govenors

[psycho_builder]

we have small go-kart with no suspension that does 35 mph on pavement, 25-30 in dirt. we have thrashed 2 engines (3.5 hp briggs & stratton, 5 hp briggs & stratton industrial) and dont know why. the first one broke a govenor mount so we bypassed the govenor linkage and hooked the throttle cable directly to the carberator butterfly. after we did this the gokart would only run when it was under a load (like with the brakes on). we sold that engine and put on the new industrial one, the govenor flap fell off and pitched itself into the counterweight, once again we bypassed the govenor and it wouldnt run, well only under a load. what is going on. we know why the govenors are breaking but why wont the engines run without them?
please help

 

[STreetKArt]

well the governor has nothing to do with the way the engines running, ive ran my briggs 5hp with no load and no governor just fine,probably need a rebuild? and the other problem your running in to idk better maintenance maybe?

 

[psycho_builder]

they were both used engines when we go them. we have no idea how old they were so. but the only thing that is weird is tat they are two different motors but they had the same prob. and needed a load to run. the govenors probably broke because it has no suspension and we run it on a dirt rode so yea.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Sounds to me like the carb needs adjustment? Or maybe your hooking up the throttle wrong?

 

[psycho_builder]

i have no clue. we are goinna put a nother engine on it and see what happens. i don't know small engines, i know full size engines, so yea.

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

Small enignes are simpler than large engines.

 

[psycho_builder]

i agree i just haven't been around them for as long yet. most of the principles are the same but a few of them are a bit more complicated.

new topic then.
do you know anything about trophy karts?

 

[BradenM]

Possibly running rich? Just a hunch.

 

[pezgoon]

A govenor controls the idle of the engine IE, when its going too slow the counterweights dont pull out so there is more throttle applied (i forget exactly how) and when you hit the "rev limiter" (probably alittle stopper plate against the top of the govenor) it slows down the engine rpm's so that your engine has less chance of blowing. So when you dont have a govenor, the engine needs constant throttle to keep it from dieing, i have an engine where the govenor is missing and the only way to run it is to always be applying throttle, but i can bring it all the way down to its idle speed and it won't die, so i don't know why yours do

 

[Kenny_McCormic]

A govenor controls the idle of the engine IE, when its going too slow the counterweights dont pull out so there is more throttle applied (i forget exactly how) and when you hit the "rev limiter" (probably alittle stopper plate against the top of the govenor) it slows down the engine rpm's so that your engine has less chance of blowing. So when you dont have a govenor, the engine needs constant throttle to keep it from dieing, i have an engine where the govenor is missing and the only way to run it is to always be applying throttle, but i can bring it all the way down to its idle speed and it won't die, so i don't know why yours do

Then somehting is wrong with the carb.

 

[pezgoon]

thats what i was getting at yes

 

[BradenM]

I had that problem, until I put a return spring on the butterfly and added an idle screw where there should have been one.

 

[psycho_builder]

ours had a return spring in it but im not sure about an idle screw. well we will find out when we put the brand new engine on it