Tecumseh Questions

[Steve]

LV195EA on a Lawn-Boy

I posted about this 12 year old mower last fall when it would not only not start but not even sputter despite everything (gas, spark, etc.) checking o ut. Finally got it to start by cranking it with an electric drill. I've b een using it with varying difficulties since. I do have another mower I can use--with its own peculiarities--and would simply replace it with a new on e but I refuse to junk this one until I know why and what is going on.

Ahem...so the latest odd ball thing was last week I was mowing away and as I happened to not have the air filter on I was seeing wisps of smoke coming out of the intake in time with engine cycles. It could not be coming thro ugh the intake itself so obviously it has to be coming from the breather. On this model there is a rubber hose connected to a barb just inside the in take.

As an experiment I pulled the hose off and yes, that's where it was coming from. BUT...when I did this the engine stopped. Why? If the breather was plumbed into the actual intake after the throttle then then pulling the ho se would make the mixture too lean. But so far as I can tell it's just at the intake after the air filter holder flange.

Is there also a connection farther down. I do have an older carb of this m odel so guess I need to look into that.

I do suspect the engine is very worn and has a lot of blow-by. That might actually tie back to the issue of not starting until more vigorous cranking .

Yesterday it started on the first pull.

Next question.

Just in the last few days it's starting to seem like the governor is not wo rking. I'm pretty sure it's connected correctly: One wire arm from gov le ver to the throttle valve. The other wire arm to a spring that hooks to a tab held by the carb to intake tube joint. (This is the cheapo, dumbed-dow n version that has no upper plate; you bend the tab slightly to adjust spri ng tension and thus, governed speed. Amusingly, the two uprights that are cast with the intake tube are still there, just not drilled and tapped. I guess when you are dumbing things down making a new mold defeats the purpos e!) It's been running with the throttle against the minimum adjustment so o f course does not respond to load changes. My older mower also acts simila rly. How common do the internal governor parts fail on Tecumseh? Is that likely or did I do something wrong with the connections to the gov lever?

[trader_4]

t start but not even sputter despite everything (gas, spark, etc.) checking out. Finally got it to start by cranking it with an electric drill. I've been using it with varying difficulties since. I do have another mower I c an use--with its own peculiarities--and would simply replace it with a new one but I refuse to junk this one until I know why and what is going on.

s I happened to not have the air filter on I was seeing wisps of smoke comi ng out of the intake in time with engine cycles. It could not be coming th rough the intake itself so obviously it has to be coming from the breather. On this model there is a rubber hose connected to a barb just inside the intake.

g from. BUT...when I did this the engine stopped. Why? If the breather w as plumbed into the actual intake after the throttle then then pulling the hose would make the mixture too lean. But so far as I can tell it's just a t the intake after the air filter holder flange.

model so guess I need to look into that.

t actually tie back to the issue of not starting until more vigorous cranki ng.

working. I'm pretty sure it's connected correctly: One wire arm from gov lever to the throttle valve. The other wire arm to a spring that hooks to a tab held by the carb to intake tube joint. (This is the cheapo, dumbed-d own version that has no upper plate; you bend the tab slightly to adjust sp ring tension and thus, governed speed. Amusingly, the two uprights that ar e cast with the intake tube are still there, just not drilled and tapped. I guess when you are dumbing things down making a new mold defeats the purp ose!) It's been running with the throttle against the minimum adjustment so of course does not respond to load changes. My older mower also acts simi larly. How common do the internal governor parts fail on Tecumseh? Is tha t likely or did I do something wrong with the connections to the gov lever?

I would suggest that with a 12 year old mower that appears to have continuing, probably multiple problems, it's time to get a new mower. IDK how great or costly that one was, but 12 x $25 = $300, 12 x $40 = $

480. Looking at a new mower working out to a cost of $25 to $40 a year, why do you need to waste more time and aggravation or throw money at one that's probably done it's duty? IDK how you start one with a drill, but how about if one of those attempts sends you to the ER? What's that going to cost? Just saying.....

[hubops]

" I was mowing __without__ the air filter on .. "

..... 'nuff said. perhaps.

Really ? Air filter removed ! for what reason ? Duh. John T.

[Steve]

As I said, I have another mower and would have no issue with buying a new o ne but I want to know what is going on with this one. Call it mechanical c uriosity. It's a bit of a game. When it ceases to interest me I will go b uy one or permanently switch to the second one I have. I was looking at ne w mowers a few days ago.

