# Tecumseh TC 200 (Mini Tiller) difficulty



## p_rod

Hi, everyone! 

Allow me to explain the difficulty. It is due more to "operator error" than the machine itself. ;-) My old troy Bilt Mini Tiller must be 16+ years old, and late last season I couldn't start it. I garaged it until yesterday, determined to 'noodle out' the problem. Before refueling it, replugging it with a new plug, I decided to take a look at the carb to see if there was any junk in or near it, and that's where I de-railed myself.

Removal wasn't totally intuitive, but I figured it out...but when I was about to separate it from the engine, it fell into my hand before i could see how the linkage to the throttle cable was hooked up. There's a small 90 degree 'Z' bend in the end of the cable that goes into the 'cam' (for lack of a better word)..but the problem isn't with that...it is with a very small spring that is wound around the end of the cable. I just do not know what to do with that little spring..does it go through the same hole the throttle cable goes through, or is the spring 'loaded', or wound up and around the cam? There is also a larger cam on the opposite side of the carb that also opens and closes the butterfly in the carb...it too has a small hole in it but there is no sign of a spring there or ever being there in the first place. Up in the starter cord housing, there is another spring mechanism coming off the throttle mechanism..but it looks intact but it is attached to a thin, black plastic feather shaped thingie I have no clue what to do with. 

If I have to, I can carry this machine to a shop, where it will sit for 8 weeks before being looked at, then they'll order a box of parts, many may not be needed, and if I have to travel down that road, so be it. But I'd sure like to see if I can get this little Tecumseh purring again on my own. 

I also looked all over the net yesterday for an exploded view of this engine yet came up empty, and the original manuals I have with this tiller were of no real help. Just an exploded view of this little engine/carbsetup would probably be a great help...and seeing what to do with that small spring on the small cam may just be the solution. If needed, I can take some pictures and post them here if that will help anyone here assist me.

Thanks for any help you could lend me..anything to avoid a trip to a shop would be greatly appreciated. 

Pat


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## MrChooks

:wave: Hi & welcome to TSF

The _"black plastic feather thingie_" sounds like a Tec 2 cycle engine governor reed - so I am assuming your engine is a little Tec 2 stroke engine :4-dontkno

Have a look at the attached repair manual and you might be able to figure out where the spring should connect. Check *BOTH* the carburettor and the governor sections of the manual - Hope this helps


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## MrChooks

:wave: Also - See if this exploded view of your engine helps

http://www.partstree.com/parts/?lc=tecumseh&mn=2109-TC200&dn=10ETC2100112109-EN


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## p_rod

Mr Chooks:

I cannot thank you enough for both the Tecumseh Manual and the website containing the TC 200 engine. I see the parts on the exploded picture, and at least I have all of them (none are missing, IOW), but alas, trying to figure out how they connect is still a bit fuzzy to me.

One of the most important directions I found in the section of the manual you enclosed stated : *It is recommended that before dis-assembly, write down how everything is connected to assist in re-assembly later.* 

Truer words were never spoken!:smile:

Again, thank you for your assistance. I'll go downstairs in a minute, carry the laptop with me and look at both sets of pictures again...and maybe, just maybe, the solution will come to me. 

Worst case scenario...I pack it all up and try to find someone familiar with this little engine and take it to them. At least the disassembly has been done for them, eh??? :grin:

Cheers!

Pat


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## MrChooks

:wave: No problems Pat - happy to help.

On those prosaic words:sigh: - yes I find that marking the ends of parts with a paint pen is the way to go for saving PiA in reassembly.

Back to your immediate problem - if you only have 1 or 2 bits that you aren't sure about - sometimes it works by assembling everything else and seeing if the thing works at all - then once running / functioning you can sometimes figure out what and which way the 1 or 2 parts belong


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## k2skier

Geeeez I hope I never have to work on another tc200-300, they are horrible to work on, gl. I even have trouble with that stupid air vane governor throttle set up, and that's with 28 years experience, so don't feel bad.


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## p_rod

Hey K2!

It sounds to me you've had some "experience" with this little motor. I'd do what Mr. Chooks suggested...but I know it wont start...there is just no 'connection' between the handlebar mounted throttle lever and the carb.

Other than taking it to a 'pro', can you shed any light on how to hook up the governor cable and the little spring that is ON that governor cable?  I am at the point I'll try anything before admitting defeat and taking it out to a shop.

Pat


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## MrChooks

:wave: Pat - have a look at the schematics on pages 18 & 19 of the Tec manual I posted earlier - there are some diagrams that show where the throttle cable / connection fits and this might give you enough clues to determine how your tiller throttle cable connected. 

They are usually connected to a lever that operates (thru a spring connection) to the governor linkage

Hope that helps


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## k2skier

It uses an air vane governor. The throttle cable only pushes on the throttle link (plate/arm outside the card), kinda buts up against it and stops it from moving. It's like a single speed set up, one constant speed, but the throttle allows the constant to change. Without know governors this is about as simply as I can explain it. The wind tries to close the air vane while the gov spring tries to open the throttle, and between the 2 you get the recommended RPM's.

The pics in the manual show it better than I can describe it, I haven't done one in 6-7 years. From what I remember, the vane, (the wing looking part) sets in a notch in the case, the gov spring hooks into a notch on the vane then connects to a stationary arm (usually with multiple holes in it) hook it to a middle hole. The small spring that goes over the outside of the governor arm hooks into the hole the arm goes into, unless there's a small hole next to it to put it in, not extremely important, but it will help prevent governor hunt.

Hope this helps.

Add- the throttle cable end does NOT connect to anything, it only buts up aginst the throttle arm to stop movement.


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## p_rod

K2 and Mr. Chooks!

Thanks to both of you for all your help. I have been 'sidelined' for a couple of weeks but am back up to speed and ready to tackle the problem later today. I think from the diagrams Mr. Chooks sent and the explanation of the throttle cable you gave me, K2, I may have a shot at this after all.

Again, thanks to both of you!

Pat


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## pat mcgroin

One other thing you can do while you are in there that I have found helpful
on a machine of that age.
On the side of the flywheel there is a little pad that the magneto uses for reference.
Sand that little pad to eliminate any corrosion and then touch up with a little car wax to help prevent any future corrosion.
Often times it is the difference between one pull starts and having to call the neighbor in to pull on it for a while.


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