Governor and cam gear alignment question.

Hopefully it is OK to ask a question here about a welder, I know the same engine is used in numerous tractors, and forklifts. So I was hoping someone here can help me. I posted the same question on one the welding forums in the SA-200 section, but no one there seems to know, at least not at the present time.

I have a 1949 Lincoln shorthood welder with a Continental F-162 engine. When I first bought the welder it only took a few minutes to get it to run, just not very well. I now have a rebuilt magneto, and a re-built Marvel-Schebler carburetor. Now the welder will not start! I noticed the spark is very erratic when holding a spark plug wire over something that is grounded. I removed the magneto, and discovered that the cam gear is extremely loose. I need to remove the governor, crank pulley and timing gear cover to see what is wrong with the cam gear. I bought a CD, (compact disk) manual for the Continental engine, but it is really vague on the removal of the governor, it has in depth instructions on how to adjust the “Cam Gear Governor” I don’t really need that right now! I need to know if there will be alignment marks on the governor gear like the crank gear, and cam gear have. If not how will I insure the proper alignment of the governor gear and cam gear? Thanks in advance for any replies / help! )

Put your own marks on them before removal.

And when all together make sure the mag fires at TDC on compression stroke of # 1 cyl.

Hi Mike! I did just as you suggest. I used some white out to mark the meshing gears, but when wiping off the excess paint the cam gear jumped about three teeth on the governor gear. Now I’ am thinking the two gears had already jumped, that is why it no longer wanted to start.

According to the Lincoln manual I downloaded from Lincoln’s site, and the CD manual I bought, all timing is based off of the number four sparkplug. At one time this welder started very easy. Then All of the sudden a pin in the magneto coupling broke. I replaced the mag coupling with another mag I had. Now I believe the reason this pin broke is because the bushing / bearing in the cam gear let go.
I was just reading in a page I downloaded from Bill’s Welding Equipment Repair site that there is suppose to be a single punch mark on the cam gear tooth which aligns / meshes with two gears on the governor gear that are also punched. For the life of me I cannot see these punch marks, even with a magnifying glass! I guess I’ll take everything apart tomorrow. Took all morning to find my wheel puller. Man I hate when I can’t find a tool! (

Some engines # 1 is at the water pump end and once in awhile some use the flywhhel end for # 1

If the manifold has the firing order marked you can soon figure out which way to go by cranking it over and feeling for compression on one cyl. and then go down the line and see which one builds compression next.

It does sound as if your gear for sure has moved allready.

Can’t imagine why this thing won’t start now! )

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v512/Chyrel/Welders/?action=view&current=brokencam2_small.jpg" target="_blank"> </a>

Holy moly !!! at least you found the problem !

Now how did it get that way ? and where are you going to find a cam ?

“Now how did it get that way?”
Old like me I suspect )

I just talked to the local Napa store, they need more information, and would like to have the cam it’s self. Said if they can’t locate one through Delta, they could have one ground for me. I asked how much would that cost? No idea was the reply!