Governor Troubleshooting

duckrock · Nov 21, 2022

Is there a way to test that the governor is or isn't working?
I have a 172 industrial (can run a mechanical fuel pump) gas motor. When I bought the motor 20 years ago, it was supposedly recently
rebuilt. A few weeks ago I had the carb rebuilt. The motor starts easily but instantly runs away. I attempted to go thru the manual
instructions for adjusting the governor linkage, but even with all the linkages disconnected I can't get the RPMs down. I have to shut it
down within seconds of it starting.

showcrop · Nov 21, 2022

With the link from the governor to the carb disconnected you have eliminated the governor from the picture.

jimtrs · Nov 21, 2022

(quoted from post at 18:55:36 11/21/22) Is there a way to test that the governor is or isn't working?

Yes.
One sure sign that it is not working, is a run-away engine. Go through your adjustment procedures again. Be sure the main governor spring is hooked up, and not broken.

Typically, the linkage adjustment is made by moving throttle lever far enough up so that the governor lever is fully forward, and the main spring is stretching. At that point move the linkage hooked to the carburetor fully open. The linkages should line up, to be pinned together. If not, adjust to make it so.

Now, start the engine and try to move the governor to carburetor linkage by hand. You should feel the governor fighting you back. That's working.

.... but even with all the linkages disconnected I can't get the RPMs down. I have to shut it
down within seconds of it starting.

As showcrop said, you removed the governor from the engine by doing that, and a governor doing its job, under a no load engine, keeps the engine from running away.

This post was edited by jimtrs on 11/21/2022 at 04:43 pm.

Sean in PA · Nov 22, 2022

but even with all the linkages disconnected I can't get the RPMs down.

Are you saying that there is no linkage connected to the carburetor at all, but even manually moving the throttle lever on the carb all of the way in either direction it still runs away?

wore out · Nov 22, 2022

You say you ''had the carb rebuilt''.

Was this by a person knowledgeable about Ford tractors and with the correct kit?

If the ''carb rebuilder'' didn't pay attention and compare old parts to new it's POSSIBLE they used the wrong kit (or the wrong parts from a ''universal kit'') and the throttle shaft and lever are incorrect, causing the governor-to-carburetor linkage to not operate correctly, (or even backwards).

Do the parts replaced by the parts in the kit still exist for comparison?

duckrock · Nov 22, 2022

Yes, it was rebuilt by someone that knows what he was doing. This morning I was able to get it to idle down. The problem isn't a carb
issue.

duckrock · Nov 22, 2022

Thanks everyone.

This morning I was able follow some suggestions and get it to idle down. My biggest, and possibly only, issue is that I have this motor temp
installed on a tractor. So, gas tank, tin, dash with throttle lever aren't installed 100% correct. I've been trying to apply choke, start
the tractor, and move linkages with one hand while the other holds a temp gas tank. Based on what I was able to do this morning I'm confident
the carb isn't the issue. I plan to put the tractor back together a bit more and then recheck/adjust the governor linkage if needed.

Governor Troubleshooting

duckrock

Member

showcrop

Well-known Member

jimtrs

Member

Sean in PA

Well-known Member

wore out

Well-known Member

duckrock

Member

duckrock

Member

Similar threads