Problems with 4 HP Eager 1 for a Craftsman mower.

[simpleman72685]

I was experiencing the symptoms of a worn carb so I replaced it. Now the engine will start, but it dies at first. After about 5 minutes of starting and stalling, it will run but not so well. It maintains RPMs fairly well as long as there is only a light load on the engine. If you hit a patch of tall grass, the mower may or may not make it through it. If it does die, it will restart. After restarting, the RPMs surge higher than normal for around 1-2 minutes, then gradually slows to normal. The main governor spring is tighter than it should be to keep it alive. The mower is 16 years old, but is only used for about 30 minutes a week during cutting season. I serviced it well its whole life. Any guesses as to what my problem is?

 

[ILENGINE]

incorrectly adjusted static governor setting, carb linkage not hooked up correctly and wrong carb jetting for your engine are all possible things that could be wrong. how about getting us the model number information from the engine so we can see what engine you are trying to work on.

 

[simpleman72685]

incorrectly adjusted static governor setting, carb linkage not hooked up correctly and wrong carb jetting for your engine are all possible things that could be wrong. how about getting us the model number information from the engine so we can see what engine you are trying to work on.

The engine model number is 143.014016. I know I got the right carb and I replaced it correctly. The settings are adjusted, because the normal settings would cause the engine to start and stall. I am wondering if this could be an ignition or timing issue.

 

[ILENGINE]

Check the flywheel key and see if it is sheared. A shift in the timing key can cause run issues, and lose of power.

 

[simpleman72685]

Check the flywheel key and see if it is sheared. A shift in the timing key can cause run issues, and lose of power.

I'll try that, thanks for your help.