Hello, I have a 13 ton MTD log splitter that will not increase its idle once it hits a log. It simply stalls out. Can someone tell me how to fix this or point me in the right direction (aside from buying a new splitter). Thank you!
Need help with 13 ton MTD log splitter
- Thread starter mustang08
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budman
Minister of Fire
MTD dosen't have a idle control that i know of. Is this a new splitter or did you buy used.
That motor should be running at a set speed from the factory.And no, you will not have
to buy a new splitter.
That motor should be running at a set speed from the factory.And no, you will not have
to buy a new splitter.
budman
Minister of Fire
The splitter has a manual idle control. run and fast. The splitter was given to me by a friend who had no use for it anymore. I got it running and it idles but I have to keep the choke half on and it will only idle even if I push the throttle control to fast. I can manually get it to run faster by pushing on a lever that goes from the carb to the bottom of the motor. I will post some pics soon.
budman
Minister of Fire
Sounds like you have a broken spring on the govener or linkage that came off.I'm pretty sure hd sells throttel controls that you can make work.As far as the carb it seems you need a rebuild kit or ajustment
of carb.
of carb.
Here are the pics. The third one is a try at showing you the connection from the carb to the bottom of the engine.
okay, I don't see the pics so I obviously did something wrong. Give me some time to figure this out.
budman
Minister of Fire
the rod going to the engine is part of the governor,if holding this open gets the engine to rev up then your carb is fine and you've got governor issues,
GVA
Minister of Fire
what make is the engine?generally speaking its easier and cheaper to take it to a small engine shop because some engines may require special tools to get to the governor ,most times the culprit is a loose/broken spring,your could also remove the governor rod and gear up a manuel cable/rod etc,doing this modification makes the engine harder on fuel as it is running on high idle all the time, i would check out the cost of the governor repairs before going this route,
budman
Minister of Fire
First off, Welcome to heart - dot- com.
Second, if you have to run (even at an idle) and engine with the choke partly out, you have a carb issue. Most likely a good cleaning with take care of that. Take a can of carb cleaner and pull the little bugger down to parts and give it a good cleaning. Its REALLY easy on most small engine carbs and should only take basic tools.
Third, if you try to throttle up (using the hand throttle) the engine, and the engine rpm does not change, BUT you can make it speed up if you grab the gov. linkage, you have a cable/linkage issue. Once again, should be real easy to chase down the problem. Follow the "system" from the hand throttle, all the way thru till you get to the carb. Something ain't right. Guar-own-teed.
Good luck, but I haven't heard anything that sounds serious. A little investigation on the linkage, and I bet you will find your problem, but CLEAN THAT CARB FIRST.
Second, if you have to run (even at an idle) and engine with the choke partly out, you have a carb issue. Most likely a good cleaning with take care of that. Take a can of carb cleaner and pull the little bugger down to parts and give it a good cleaning. Its REALLY easy on most small engine carbs and should only take basic tools.
Third, if you try to throttle up (using the hand throttle) the engine, and the engine rpm does not change, BUT you can make it speed up if you grab the gov. linkage, you have a cable/linkage issue. Once again, should be real easy to chase down the problem. Follow the "system" from the hand throttle, all the way thru till you get to the carb. Something ain't right. Guar-own-teed.
Good luck, but I haven't heard anything that sounds serious. A little investigation on the linkage, and I bet you will find your problem, but CLEAN THAT CARB FIRST.
i'm not sure how you will "blow" the engine by idling it up,as all a governor does is idle it up under load,of course you cant full throttle the thing with no load on it,my wood splitter doesnt have a governor on it just a start and high idle setting,been like that since new and hasnt blown in ten years,
secondly,if the engine will run at fast idle by moving the governor rod then the carb should be fine,i missed the part in your first part about have to run at half choke,if you still have to run at half choke even while you holding the governor linkage then you do indeed have carb issues,
on the other end of the governor linkage there should be a shaft that comes up from the engine with a bar clamped on it that linkage attaches to,if this is moving when the hydraulics are used then it may just be an adjustment issue ,but more likely its not moving and you've got governor issues,
secondly,if the engine will run at fast idle by moving the governor rod then the carb should be fine,i missed the part in your first part about have to run at half choke,if you still have to run at half choke even while you holding the governor linkage then you do indeed have carb issues,
on the other end of the governor linkage there should be a shaft that comes up from the engine with a bar clamped on it that linkage attaches to,if this is moving when the hydraulics are used then it may just be an adjustment issue ,but more likely its not moving and you've got governor issues,
We need a terminology check here. You say "won't increase its idle". That speed contol on the engine should be in the "fast" position while you are splitting. No idle ought to be involved here.
The governor isn't going to do anything at idle. And when the wedge hits the wood that little pup is just going to burp and die if it is idling.
The governor isn't going to do anything at idle. And when the wedge hits the wood that little pup is just going to burp and die if it is idling.
From what I have seen with briggs engines, is that they don't have an aggresive enough cam profile to run the engine at a speed fast to enough to cause valve float, so you really can't hurt these things buy messing with the governor. I dont' know about honda or the other ones, but I suspect they are the same. When you get into racing cart engines you can put cams in them that require stiffer valve springs. If it requires the choke to be on at idle, then your carb is gummed up from having old gas sitting them for ever. Try to spray the carb with carb cleaner and put some injector cleaner in the gas and let it run. It might not work though. The best thing is to take the carb about and blow it out with an air compressor.
BrotherBart said:
Mustang, I got a question on the log splitter that I think Bro B is getting at. Do you leave the splitter at an idle, expecting it to rev up when it feels a load (like splitting a log)? I ask this because... as Bro B said, these are manual throttle engines, they do not have a governor solenoid that will engage the "high" speed. You need to set the throttle at the operating rpm manually.
p.s. (BB - I hope I'm not putting words in your mouth)
Jags said:
Nope. You are right on the money. With any of the engines MTD recommends, verily decrees, that they be run flat out while splitting. I back mine down about a third though to adjust cycle time to my needs.
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