Fixing A Craftsman Mower With Governor Issues - Can We Bring It Back?

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Hey all! This is part of the mother lode series. Trying to bring this Craftsman push mower back that has governor issues. This video will briefly explain (universally) how to adjust the governor arm on your push/self-propelled mower.
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[@thomasbutler-k6c]

This was helpful to me, but it would have been better NOT to advance the video and to show the linkage a bit better. Will look to see if there is a better version, and if there is, you should delete this one! Another cause of the governor not working right is the linkage is bent, and it rubs against the mower housing. After I made some corrective bends in the linkage, the governor now works fine and the linkage no longer rubs against the housing.

[@RoyanPrince]

This is GREAT! I couldnt find the information I needed before now. Thanks!

[@Markomyt1]

Great process of getting that going. I worked on one yesterday that a friend couldn't get running. Of course it had the blue jelly in the float bowl... a little bit of carb cleaner and compressed air and it is running great. New sub...

[@joshuaroyal3272]

Dude thank you. Not only do you have the same exact lawn mower which I couldn't find any other videos that had it, but you did exactly what I needed you were right nobody else had any videos that kind of cover this exact issue and started where you started and left it kind of generic to tweak it I think is the word you used. Thank you man God people irritate me LOL thank you you'll get a like & subscribe just because your content actually help me and I've watch 100 billion videos. LOL damn

[@ChrisXOutdoors]

Thank you Josh!! Glad the video helped you brother 👍🏼

[@GabrielEmerald777]

I completely removed the governor arm from the governor post. I don't think I was supposed to do that. I can now easily turn the governor post with my fingers. Did I mess up the setup inside the engine where it connects to the governor post? I'm a bit worried that I have to take the engine apart to set up the governor correctly inside the engine? This is my first time working on a lawn mower. Can you please confirm whether I messed up or not and give me advice on what to do? Thanks for your help.

[@ChrisXOutdoors]

You should be good to put the Governor arm back on and follow the steps in the video. The Governor post can only rotate so much inside of the engine so if the arm goes back on, you should be able to get it back to its original state if you follow the steps in the video

[@GabrielEmerald777]

@@ChrisXOutdoors Thanks for your help. I think I got it. I have a briggs and Stratton 675 series 190cc push mower, and it looks to have the same lever setup on the same side of the engine as your craftman, and the same setup with the carburetor etc. I figured by your video that I must turn it counterclockwise as well. The thing that has me doubting is that I found a video showing how to change the governor lever on a briggs and stratton engine (not my exact model even though it's a briggs) and it states to turn the mounting post CLOCKWISE before tightening the lever to the post. The lever setup to the carb on that engine in the video seems to be different than our setups, but I don't know if that matters or if all the briggs engines turn the lever mounting post in the same direction. I emailed them to see if I can get a response. I don't know if I can post the video link so you can watch a few seconds of it and let me know what your thoughts are depending on what you see on the lever setup in the video? I don't want to put a link in this comment and then have YT remove it. The name of the vid is: *Briggs & Stratton Small Engine Replace Governor Lever Part # 590520* It's only 30 seconds if you begin watching it at minute 3:20 through minute 3:51 as this is where it shows the installation of the lever.

[@Echo3_]

My mower has this same engine I must have seen 200 videos showing carb replacement so I did it exactly how shown by several people and still nothing so tomorrow check the govenor. This sht always happens to me. I get nothing easy

[@ChrisXOutdoors]

Good luck! Keep me updated on how things are going

[@Echo3_]

@@ChrisXOutdoors indeed I will, had to put it off for a few days.

[@Echo3_]

@@ChrisXOutdoors so I took the carb apart completely, removed everything down so I could see all the parts on the mower, it was so compacted with grass everywhere, reassembled carefully. It works! But then it started leaking gas. Lol I think when I pinched the fuel line I put a small crack in it but I have extra so I will cut a new one and make sure nothing else is causing a leak and see what happens. Thanks again!

[@ChrisXOutdoors]

@Echo3_ great news!!

[@roadstar499]

Interesting thing i also decovered...its turns out my shut off safty cable has stretched. I wrap a wire around mine when mowing always...anyway i have to use plyers to fully pull my spring lever back before it will start...i will just modify it to work since there is zero adjustment...of course this is a separate issue,but i am glad i discovered this...first time i had this issue with a mower at all...

[@ernesto006]

Thank you. Governor problem fixed !

[@roadstar499]

You did an excellent job making this video showing and explaining how governor arm is supposed to be set...actually i think this is the same 6.5hp briggs i have on my old yardman mower...i thought governor may have broke inside..i just put silicone o n old worn rubber purge button...i think that may have cause motor to run badly..once it drys i will start mower...i also rebuilt carb last year and mower has been running perfect...bought this for $25 ten years ago and it still has lots of power and does not smoke or burn oil,so i hope i can get it running good today...i even repaired the rusted out deck plus spent $20 on a new blade...😊 Thanks for sharing

[@ChrisXOutdoors]

Thanks so much! Glad the video was helpful

[@roadstar499]

My governor is set up exactly the way you showed...thinking governor is broken inside motor...it just wants to rev high no matter what i do...i did manage to finish lawn today and ordered a new carb...i am determined to get it working properly...once i get it fixed i will let you know...thanks

[@jimbrad3706]

Brother, you saved me! I scoured KZbin and elsewhere looking for my model of mower engine. Mine's a Craftsman branded 6.5HP mower and all I could find were the ones with the auto choke. Yours was the only video with this content. Thanks for taking the time to put this out. My mower is back up and running again. Thank you!

[@ChrisXOutdoors]

So glad to hear! Thank you Jim.. glad your machine is back up and running

[@michaelwojnoski639]

Just what I was looking for!

[@jimbrad3706]

Thanks!

[@MarQ4.20]

I think I love you

[@jimmyross4352]

Thanks! I didn’t think i would ever find the first part of your video explaining how I need to adjust the governor on my 3.5 HP Briggs Engine!!!

[@MarQ4.20]

It’s April 2, 2024 . I hope your ok

[@jameslester3861]

Shortening the governor spring by cutting one loop out of it or bending the anchor point has always worked for me.