Briggs 3.5 HP Coil Gap

[Berniebac]

I am trying to get my 30 year old mower running again. I left it sit for a year and now it won't start. I have ordered a carb kit and new air filter, but until they come in I thought I might as well clean then engine and set it to specs.

It is a Mod. 92902; Type 5211-01; Code 83012505. I was wondering what the gap should be between the coil and and the fly wheel.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rivets]

Armature air gap is .010. Check for spark first. If you have spark, no need to adjust. If no spark, first test again with the kill wire disconnected from the coil. Still no spark, adjust the air gap. Still no spark replace the coil.

 

[Berniebac]

Thanks Rivets. I don't think I will touch it then. I checked for spark before I tore into it and I had spark. So, maybe better left alone. When I took the cover off I thought the gap looked too tight and that is why I was asking about what it should be set at. I am just putting it all back together now and will pull the gas tank and carb again once the parts come in. I should have them by the end of the week I hope.

 

[Berniebac]

Re: Briggs 3.5 HP Coil Gap (UPDATE)

I put it all back together after I cleaned the carburetor, gas tank, and the engine itself. About 30 years of build up on it so it needed cleaning pretty bad. Just for laughs I added some oil and about half a tank of gas and tried to start it. I pulled quite a few times and it wouldn't start so I pulled the plug and it seemed wet. I held the choke valve open and it started up. Ran rough for a minute then smoothed out, but the RPM's seem to low. I pulled on the governor link, and governor spring, and the RPM's picked up and ran smooth.

It seems like the governor spring does not pull the governor into the correct position to allow the engine to rev up to top RPM. Do these springs lose tension over the years? Is there a way to adjust it? Or will it pick up RPM's under load when mowing?

 

[Ifixdit]

Re: Briggs 3.5 HP Coil Gap (UPDATE)

I put it all back together after I cleaned the carburetor, gas tank, and the engine itself. About 30 years of build up on it so it needed cleaning pretty bad. Just for laughs I added some oil and about half a tank of gas and tried to start it. I pulled quite a few times and it wouldn't start so I pulled the plug and it seemed wet. I held the choke valve open and it started up. Ran rough for a minute then smoothed out, but the RPM's seem to low. I pulled on the governor link, and governor spring, and the RPM's picked up and ran smooth.

It seems like the governor spring does not pull the governor into the correct position to allow the engine to rev up to top RPM. Do these springs lose tension over the years? Is there a way to adjust it? Or will it pick up RPM's under load when mowing?

If the spring doesn't seem to be strong enough you could clip off about a 1/4 inch of it then reloop the end and hook it back up and see if that helps. Or you could just replace the spring.

 

[Berniebac]

Thanks for that tip. I might give it a try. I realized after I posted that I had the needle valve set at 1 1/2 turns out when I was trying to start it. It may take some adjustment of this needle valve to get it to run properly.