Small Engines Without Speed Control--

Pappy · Apr 27, 2012

I don't like garden equipment engines that have no speed control. You pull the rope, and it revs to maximum RPM. Is this not hard on the engine? I would prefer to let it idle for a minute or two before opening it up to operating speed. Any tips on what you do about this???

ShadetreeRet · Apr 27, 2012

I kinda like a manual speed control myself. However the max speed that you refer to is a governed speed, so they still don't over rev. Without a governor one would self destruct in a short while. I have a push mower that is about 6 years old with a fixed speed control and it's still going strong.

Jon Hagen · Apr 27, 2012

Go to the engine dealer for what ever brand your working on and see if an adjustable throttle control is avalible.

If not, use a good grade synthetic 5-30 motor oil(Mobil 1) to get lube to the engine faster.

The engine will also start and run much better and last much longer with synthetic oil.
B&S on synthetic oil.

John B. · Apr 28, 2012

The engines are designed with this in mind. We've had a push mower for almost 17yrs that has a fixed speed control and it's still going strong. LIke any engine that gets run weekly, there's enough residual oil in the spots that need it and oil is splashed around when you first pull the rope long before it even starts.

buickanddeere · Apr 28, 2012

Manufactures have build equipment idiot proof.
Going to full speed reduces the need for rich idle mixtures and reduces cold start emissions.
Some operators take pride in slowing down engines and lugging the believing this saves fuel and wear......
Running slow reduces cooling air flow and causes over heating.
Lugging increases engine wear.
My wife threw out my old Briggs full rpm push mower. It still ran and was older than her. Made less noise too.

old · Apr 28, 2012

Just another one of those idiot proof things you see now days on machines. Shoot if they keep it up your going to have to get a drivers licenses just to drive a riding lawn mower and also have to take some special class to run a push mower and be over 18 years old to boot

ldj · Apr 28, 2012

I have an old roof mower and the old Briggs self destructed couple years ago. I bought one of those $89.00 china build Honda knockoffs. I was worried about it starting at full throttle so I connected the old throttle cable to the new engine. I had to do a little backyard engineering but it only took about 15 min. Now I can start it at a slow rpm. It might not help anything but it makes me feel good.

Leroy · Apr 28, 2012

Definatly don't over rev as they only run at a fast idle, not fast enough to do a good cutting job with mower as speed is figured on blade tip speed and if you but a 22" blade on that engine instead of 20" they would have to slow the fast idle speed down even more to slow idle. Mower was new last summer.

Revredneck · Apr 30, 2012

My lawn mower has a B&S engine on it, and it's set up to run at a fixed speed. I did find a way to vary the speed a little by bending a tab on the "throttle lever." However, the carburetor doesn't seem to have an idle circuit at all(and NO adjustments at all, either), so if I wanted it to idle, it probably wouldn't. I would guess that most of them are set up the same way.
Good Luck and God Bless

Small Engines Without Speed Control--

Pappy

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ShadetreeRet

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Jon Hagen

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John B.

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buickanddeere

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old

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ldj

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Leroy

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Revredneck

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