Cub cadet 5418 hydro

Had to replace the head gasket on the mower. It is 10 years old. Pulled the engine, changed gasket and put it all back together. Fun fun. Started right up but, now it goes from 1400 rpm(idle) to 5400(full speed) with no inbetween. Getting no response when throttling up till it's all the way up. Me thinks I did something to the govenor during the rebuild. Anyone know how to remedy this with out have to pull the motor apart again.
Skeeter

 

Replacing only the head gasket, you should not have even come close to messing with the governor adjustment. Check to see if any kinks/binding are at or near the throttle control or in the neighborhood of the governor control panel.

 

I'm guessing this is a kohler? If you double check the governor linkage and carburetor linkage, and find all is well but it still has this problem...you may have to pull it back off.

During repairs that allow the governor arm to move away from the plunger inside the crankcase, sometimes the governor will fall off the shaft. The governor gear has little thin plastic clips that hold it onto the shaft in the engine, and the clips don't hold it well. Especially after a few years. Then, moving the governor arm far enough allows the gear to fall down in the sump of the engine. I've only seen this on Kohler command engines. If that's not what you have, then this doesn't apply.

 

It is a B/S engine. But, there was a u-shaped spring loaded piece that I assume hooks to the shaft. Wondering if it can be fixed from outside the motor.

 

That is the shaft retainer/governor arm mount point. It keeps the governor shaft in place as well as is the mounting point for the governor arm. If this loosened you certainly lost your static governor adjustment. With the engine off, loosen the tiny screw (of the U-clamp), turn the governor shaft in the direction of travel that is required for full throttle until it stops (this only requires a fraction of a revolution and don't over-muscle it to this position). At the same time hold the governor arm/linkage (going to the throttle shaft on the carburetor) at the wide open throttle position and then tighten down the tiny screw. You now have the proper static adjustment.