The governor controls engine speed, if it fails the engine will start screaming and if left alone will start throwing shrapnel. I suspect the engine is surging and they don't know how to fix it.

I'll know more when I see them is person. I noticed no surging or anything. They said its not 'adjusting itself' when going thru taller grass and such....

It went in for:

1) possible new carb...been using a shutoff gas valve but forget now and then.

2) would not brake when making a left turn.

I was not expecting to here about this governor thing. My hope was they could fix the brake and I could use it till I found a replacement....if iits dangerouse...thats another story. Hopefully I will understand better when I see them.

All I know is the felt it was 3 hours labor to repair. They have a pretty good reputation. They are not pressuring me to do anything at this point...

That is odd on one of these.I'd be more apt to think that the throttle shaft itself is worn or a worn cam lobe if it is seeming anemic.

It might be helpful to know what engine we are talking about. For instance, a governor failure on many B&S engines would mean lose of lubrication and immediate engine failure.

Walt Conner

It’s a 12hp Briggs on my 2000 Toro 32-xl. The guy spent a half hour with me this morning. I had taken her in for a possible new carb. It’s a bit pricey and I did not trust doing it myself. Something was leaking and my dealer had me install a $10 in line fuel shut off a year or so ago. So long as I remembered to shut the valve after use, it would start right up. If I forgot, it would crank a while and be hard to start. Since I thought everything was running great otherwise, I figured I’d have them go over her and if all looked good treat her to a new carb. $200<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Then the brake started failing. This happened a few years back but somehow cleared itself. BTW, they told me the puck needed to be cleaned. $70.

It could use two new belts: $80.

All that aside (I don’t have to replace the carb, I may be able to get /replaces the belts myself - they are not completely shot, and the brake thing is not expensive) the real issue was unexpected: the governor.

He showed me this morning. Adjusting the throttle does nothing. He poked something on the side of the engine that I understood should adjust engine speed…nothing. He says its running at about 1000 rpms too high. He said the issue is some sort of $20 spindle part thing in the engine but it requires removing the engine to get at. I believe this repair along is close to $400. He said they tried twice manually adjusting in in some other way but to no avail. He said now and then they see promo engines online and that would include the carb but he saw nothing that would fit right now. They offered the name of a place that sells used engines but… buyer beware. He said the engine seems in good shape otherwise but eventually would fail if left go…be it weeks or months…who knows. He said eventually I’d hear it screaming and at that point to shut it down and the only option then is a new engine. He understand me not wanting to dump $800 into the thing as its 15 years old. He asked how the tranny was and I said now and then when I put it in gear it hangs a moment…been doing that for years. He said sometimes not al the gears go but he could not predict how much life was left in the tranny but its $$$$$ to rebuild or replace.

Anyway, if I knew this thing was not going to explode and kill somebody I’d be tempted to get the brake fixed and just take it back and use it while I try to figure out what to replace it with. In theory, when in the grass the rmps should get knocked down a bit so maybe it would be ok for a while????…then again that’s my theory and I’m no mechanic!

I have to think this thru since $800 is half the cost of something new; especially for a 15 year old machine that may or may not have a tranny issue on the horizon.

Thoughts?

Don't run that thing! I remember when I was a kid some 50 decades ago my Dad ran a tractor in the garden with this problem and he was seriously hurt when the piston rod came through the crankcase (cast iron back then) and shrapnel tore up his shoulder. He was never able to use that arm properly again!

wow...tx...but the engine is under the hood. if it blew up cud it hurt me so long as the hood was closed. Also the dealer said it would be making noticeable screeching noise before it was about to go. Finally for all I know it's been like this for over year. You're probably right better safe than sorry but I was hoping to use it for the rest of the summer so I figure out what to buy next. What do you think...

Your life is not worth risking. An exploding engine is like a bomb and quite possibly could go right through the hood. I like you don't have that much money to spare for replacements, but I am sure in a little time you'll find a replacement. Good luck and be safe.

I am going out to look at new tractors tomorrow. I guess the question arises what do I do with my old tractor. I guess if you're a mechanic and you can pick up 45 dollars worth of parts and you know how to take the engine apart and put it back in good running order when you got something good to work with but I don't know how many of folks are out there who can do this. I hate to put it on Craigslist and just give it away I don't know if someone will resell it and then it cud blow up on somebody. what should i do with the old gal...

If you search long enough you will find a suitable used replacement engine. But it sounds like you might not be able to install it yourself (I am sure you could, but it does take a degree of confidence). You might consider selling without the engine and then sell the engine "for parts only". You are right, it is a shame to let the whole thing go to the scrap yard.

Well I bought a cub today for better or for worse. the place that is holding the Toro is owed about 80 bucks for delivery and the estimate. They said they would just keep it and send it over to the votech school for the kids to work on. Perhaps that's a better fate been letting it go to somebody who is either going to hurt themselves on it or abuse it or just leave it sit a field somewhere. What do you even think it would even be worth for parts.

Not more than $200 best, unless you part it out and sell individual parts on ebay or the net.

Sounds like a good place for it to end up.