Kohler M8 Throttle Linkage

[WiGuy 0]

Help! I’m hoping someone here knows the answer to what I figured was an easy question, but has turned out to be slightly more complicated.

I have a Kohler M8 engine that is a standalone engine. I used it 20 years ago for a go kart, and at that time removed the linkage from the throttle lever to the governor arm so that I could install a throttle cable.  That linkage has been lost to the sands of time, and I am now trying to get back to the original setup that uses the throttle lever.

Attached are some pictures of the actual engine.  Does anyone know what part I need (and where to get it) to connect the blue circled pieces together? Or – am I missing some other intermediate part that goes between the 2 blue circled pieces?

I’ve looked at several schematics and the service manuals etc, but I can’t really find anywhere that shows the whole thing assembled.  I bought a ‘governor spring’ based off of one of the schematics, but I can’t figure out a logical way to hook that up to my engine that actually works.

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,565]

  My 308 is parked 8 miles away so I can’t look at it or snap pictures for ya. Here’s a few I had stored on my phone.., maybe there’s something worthwhile in one of them? 
 

 

 

 

 

 

[WiGuy 0]

Thanks Sparky. That's helpful in that it confirms I'm not missing another spring between the carb butterfly lever and the bolt on the motor shroud. There are some extra holes in that lever that made me question if something was missing that should be going into them.

 

You have a throttle cable though so I still don't know how to hook up my throttle lever on the engine to the circular disk on the governor.  If anyone else has pictures or can point me to a diagram that shows the actual linkage installation I'd be super appreciative.  Worst case scenario I suppose I'll just have to fabricate my own throttle cable and lever and leave the stock one inoperable.

[wallfish 15,934]

Those 2 parts you have circled do not connect together.

The lever at the bottom connects to the choke lever on the carb, not the governor. A rod goes up from that lever to the choke

 

What are you using the engine for now? Still stand alone or putting it on a tractor or some other machine? I might have one of those complete contraptions with the levers that was removed from an M8

[WiGuy 0]

The choke handle is there, and works perfectly. The rod you're describing and the choke handle are circled in red.

 

The throttle lever when pulled all the way up hits a ground that shuts the engine off, but otherwise it is not connected to anything right now.  My intent is to hook this engine up to a generator head that I have laying around, and I'd like to be able to control the throttle so I can start it up and warm it up for a minute or two at a lower rpm before hooking anything up to it, and then rev it to 3600rpm before turning devices on.  

 

As an aside, since I'm going to be using it with a generator, I need to make sure everything with the governor is golden as well.

 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,503]

https://www.partstree.com/models/m8-301656-kohler-magnum-engine-made-for-goodall-mfg-8hp-6kw/governor-cont-tp-2201-c-16/

 

In case you have not seen them

 

[Rick3478 374]

1 hour ago, wallfish said:

Those 2 parts you have circled do not connect together.

The lever at the bottom connects to the choke lever on the carb, not the governor. A rod goes up from that lever to the choke

 

What are you using the engine for now? Still stand alone or putting it on a tractor or some other machine? I might have one of those complete contraptions with the levers that was removed from an M8

 

I think you are incorrect, @wallfish, there probably was a wire rod connecting that lever to one of the holes in the disk, though I can't say for sure which hole.  There also is often a small spring between the governor and throttle, which takes up the rod slack and prevents rattle, that's what the tiny holes up there are for.

[wallfish 15,934]

54 minutes ago, WiGuy said:

The choke handle is there, and works perfectly. The rod you're describing and the choke handle are circled in red.

 

The throttle lever when pulled all the way up hits a ground that shuts the engine off, but otherwise it is not connected to anything right now.  My intent is to hook this engine up to a generator head that I have laying around, and I'd like to be able to control the throttle so I can start it up and warm it up for a minute or two at a lower rpm before hooking anything up to it, and then rev it to 3600rpm before turning devices on.  

 

As an aside, since I'm going to be using it with a generator, I need to make sure everything with the governor is golden as well.

 

Oh, I see that lever for the choke now !

You can make a connecting rod link to connect the hole on the lever to a hole in the disk. Two Z bends, one on each end

The spring that controls the governor tension is already in place and connected on the disk to the governor arm.

If you have a spare/old throttle or choke cable you can use it to cut that wire to use for making a new link. Two Z bends, just like the choke rod is. I've also used those thin metal rods that hold up pink insulation between the wood joists to make links. It's just about the right thickness too. Lever full off and measure between holes or put a Z bend in one end of the rod, connect it to the disk and mark the other at the lever. It's easier that way because you want to turn the disk just so the carb is full open to pick the right hole on the disk to use. A hole that's up on the left side so the disk has the ability to turn the full motion of idle to full throttle. It's not very much distance it has to turn for that either

[WiGuy 0]

1 hour ago, wallfish said:

Oh, I see that lever for the choke now !