How you crank an engine with a drill is to engage the top nut of the cranks haft with an appropriate socket. It's not rocket science. I never said th at was an ongoing way of starting. It did not seem particular risky as it easily slips off. (Honestly, I was surprised the little drill in question worked as well as it did.)

But if you were paying attention you would have caught where I said it star ted on the first pull. Pull implies the recoil starter.

Lack of filter was because I could not locate the oval filter holder. I've since installed a circular flange to make use of a circular filter holder and filter I had available. Again, not an ongoing situation. Doubt it mat ters much at this point in the engine's life.

Now maybe someone with actual info will contribute.

[Jo]

Ethanol gasoline is evil.  Virtually all of my annoying chronic small engine problems went away when I started using ethanol-free gasoline.

[None]

Nymshifter, why are you so desperate for attention?

[Clare Snyder]

I've done it and had the nut come off as soon as the engine started as it overdrove the drill (It as a big slow 1/2 inch drive drill with

2 handles)

As for the problem, I'm still betting on a plugged main jet

[None]

My neighbor tried the drill thing once with a 6hp Tecumseh engine and he broke off the threaded part of the crankshaft. Crankshafts are made from hard but brittle steel.

[None]

Come to think of it, the crankshaft was probably cast iron, not steel.

[Jack]

The OP was looking for useful information so if you have nothing useful to contribute, zip it!

[None]

Nymshifter, looking at the data, the odds are good that you were the OP. In fact, you utilize numerous vectors to post your BS under many different nyms.

[trader_4]

one but I want to know what is going on with this one. Call it mechanical curiosity. It's a bit of a game. When it ceases to interest me I will go buy one or permanently switch to the second one I have. I was looking at new mowers a few days ago.

kshaft with an appropriate socket. It's not rocket science. I never said that was an ongoing way of starting. It did not seem particular risky as i t easily slips off. (Honestly, I was surprised the little drill in questio n worked as well as it did.)

arted on the first pull. Pull implies the recoil starter.

ve since installed a circular flange to make use of a circular filter holde r and filter I had available. Again, not an ongoing situation. Doubt it m atters much at this point in the engine's life.

You said it's 12 years old, has been heavily used, has lots of blow-by and you suspect that may be the problem or part of it. So, have you done a compression test?

[trader_4]

ew one but I want to know what is going on with this one. Call it mechanic al curiosity. It's a bit of a game. When it ceases to interest me I will go buy one or permanently switch to the second one I have. I was looking a t new mowers a few days ago.

ankshaft with an appropriate socket. It's not rocket science. I never sai d that was an ongoing way of starting. It did not seem particular risky as it easily slips off. (Honestly, I was surprised the little drill in quest ion worked as well as it did.)

started on the first pull. Pull implies the recoil starter.

I've since installed a circular flange to make use of a circular filter hol der and filter I had available. Again, not an ongoing situation. Doubt it matters much at this point in the engine's life.

And I also agree with Clare, could be the carb, every small engine problem I've experienced in decades now has been the carb. Have you taken it off, checked for gunk, rusted needle valve, blown it out? They have rebuild kits on Ebay for $10 or for a bit more they have new Chinese carbs.

[Mark Lloyd]

I live in a small town (population about 12,000), and was surprised to find two stations here.

[nymshifter]

Do you have any Tecumseh repair tips or not?

[Clare Snyder]

Most likely nodular iron on the little engines. AKA Ductile cast. Brittle cranks don't last long, and I've seen MANY bent and twisted lawn mower cranks - so no, they are NOT brittle. Not particularly hard either,in the grand scheme of irons and steels. Forged steel on performance engines.

[hubops]

True that - my old B&S 3 / 3.5 HP push mower tried to tackle the steel survey stake - the stake won. The shear-key partially tore but not before the crank bent. It wou;ld run but shake quite awful - local repair shop straightened it best they could but the cost was about half the cost of a new mower, due to labour. John T.

[None]

This picture illustrates what happened to my neighbor's Tecumseh crankshaft after using an electric drill to try and start it. This isn't a picture of his machine, it is just for purposes of illustration.

[Clare Snyder]

No way in HELL a drill did that!!! Not likely even an impact wrench, and definitely not while starting it. That took over 100 ft lbs of torque - which NO drill (make that no HAND HELD drill) will exert on the shaft.

[None]