throttle assembly and carburetor, connect your cable with a new clamp directly to the carburetor's throttle plate, the same way that a manual choke is connected). So basically your not "removing" the governor, but your bypassing it. But it will blow up, especially if you give it WOT and keep it there, been there and done it, look up one of my early videos (not hd) i show the aftermath of a 14.5 (basically the same as your 14) after it threw the rod out the side of the block! If you gear it right (chain sprocket sizes) you will be surprised of what you can get out of a stock engine. Because they have decent stock low end torque. If your willing to sink some money into it, go to eccarburetors.com and you can upgrade the rod, flywheel and counterweight link, its expensive, but with that you can build a serious racing engine. Hope this helps, if you have any other questions feel free to ask! Thanks for Watching!!!
If the linkage is unhooked and its hard to move, the oil slinger/governor may be broken or stuck or possibly its way out of adjustment and needs to be adjusted like in this video. Rare problem, but it does happen. Thanks for Watching!
+fnaguitarplayer9 Finally, a "RU-vid Expert" who actually knows what he's doing! I just remember to: "...move the governor arm to hold the throttle in the WFO ("wide f*****g open") and turn and lock the governor shaft the same direction as the gov. arm moved to open the throttle & tighten. I hope you're not like that moon-faced "donyboy73" kid who tells you to completely disassemble the starter from the blower housing to replace the rope and/or recoil spring on older Briggs'. I told him you don't need to EVER remove the pulley AT ALL unless to REPLACE that pulley. He cussed me out instead of thanking me. Of course, I've only been doing this "small engine repair" thing since October of 1973 so what do I know? On the 12**** series Briggs-powered lawn mowers, I got it down to where I never even had to remove anything to replace the rope. I mean, there are those decorative plastic round covers that come off w/no tools. That has to come off.
Appreciate that! I tried to explain it as simple as i could. I hear ya, I've watched alot of his videos he's good at it, but everyone has there own way of doing things. I know what you mean, your right, you don't ever have to take it off unless the spring is broke or its broke itself, you can wind the rope with it still in the shroud. Faster and easier. Sometimes the rope is to big and its hard to do though. Thanks for Watching!!!
If the rope is too big, go for smaller like 4 or 4.5. I like using the smaller because you can get more in and you don't pull out to the end and dislocate your shoulder. Besides, when I'm done working on something, all you have to do is pull the rope out like maybe 2 feet at most for 1 pull starts. Did you make a Briggs spring installing tool from an old 399671 starter clutch? You weld a shaft with a 'T' handle on the square trip after taking it apart. As a kid, I used to replace ropes on my 1970 Steens Taco 99 mini bike with it's 5 horse Briggs by taking the damn thing apart. Somehow, I'd get it back together w/o putting my eye out with the spring. That's the way stupid donyboy73 tells people how to replace a roe and/or spring. He's still young. ME? I'm 61 and still have the Taco 45 years later! Never had the engine open and it still starts first pull. I did replace the tank when I left some gas in it and it rusted out. I made a "Rat Bike" out of it. If you click on my name, a bunch of pictures should come up. I think I post some pictures of it. If not, I'll do that now. Later.
Yeah that would work too, i like the idea of having more rope on it, it does make a difference. No i didn't, i'll have to try that out. I hear ya! I hate messing with those springs. its a pain. I hear ya, i'll have to check that out!
On a briggs intek V-twin that I am trying to fix for my parents, I did a carb swap, and because the throttle linkage had to be bent to get around the fuel line, the engine gets right into high speed. Then I tried to adjust the governor pin in various ways, one way and the lever for the throttle doesn't make the throttle move on the carb and the other it does. I'm guessing If I use a longer throttle linkage, of just the right length, the governor wouldn't have to be adjusted at all. When I adjusted the governor pin, there is only a 1/4 rotation of play..am I being too gingerly, and maybe it could be tightened more than what seems to be a stop so soon from the little apparent swing I am experiencing? I saw some adjusting where the pin is being rotated like a half or more turn. What do you think?
It would, but there is a small snap ring on the rod that prevents that from happening. As long as the ring is in place you don't have to worry about that. Thanks for Watching!!!
+Jeff Kennedy Your welcome, glad to help out! Yeah alot of times this will cause a engine to seem weak, or a linkage not setup right, i worked on one a while back that the governor wasn't working at all, found out the linkage the governor spring connects was bent! Thanks for Watching!!!
My only experience has included go karts, and the governor worked against full throttle. With the generator starting at full throttle, then the gov closing it to regulate speed..I thought it might be wrong, but now I know what to look at. You saved one more vintage briggs from the scrap yard!
+Jeff Kennedy I hear ya! Glad to help out! I will be posting a couple generator videos here soon (not governor related but carburetor repair and info on getting a generator thats not generating to generate).
+Jeff Kennedy I hear ya! Glad to help out! I will be posting a couple generator videos here soon (not governor related but carburetor repair and info on getting a generator thats not generating to generate).
How much play should the Governor arm have when not hook up to carb? I’m having problems getting my go kart running? It stays on full throttle? Thank you for your help
Very good video, thank you. Is this type of adjustment the same for a 16.5 - 17.5 HP Briggs and Stratton engine on a lawn tractor to fix over revving? And, are there any specific springs that should be replaced or checked?
+Steve Engelking Thanks, your welcome! Yes, its the same on just about any small engine. A linkage could be bent or something as well causing over revving, but the governor could be. Does the throttle control still work? If it doesn't (just wide open throttle all the time) then i'd say a spring or linkage broke causing the throttle plate to open up. Thanks for Watching!!!
Usually if this doesn't fix it, it can be a linkage bent or a spring that is to tight, usually from being installed in wrong hole on the arm or the arm is bent to much, worst case would be the internal governor part (oil slinger/governor weights) is bad or broke. Thanks for Watching!!!
