How to Set the Governor on a Horizontal Briggs & Stratton

Identify the flywheel on the Briggs & Stratton small engine assembly. The flywheel is the circular piece seen at the top of the rear of the engine that has numerous "fins" stretching around its outer perimeter. These fins should be covered by an iron shroud, or cover, that extends over the flywheel's top and is held in place by several visible bolts. Remove these bolts with a socket wrench.

Pull off the Briggs & Stratton engine's flywheel shroud now that its grip on the flywheel has been loosened by the bolts' removal.

Look along the side of the flywheel, beneath where the shroud formerly resided. A plastic flap will be visible. This flap is the governor's flap and lies atop an engine part known as the magneto. Ensure there is a bolt in place that holds the flap down against the magneto. If this bolt has been removed, set it back in place using the socket wrench. Tighten the bolt with the wrench by making clockwise turns.

Locate the Briggs & Stratton engine's carburetor. This carburetor is along the left half of the engine, about halfway up from the bottom. There is an eyelet on this carburetor that the rod extending from the governor must attach into. Take the rod extending from the flap by the magneto and use your hands to reinsert it into the carburetor's eyelet. This will set the governor and ensure your machine has its top speed restricted according to the manufacturer's intent.

Set the flywheel shroud back into place over the flywheel using your socket wrench and the previously removed bolts.