anyone here know small engine repair

[1930]

or know of a good site that I can ask a question, thanks

[amertrac]

I have repaired a few. questions are easy answers are hard sometimes.  bob w.

[lzenglish]

I see you are online Jason, so I will back-up Bob, What Do Ya Got???????????

Wayne

[1930]

Thanks, I think it is a pretty common problem as I have had lawn mowers do the same thing. I have a walk behind edge trimmer that surges up and down on its own no matter where the idle is set.
 In the past in looking at lawn mowers with the air cleaners off I can see a linkage that is attached to the carb and goes to another unknown destination and that linkage is being moved back and forth somehow and I am assuming it is being moved from the end that I cant see.
I would like to know how to fix this and why its happening.
I would like to take a course in small engine repair but there is not one offered here locally that I know of.
I can post pict. if neccesary, thanks

[lzenglish]

Ok, (and back me up on this Bob)! The up and down RPM is caused by the Governor action! The action of the Governor is to speep-up the engine RPM, as the load requires it! The first thing you want to do, is check to see if you have a full tank of gas, then, pull the carb. float bowel, and run a small wire, (or a welding tip cleaner will work), thru the main jet, to see if it is not plugged. Also, make sure  the Carb. bowel is clean from anything that may float within the bowel, and clog the main jet opening, in an intermittent manner, when the engine is running!

Wayne


edit: to make spelling gooder !!! Lol

[amertrac]

Wayne is right on the money the governor is trying to keep the rpms up to satisfy the load. During the cleaning process check the holes in the carp that allow the air to exit as the carb fills with fuel .the holes are small and above the normal level of the fuel. if the holes are plugged the air pressure will not let the fuel in.IN AN EMERGENCY YOU COULD BLOW INTO THE FuEL TANK FILL NECK CAUSING THE FUEL PRESSURE TO BE GREATER THAN THE TRAPPED AIR. you might check the fill cap to make sure the air is replacing the fuel in the tank. good luck them little rascals can cause a lot of problems cleanliness is a must   

[ray]

If it is a new engine , they have leaned out the fuel mixture to meet the E.P.A. clean air standards
to a point where the engine just runs. One indication of lean fuel mixture is engine surge.
You can try running it with the choke partially closed, or drill the main jet a few 1/1000 of an inch larger.

Ray

[1930]

I am working on getting pict, and a reply so will have more in a few minutes, thanks

[1930]

Lets see if this works
Ok looks like I will have to attach one at a time until I figure out this resizing debacle again, just in case it was not clear this is the rod that moves back and forth that is in question, I am pretty mechanically inclined but I dont see a float bowl?

[1930]

This little spring was completely un-attached on the one side I noticed when I pulled the air cleaner off, putting it back on did not help

[1930]

And this little piggy shows a little more of the carb, dont see a float anywhere, looks like it is directed into cylinder directly, will await further instruction :)

[1930]

Its not too new but I am pretty carefull about taking care of my stuff so it stays like new, the machine is prob. at least 10 years old

[mrchuck]

I have the same one. 3 hp.
I cured the exact same problem by changing the carb diaphragm. it is inside the bottom of the carb bowl.
I see you took the carb OFF of the edger.

[1930]

Hey Chuck, I am runnin with the big boys at 3.5 H.P
I am not sure where this is .........it is inside the bottom of the carb bowl
I dont understand this .........I see you took the carb OFF of the edger.........This is the way it came new, it is a Mclane model 3.5 big ones :)

[rusty]

I am going to jump in and ask a question no seems to have asked yet. How old is the gas in that thing? if it has been sitting more than 3 months, you should dump the gas and put new gas in it.

Cruddy gas will cause the symptoms you are describing as well. Modern gas has a very short shelf life.

Beyond that, stuck choke, bad gasket in the carp, gunk in the carp as before mentioned...