Scotts L2048

This is a 2002 model with B/S engine mod# 406777. Was mowing fine, ran out of gas, refilled, restarted, mowed about 20 feet and it died. Restarted and played with choke until gas pumped up(?). Turned mower on and seemed to be fine, then all of a sudden the engine started running wide open and I do mean open. Had to turn key off or probably blow engine. Pulled hood to look at linkage and could not for the life of me figure out how the linkage is supposed to work on this engine. I'm hoping someone had this same problem or is familiar with this engine and can tell me what the problem is. The only way I can idle it down is to manually reach in and push the linkage up so that it contacts the idle screw.

Downloaded the parts list/diagram from B/S but it didn't have a good view of what I needed to see. I can't tell that anything is missing. It's as though the governor is not working at all and is wide open.

 

I have seen two briggs twins with the problem that you discribe. Both had lost a butterfly from the carb which of course made them run wide open. The carb will need to be removed to repair, but it is an easy fix.

 

If you can idle it down by hand the butterfly is still where it needs to be. Is the link between the throttle shaft and the governor arm in place? If it is it would indicate that the governor itself is not doing what it should be. I've seen several V-twins grenade their governors, meaning they loose their weights and without them there is nothing to push back on the governor arm... thus nothing to govern engine speed. If this is the case, repair will involve removing the engine, taking the pan off and replacing the governor.

 

Before you assume the governor gear/weights are toast inside the engine, lets be sure the static adjustment didn't somehow change. Locate the governor arm and shaft at the front of the engine below the carburetor. You'll see a screw and nut that holds the arm to the shaft, loosen this so that you remove any friction between the shaft and arm. Move the throttle link to full throttle position (so that carb butterfly is wide open) and note the direction of travel it must take to obtain full throttle. Now, rotate the governor shaft in the same direction that was required to obtain full throttle with the link. The shaft will hardly move but it takes very little to foul up the static adjustment. With the shaft pre-loaded in this direction and the throttle link pre-loaded in the same direction tighten the nut back down on the arm to the shaft you loosened up originally. You now have proper static governor adjustment and if you run the engine and still have a racing issue then it is safe to assume you have a problem with the governor gear/weights inside the engine.

 

Like puey61 says check everything out before assuming the governor gear failed. I just happen to have 2 different Scotts tractors come into the shop a week apart both with the governor gears fractured at the fly weights. Good luck.