Are all Push mowers with pre-set engine speed?

[leehljp]

By the way, this is it's ninth season, I expect many more, I just wish the wheels would hold up as long as the motor. When it comes to mowing grass, I like progress!

I like progress too, but I guess we measure progress in different ways. Being basically a Mac and iPhone guy when I have a choice, I don't care about having to get into system to fix it, of having to fiddle with it to adjust it, or even de-bugging routines, I just want the thing to work. But on mechanics, I prefer those abilities.

My 12 year old goes through a quart of gas in about 15 to 20 minutes, (used to go a lot longer) and the governor started going haywire last year. Speeds up and slows down, over and over! All the time. I have cleaned the carb and there are no adjustment screws that I could find. I sure wish I had the ability to make some adjustments. I grew up on motors and engines. Knew the sound of rich, lean, choked, muffler blocked etc. Without books, I knew how to adjust and fix. I do agree with the simpler is better but I do like my speed control. I don't like full speed ahead all the time but I don't like slow either.

I know my yard, and as a trimming mower (which this one is), I certainly do not need full speed ahead, even 50% of the time. When I get through with my riding mower, I usually have 12 inch wide strips at the most than need trimming. One speed and the acceptance of a single speed is like saying 2 aspirins for everyone for every problem!

[cwsmith]

I never noticed whether the newer (last 15 years of so) actually have "governers", it just appears to me that there's no throttle and the engine revs high right from the start... lousey gas mileage too.

I guess if you have a lot of "lawn" you might need something on the high-priced side. But for my (my lot is 60 x 120) the cheapy MTD is all I'm willing to pay. It does the job, has adjustable bed height, easy start B&S engine, and lasts practically forever. (I bought my first B&S-engined mower in 1968 and am now on my fourth (actually that's because the 3rd is in Painted Post and the 4th was needed here in Binghamton... BTW, the engine on the old 68' still works, but the bed rusted away.)

That first mower cost me $30, new at the local discount store. I remember my new FIL was disappointed in me because I didn't come down to the store and buy a Craftsman (with the very popularly advertised "Eager One" engine). That was over a $100 at the time. "Oh well, you'll be buying another mower in a couple of years!"

After that, the annual spring ritual was starting that $30 cheapy. A couple of pulls on the cord to pump some gas into the thing (no little primer bulb back then), attach the spark wire... and one pull, Rrrrrrrrrrrr! Then I'd give hime a call. Did that right up until about 1992, when finally one of the wheels fell off, because the bed rusted. Saved that engine though.

The 2nd was a different engine, bought at the local True-Value... it didn't last two years, when the bed cracked and one of the motor bolts pulled through... I got a refund and bought my first MTD with large wheels in the back.

I don't like self-propelled. My FIL had a Craftsman SP and it was heavier than he!!. The simple powered push-mower is much easier manuevered, at least for me.

CWS

[All Thumbs]

Speeds up and slows down, over and over!

That would probably be a plugged air filter.

[gsmittle]

Probably built in slop like they did with early steam powered tractors.

I haven't seen the system you describe since about 1990? maybe. I think it was on one of those off brand units like a Bohlens or Cub Cadet.

Like I said, I haven't had to open one up in quite a while. Our 15-year-old push mower starts on the first or second pull, every time.

g.

[leehljp]

That would probably be a plugged air filter.

Yes, it does sound like it, but I put a new one on each year. It does the same thing if running with the filter off when I was checking it.

I got one of those "runs at one speed fast" this afternoon. It runs smooth! I will put the old one to rest. Actually I promised it to a fellow that helps me on occasion for all of his help. He knows it is not much of a gift. I told him he could sell it if he wanted to, but he replied that he doubts he could get $20.00 for it. I agreed!

[woodturner]

My 12 year old goes through a quart of gas in about 15 to 20 minutes, (used to go a lot longer) and the governor started going haywire last year. Speeds up and slows down, over and over! All the time. I have cleaned the carb and there are no adjustment screws that I could find.

