Maytags...(In over my head)

My knowledge of Maytags can be easily summed up in one word "NOTHING"!

That said, I came home with a trunk full of 92's 31's etc a few weeks ago 'cause I just couldn't resist 'em.

I easily got a couple of them running without knowing what I was doing but my 9 yr old daughter asked if she could have the blue one ( who knows why someone in it's past painted it blue).

Of course, that one was seized and had a few other maladies (carb missing, ignition problems, etc) but how could I tell her daddy couldn't fix that one.

It came unstuck much easier than I was expecting and I've scrounged a carb and ignition parts for it and sure enough it fired a few times on the first effort.

Now for the problem....It will start on the first or second kick every time but will seldom keep running more than 7 or 8 hits before stalling. The hits are generally spaced pretty close together too.

I'm sure I've got the governor settings way out of adjustment and I've ordered the tool to set the timing on the points. I'm also replacing the carb gaskets.

Anyone have any suggestions of what else might be causing it?

Thanks Harry

Neale

Make sure it is getting fuel, run through all the carb and lines, clean it good.

just a thought

Mac Leod

Neale -

Funny how things follow you home with the price is right.

I assume that you're dealing with a 1cyl. Pull off the carb and make sure that the check ball in the pickup is not sticking or missing. When it first starts hitting, try placing your hand over the intake...if it continues to run, it is likely the check ball.

Good luck...

Chris

Neale, Take your carb off, make sure your check valve is free. Remove the plug from the bottom of the carb. I use a 7/8" socket with a notch cut out of it to go around the breather tube on the carb, but you may be able to get it with an open end 7/8 or a Vice Grip. It may help to tap on the plug a bit with a hammer to vibrate the threads a little. Also a little heat from a torch will help get this loose. There is a small spring which holds the air valve up to its seat that must be in good condition for it to run right.

It is very doubtfull that your timing is off, unless you or someone else has had the points off. The governor setting can be set after you get the engine to run right. Just make sure there is some tension on the governor spring right now. Good luck! Let us know what the problem was.

Neale, Of course the most reasonable thing to do would be to just paint the running one her favorite shade of blue! But that would be way too easy for a guy like you or I wouldn't it?

Those springs they are talking about are very fragile. Any rust at all and they're gone. Any bit of varnish can easily gum them up too.

I'm sure you'll be an expert in no time. Remember, all you need is 3 things t run. Compression, Fuel, and Spark. The compression you either have or you don't. The spark could work intermittently, (coil heats up and grounds out etc...) but most likely it is a fuel problem. Invest a few bucks in a book from some advertiser here. It will help you date the serial numbers just for fun while giving you good schematic pictures of everything. Kevin

Paint one that runs??? Why didn't I think of that??? Must be breathing too many fumes!

I had already tried "choking" it with my finger with no success so I figured it had to be an ignition problem. The whole magneto plate is so easy to change (I learned this today) that I just swapped plates with another engine...no help!!

OK...need 3 things...Compression...Yep..got lots (I honed the cylinder after getting it unstuck. The rings reseated very nicely.)...Ignition...yep...I swapped magnetos...Fuel...hmmmmmmm.

This carb uses (or NEEDED as I found out)the small, flat disk as a check-valve in the pickup tube. I borrowed a disk from another carb and that fixed it. (Chris...You were on the right track!)

Can anyone tell me how to go about adjusting the governor now that I have it running?

Now I need to figure out where the start lever return spring hooks up. It doesn't have the attachment on the forward lug like many of them. I'm also hoping to find a new start lever gear at Portland next week.

Thanks to all & Thanks Harry

Its been so long , do I remember resurfacing a brass reed valve in the bottom of the cylinder on one of those things ? Same function as the reeds in a dirt bike , just not made of fiberglass . My reid has one about >

No reed valves on these that I remember Chuck.

Hey Neale, the easiest way to remember basic operation on nearly all governors is like this. "Springs GIVE fuel; Weights take it away." Think about it, centrifugal force (there's another force called centripetal, I don't know the difference)

Anyway, the spinning force causes the weights to move outward acting on whatever slows down the engine; whether it be the points on a Maytag to alter spark, (isn't that right?) The exhaust valve pushrod on larger engines to kill any vacuum and thus any chance of fuel being drawn in, or a butterfly on the carb in a throttle governed engine. Tightening said springs works against this and pulls the weights in. Loosen the springs, the weights spin out at a lower RPM and the engine runs slower. The great thing about Maytags is you won't ever have to have parts recast or hunt for very long to find them. Unless you get into the ultra rare models. And you shouldn't hurt your back loading them either. Have a great time, and let your 9 year old get filthy working on it if she wants to! Otherwise just fix it up real nice for her. Kevin

On models like this with no lug to attach the spring to, just attach it to the skids that you mount the engine on.

The governor on these engines is connected to the points. When the governor kicks in, the engine stops firing. Your governor has a weight connected to a spring. If you want the engine to run faster, increase the tension on the spring. This holds the weight in, and makes the engine have to run faster before the governor kicks in. If you want the engine to run slower, loosen the tension on the spring. The governor will kick in quicker that way.

Several parts sellers on the SPONSORS page have manuals for these engines. The engines are pretty straight forward, once you get used to them.

Drill a hole 1/32" in the mounting lug and put the return spring cotter pin through it. The cast iron drills easily. If this is not what you want to do, follow Tom G's advice. Good Luck!