1939 A governor works sporadically

pmarkel · Dec 14, 2019

I have a 1939 A handstart that I bought this spring. It hadn't run for maybe 20 yrs but I got it going and used it a bit this summer. One thing I find odd is that sometimes it will run fine and the governor and throttle controls will work properly and then the next time I go to use it it will run but it seems like the throttle has very little effect on the engine rpms and it doesn't seem like the governor adjusts to changing load. It seems to me if this were just about wear the governor shouldn't work at all, but since it comes and goes might something internally be binding or sticking? Thanks,

Pete

Mark-Ia · Dec 14, 2019

need to make sure none of the linkage is binding or rubbing on anything, also make sure the linkage from the gov. to the carb is adjusted properly. With the throttle in the wide open position and the arm on the carb wide open, the linkage should be 1/2 hole short.

PopinJohn · Dec 14, 2019

Put some penetrating oil or light oil on the stub shaft
that sticks up out of the governor housing that the
arm and flat spring are fitted to. Water can get in
there and rust, causing the problem.

JDBRIDER · Dec 14, 2019

My Dad my son, and I restored a 45 AR. Had a similar problem with the governor on it. Turned out that the governor wasn't oiling. There is a very small hole behind where the oil pressure gauge screws in that was plugged on ours. I removed the governor and discovered it. Might have been able to open the hole up if I had known the problem. The hole goes to the flywheel side behind the gauge. Remove the gauge and feel for it with a small wire bent in a 90 degree angle.

pmarkel · Dec 14, 2019

(quoted from post at 18:30:44 12/14/19) Put some penetrating oil or light oil on the stub shaft
that sticks up out of the governor housing that the
arm and flat spring are fitted to. Water can get in
there and rust, causing the problem.

that's exactly what I have been doing and I didn't know if I was kidding myself but it seems that if I moved that lever back and forth to its full range of motion before running it that the governor works better

pmarkel · Dec 14, 2019

thanks, I'll check for that. That's good to know

thdrduck · Dec 15, 2019

(quoted from post at 04:07:34 12/15/19) My Dad my son, and I restored a 45 AR. Had a similar problem with the governor on it. Turned out that the governor wasn't oiling. There is a very small hole behind where the oil pressure gauge screws in that was plugged on ours. I removed the governor and discovered it. Might have been able to open the hole up if I had known the problem. The hole goes to the flywheel side behind the gauge. Remove the gauge and feel for it with a small wire bent in a 90 degree angle.

This was also an issue on my 39B. I think it may have caused the pins for the weights to wear so bad the weights flew off. Lucky they didn't find their way into the crank case but were still a bear to recover. It's not much of a hole but it is an important one.

1939 A governor works sporadically

pmarkel

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Mark-Ia

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PopinJohn

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JDBRIDER

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pmarkel

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pmarkel

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thdrduck

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