+1 on the air filter. Also, make sure the governor plates and wires are moving freely. You may need to replace the spring - they loose tension over time and can cause this type of surging. Springs are typically less than $2 at the dealer.

[woodturner]

Anyone know of a decent low-medieum priced no-frills push mower but with throttle adjustment?

I was in Tractor Supply the other day and noticed they had a universal throttle cable kit for $10.

So, if you still really want this feature, you could get the kit and install it to provide the throttle control. I'm not sure you could make it work with the safety interlock handle, though - the safety interlock may be one reason they switched to constant speed controls.

[leehljp]

I was in Tractor Supply the other day and noticed they had a universal throttle cable kit for $10.

So, if you still really want this feature, you could get the kit and install it to provide the throttle control. I'm not sure you could make it work with the safety interlock handle, though - the safety interlock may be one reason they switched to constant speed controls.

Thanks for the suggestion. I saw a similar cable in HD and thought about it. I still might get one and add it on. I went ahead and bought a simple mower at HD. I haven't examined the throttle aspect just yet due to lack of time. It has a lever but it is way back under the air breather. The mower runs at one speed (a little too fast for the amount of grass that it cuts) but it is acceptable.

[cabinetman]

Thanks for the suggestion. I saw a similar cable in HD and thought about it. I still might get one and add it on. I went ahead and bought a simple mower at HD. I haven't examined the throttle aspect just yet due to lack of time. It has a lever but it is way back under the air breather. The mower runs at one speed (a little too fast for the amount of grass that it cuts) but it is acceptable.

Instead of adding a cable kit, maybe there is a set screw on the carb for running speed. When you do your looksee, check for that.

.

[leehljp]

Instead of adding a cable kit, maybe there is a set screw on the carb for running speed. When you do your looksee, check for that.

.

I cut the grass this morning, and using the mower as a "trimmer" mower, it definitely was running too fast for what I consider effecient. It runs wide open. I pulled the air cleaner off and it (carb) has only one moveable part - the choke, and it is attached/tensioned to a spring that is attached by what I think may be a "fan" governor.

[All Thumbs]

The spring should be attached to a little thumbwheel that you can click up/down with your finger to adjust the idle speed higher/lower. This basically adjusts the tension on the spring. Make small adjustments at a time.

[leehljp]

The spring should be attached to a little thumbwheel that you can click up/down with your finger to adjust the idle speed higher/lower. This basically adjusts the tension on the spring. Make small adjustments at a time.

I will check that in the morning. However, that thing does NOT have an "idle" speed. It just runs wide open and no lever to adjust it. It is not a matter of a lever being pre-set. There are not moving parts or needle valves to adjust. AS I wrote above, the spring is attached to the choke, not throttle. This is one of my original complaints on this threads - after looking at a bunch of low end mowers (whose sole purpose as far as I intend to use is as a "trimmer" mower).

The "trimmer" purpose is because I have a good riding mower but a ton of trees and bushes to cut around. Too much for a weed-eater type of trimmer.

[cabinetman]

I will check that in the morning. However, that thing does NOT have an "idle" speed. It just runs wide open and no lever to adjust it. It is not a matter of a lever being pre-set. There are not moving parts or needle valves to adjust. AS I wrote above, the spring is attached to the choke, not throttle. This is one of my original complaints on this threads - after looking at a bunch of low end mowers (whose sole purpose as far as I intend to use is as a "trimmer" mower).

The "trimmer" purpose is because I have a good riding mower but a ton of trees and bushes to cut around. Too much for a weed-eater type of trimmer.

Hank, I'm not familiar with the innards of lawn mower carbs, but I am with automotive carbs, having worked on my own race cars (like Webers and Mikuni's). With them, there are idle adjustments, but there are changeable jets. It may be possible to look into that option.

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