# 8hp Briggs and Stratton surging?



## XxIcexX (Sep 25, 2005)

This is an 8hp briggs and stratton engine - 1978 so its fairly old...

When its idling the govenor thing is making it pulse up and down and im nto sure why its doing this. any help please?

also at full revs it sounds like its trying to spew its guts, i think its running slightly retarded, maybe advanced.
Anyhelp on changing the timing of this please?
its a points and condensor sparker so yeh

Any help much appriciated!
thanks
ice


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

have you adjusted the idle mixture screw? 1.5 turns out from snug, then fine tune. they will surge up and down if they are lean. as for spewing its guts at rpms. make sure the throttle control is adjusted right.


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## XxIcexX (Sep 25, 2005)

Thanks for the feedback bugman

The mixture screw doesnt do shit all ive wound it all the way out and all the way in and it doesnt change the way it idles or revs out at all.

And the throttle settings are right i can open it completely and close it completely and somethings not right.

Dad thinks its running retarded do u know how to change the timing? and what should the points gap be on a 1978 8hp briggs and stratton engine?

21 cubic inch

thanks for that
ice


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

have you tried blowing out the hole the needle goes in, is the needle damaged? 


anyway if the engine is original, not rebuilt, the only real timing is the crank and cam inside the engine, they have timing marks to line them up right. that or the flywheel key is a little sheared throwing timing off
i beleive the gap should be 0.020. has the point and condensor and all been replaced with new?


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## XxIcexX (Sep 25, 2005)

points and condensor are probably 30 years old. make a nice clean spark though i dont see why that would make the engine surge?

its a ride on mower, and apparently it has a mechanism of opening the gas a bit more if the mower becomes under strain, so that it doesnt stall u know. i am wondering wether it may be confusing its self at idle and trying to fix itself or something i dont know...

ill adjust the points gap and see what that does. otherwise thanks heaps agains
Ice


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