You can make a connecting rod link to connect the hole on the lever to a hole in the disk. Two Z bends, one on each end

The spring that controls the governor tension is already in place and connected on the disk to the governor arm.

If you have a spare/old throttle or choke cable you can use it to cut that wire to use for making a new link. Two Z bends, just like the choke rod is. I've also used those thin metal rods that hold up pink insulation between the wood joists to make links. It's just about the right thickness too. Lever full off and measure between holes or put a Z bend in one end of the rod, connect it to the disk and mark the other at the lever. It's easier that way because you want to turn the disk just so the carb is full open to pick the right hole on the disk to use. A hole that's up on the left side so the disk has the ability to turn the full motion of idle to full throttle. It's not very much distance it has to turn for that either

 

That makes a lot of sense!  I'm not familiar with the  metal rods you're talking about for insulation, if you can find them on Home Depot or something post a link.  I'm sure I've seen them before but it's just not coming to me right now.  Worst case I can locate some throttle cable and use that.

 

I knew this should have been a simple issue to resolve; I've been through those manuals and parts diagrams that gwest_ca posted and they were really throwing me for a loop.  I can't find anywhere in there that shows a rod or anything that links the throttle lever to the governor. Choke rod, yes -- throttle rod, it just doesn't show.  And the service manual never shows an image of the whole thing together.

 

While I have all of your attention - anyone know of a place to get a reasonably priced dual fuel carb for an M8? I want to retain the option to run it on gasoline, but also need to be able to run it off my bulk propane tank in the event of an extended outage.  I've found a few sources online, but they are all quite expensive ($200+).

 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,503]

Is item 52 not the link you need at Parts Tree?

[Rick3478 374]

2 hours ago, gwest_ca said:

Is item 52 not the link you need at Parts Tree?

 

I think 52 is probably the choke rod.  If you look instead at the other governor drawing, which unfortunately is confusing because it shows more than one way of connecting the throttle, I think maybe 27 could be the link you are looking for.  Kohler shows part number 41 079 02-S for that.  I'm not at all sure about that, so caveat emptor.

 

 

[wallfish 15,934]

Or,  just make one and skip any of the confusion. There is definitely a bunch of ways to connect that throttle. There's no rocket science to making that rod link for the connection if you can't find the specific one to buy. The whole idea is to simply turn that disk counter clockwise which in turn will put tension on the the spring to activate the carb operation.

 

This is the wire I was referring to before linked below. I mentioned it because it's a very common item used here in New England and maybe you had some "hanging around" LOL I just pull one from the basement and use it as there are a bunch available there. Use what you have type of type of thing. Plus they're cheap and a good item to have around when doing custom stuff. Your particular connection should be pulling on the disk so it doesn't necessarily need a heavier wire like it would when pushing does,  so it doesn't bend.

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/THEWORKS-Insulation-Support-Wire-24-100-piece-box/197609726?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222222000000000&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=o&wl2=c&wl3=10352200394&wl4=pla-1103028060075&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=197609726_0&wl14=insulation holders for floor joists&veh=sem&msclkid=548772e064a11d71f0c217bea349f176&gclid=548772e064a11d71f0c217bea349f176&gclsrc=3p.ds

[WiGuy 0]

12 hours ago, Rick3478 said:

 

I think 52 is probably the choke rod.  If you look instead at the other governor drawing, which unfortunately is confusing because it shows more than one way of connecting the throttle, I think maybe 27 could be the link you are looking for.  Kohler shows part number 41 079 02-S for that.  I'm not at all sure about that, so caveat emptor.

 

 

 

I appreciate you guys going down this rabbit hole with me.  52 is definitely the choke rod, that matches what i already have on my engine exactly.  #27 could be the part in question, but I don't recognize part #28 on my engine. I dont see that behind the disk on the governor, but maybe that's the high rpm stop or something.

 

The important revelation here is that there are no additional pieces/parts that need to go between the hole in the throttle lever and the hole in the disk other than some rod.  Some other diagrams that I saw seemed to have an intermediate piece (bracket?) in there, so I was just really confused how to hook this thing up.

 

If that's the case and there isnt anything else that needs to go in between the lever and governor disk, I'm just going to custom fab my own little rod like Wallfish suggested. I've never seen those insulation rods before, but that link helped and my local Menards carries them for cheaper than a throttle cable.  I think I may be able to sacrifice a coat hanger too if it has the necessary bendability. Either way, I can find something suitable.

 

You say it doesnt need to push at all - so am I correct in that when the lever is moved up the governor should be doing most of the 'moving' to reduce the throttle to idle?