Vanguard Engine Idle

[Newfieguy]

Hi Folks,

I would like to draw on some of the experience in the forum. I have a transplated 23 hp briggs in my 6x6 and am having a hell of a time getting the idle down. Always have had problems with these engines wanting to idle low. When i say low, 900 rpm is where i would like it to be. Below 1100 - 1000ish the engine governor will always want to open the throttle. I can hold back on the butteryfly lever to rest on the idle screw and she purrs away, let go and she pops back up to 1000 - 1100.

Here are some of the things i have investigated..

Does engine idle low without governor attached? yes, very smooth
Correct springs? Yes, ordered from ODG dealer, colors verified
Intake leaks? Checked, none. and the engine idles nicely without governor
Linkages in good shape? yes, little wear and no obstruction
Fuel mixture? I can set a little rich to get the idle down a little more at the cost of fouling plugs, actually this resolves the small bog issue off idle...Any amount of idling time and the plugs foul

My gears have never grinded and and i dont mind setting the idle a little higher then its supposed to be.

Any thoughts or comment would be appreciated.

Thanks

[newargoowner]

do you have enough slack in the throttle cable to take all of the tenision off of the governor spring at idle.

[Newfieguy]

Yep, indeed. I have been looking around at other posts and it appears i am not the only one with what i call a high idle. Maybe i am shooting too low for stable idle? Can anyone chime in and let me know what your machines idle rpm is?

[RWT]

Argo idle

I had the same problem with mine. Mine used to idle at 1100-1300 rpm. I backed the idle screw all the way out and I bent the tang on one of the small springs on the front right side to reduce the pressure on the spring. Now it idles at 800-900 rpm. Here is a picture. I will go out tomorrow and take a picture of the spring if it will help you.

[Newfieguy]

Nice!!, thanks for checking for me. I have the screw backed out, and i actually dissconnected the spring to see if that is part of the trouble. I can hold the throttle lever on the carb against the screw to get the nice idle but the governor wants to open it up just a tad everytime i let my finger off. overnor arm is adjusted per manual and the other spring is not engaged until i open the twist throttle. From what i have been reading the governor in the engine is always trying to close the throttle untill a load is intorduced and then the springs overcome the governor to open the throttle to maintain RPM. So, why doesn't my governor want to close my butterflys completly? Even without springs counter acting? Puzzling.