Governor gear

[COMB2 0]

I've been looking at some rebuild kits for my K181 and seen a Governor Gear. What does the governer gear do and should I get one for the rebuild?

[big mike 13]

The governor keeps the motor running at a constant speed.

If you find a cast iron one in an engine and it looks ok and the fly weights are ok you can reuse it.If you find a plastic one(much more likely) and it is anything put white as the drivin snow replace it.If it comes apart at speed you run the risk of the motor blowing up.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

The governor gear is turned by the camshaft and features two "L" shaped flyweights (pinned to the gear) and sliding center "pin". As the engine speed increases, centrifugal force acts upon the weights and they fly outward, causing the center pin to be pushed farther out of the gear and against the tab on the governor cross shaft. The governor arm, which mounts to the opposite end of the cross shaft moves toward the carburetor (in the case of a K series Kohler, anyway) as the weights move outward, which closes the throttle. As the throttle control is opened, the governor spring pulls the opposite direction on the governor arm. When both forces reach a "happy medium", the engine rpm should stabilize with little or no fluctuation.

If the engine is running at speed and a load is applied, the weights on the governor gear will retract slightly due to less centrifugal force, which in turn allows the governor spring to pull the arm enough to open the throttle slightly until the forces equalize again.

[COMB2 0]

Humm where is the governor spring? Is it on the outside of the engine? I have no spring on or near the governor. This is a k-181

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

Most of the "small block" Kohler K's use a torsion spring mounted directly under the governor arm. (that's what yours has)

They do not use a wound coil spring like the big blocks.