Throttle control without Governor?

Throttle control is a big thing on the internet now. Several videos shows how to disconnect the governor linkage and install a throttle control lever. They do this to get higher RPMs from the engine.

I have a Robin 9hp engine on a generator that was given to me and the governor shaft seems to be broken. I disconnected the governor linkage to the carb throttle and the governor shaft spins a full 360 on the engine. I figured the "L" shape shaft is now a straight shaft because the engine wants to run dangerously wide open.

Has anyone here done this to control the speed on an engine without a working governor?

I plan on opening the engine up this fall to see what the inside of the engine looks like to see what's broken and what I can fix. the little engine starts right up on the first or second pull. It's just uncontrollable now.
 
For a generator something would have to tell it what speed to stay at. That would involve a mag pick up,to send a signal to the controller. That would then send the speed setting to the throttle control unit. Not cheap.
 
Disconnecting the governor is nothing new.

It is usually done when the engine is used on some type vehicle where the driver has full control of the throttle. If the vehicle is properly geared, and the driver uses some common sense, or the other extreme, doesn't care what happens to the engine, doing so can be successfully done.

But those engines have some real limitations. They are only designed to operate at their governed speed. Exceeding that speed will limit the life of the engine, sometimes explosively!

But for all other applications, especially on a generator, the governor is necessary to not only limit the engine speed, but to regulate the speed according to the load.

The generator needs to operate at a specific speed to deliver the proper voltage and 60hz AC cycle. The governor is essential to maintain that speed as the load increases or decreases.

Trying to set the throttle to control the speed without a governor, ain't gonna happen!

That the governor shaft just spins says the end is broken off inside the crankcase. An easy fix.
 
As you can tell I don't know much about generators. I'll wait and crack the engine open this fall and replace the governor shaft. Hopefully that's the only thing broken.

Thanks for the information
 
Generators set up to provide power for a house or other such things are mad to run at X RPM for the correct voltage and amps. RPM to low and you have low volts. RPM to high and you have high voltage both of which can/will cause problems
 
Don't forget cycles/second needs constant speed

For 60 cycle 1800 or 3600 rpm for 4 or 2 pole alternators

For 50 cycle 1500 or 3000 rpm
 
My dad had a 300 amp gas engine powered Hobart welder. He loaned it to a city to thaw out frozen water lines. City worker held the governor open and the wires on welder shaft exploded. Dad got welder back in pieces.

Don't put a bandage on it, Fix it.
 
I disconnected the governor on my 4 cycle Clinton go cart engine back in the late 1950s/early 60s. Connected the throttle cable directly to the throttle shaft.

I once saw a Farmall M with a 63 Chevrolet SHP dual quad 409/425 engine. Mind you, this was in the late 1960s, before the advent of hot rod tractor pulling. Guy had it in the field with a three bottom trailer plow. No governor, just a piece of bailing wire connected to the throttle mechanism. No exhaust beyond the (now extraordinarily valuable) cast iron headers. The noise was deafening but the dirt was a flying. It was, of course, just a toy, but it was fun to watch.

Dean
 
Hello bishopNLouisiana,

A governor is a balancing act between a set of flyweights and spring tension. One force works against the other. Once you open the engine up, you will know what is broken or worn out. Once the innards are working properly it will be the spring tension that will make the govern work. The spring can be fixed or at the end of a cable. Either way the engine speed will be GOVERNED. Post back then so you can get more help,

Guido.
 
Not familiar with the Robyn engine.... but if it's anything like a Honda, it probably has a broken spring. All the lever does is change the tension on a spring that works against a set of flyweights. The governor mechanism then controls the throttle rod to the carb. For people disconnecting the governor... all they need to do is adjust the stops so they can apply more spring tension to the governor... It's remarkably simple when you understand it.

Rod
 
I was able to find the Generator's ID tag but someone in the past has mounted the Coil over the top of the decal. It's raining, lightning right now so I'll pull the coil in the next few days and hopefully post the ID information.

I started it this morning and for the first time I plugged in a 110 blower into the single outlet and the blower runs fine, so the generator itself is working too.

I hope some could tell me the original date of origin.
 

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