# Troy Bilt Horse II K161T 7HP throttle cable issues ...



## scrooster (May 8, 2016)

I've got a Troy Bilt Horse II with the Kohler K161T 7HP.

Bought it brand new, on sale, in late 1981 (Christmas present to myself - from my wife - you know how that works) ... serial number says it was made in April of '81. My wife and I agree that we paid somewhere right around $800.00 for it new with several accessories.

I just had to rebuild the carburetor for the first time, after all these years, just last week. (April 2016) That's 35 years of running it every spring and summer, hard ... I mean we have used the heck outta this thing. I've changed the engine oil regularly, as soon as it darkens ... and changed the gear oil regularly. Never used ethanol gas in it. I'd usually give it a squirt or two of gumout carb cleaner when I had the air filter off cleaning it ... usually when running but not always, especially when getting it ready for the season each year.

Had to change the points a few times, and the spark plug probably 15 times. Still using a box of spark plugs I bought years ago at a flea market ... they were something like 50 cents each so I bought the whole tray of 24 and I've got five or six left out there.

Here's my problem and I cannot figure this out - hoping I am not going to have to take the old gal to my local small engine repair.

You've got your throttle control arm ... just above the carburetor just behind the spark arrester/muffler. You would think it is controlled by the speed control throttle cable ... but it's not. The throttle cable is connected to a rigid wheel looking thingy, which I cannot find the proper nomenclature for ... just off to the bottom of where the throttle arm pivots on what I assume is the speed control arm (of some kind) inserted in the engine. It's all spring loaded of course ... heck, let me upload some pics, it might help.

Excuse the dirtyness ... it's a heavily used tiller. I do about an acre of garden a year with this tiller - every year.

Nighttime pic ...

Here she is ...










This is my problem ... the throttle cable broke at the handle because it jammed, or whatever, at the bottom where it connects to the throttle arm ...


















Now ... while I was rebuilding the carb last week I decided to see if I could figure out the problem ... the throttle arm still functions fine, but where the cable is connected it is frozen. I almost screwed up taking that apart - caught grief getting it to go back in ...










No idea how to fix this throttle cable ... I can replace it, but the round thing it is connected to next to the throttle arm, down where it is spring loaded, still appears to be frozen. I tried jiggling it loose after I took it apart but to no avail.

It's almost like it is not suppose to rotate or something.

I'm baffled. Need help. Any ideas?


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

First off,it's not a "throttle arm" ,...it's the governor arm,and it only moves about 1/2 " ,to control over speeding the engine.
Here's a link for a free engine manual download.
http://www.kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/tp_2379.pdf


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## scrooster (May 8, 2016)

jhngardner367 said:


> First off,it's not a "throttle arm" ,...it's the governor arm,and it only moves about 1/2 " ,to control over speeding the engine.
> Here's a link for a free engine manual download.
> http://www.kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/tp_2379.pdf


Governor arm ... got it. Thank you.

And thank you very much for the link to the engine manual - that's just awesome. Much appreciated! I've looked everywhere for one - all I had found until now is the Troy Bilt maintenance manual. I really appreciate the help ... and the correction on the nomenclature. 

:drinkin: I owe you a beer. Thanks again for the quick reply.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

LOL! Stopped drinking in 1978,....but I'd have a coffee,while you have a beer !


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## scrooster (May 8, 2016)

jhngardner367 said:


> LOL! Stopped drinking in 1978 .....


That's about the time I got really cranked up and going-good. I was just getting to Ft. Bragg that year, 2/325 PIR ... and it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time. The NCO club was a rockin' place back then but downtown Faytettenam, it was legendary. on Haye Street ... Rick's Lounge, The Siam Club, etc.

I'm kind of wishing right now that I had spent more time studying small engine repair and less time drinking beer.

This delicate balance, adjusting the cross arm on the governor with the governor arm and all that, that I am about to try ... I hope I don't screw this up.

Having not RPM meter I'm wondering ... is it safe for a novice like me to try or should I just take it to my local small engine repair guy? Is it a difficult maneuver and could I make it work just going by ear?


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## scrooster (May 8, 2016)

As a follow-up to this thread ... I decided to take it to my local small engine repair guy and have him fix the governor issue.

Purrs like a kitten now. 

I'm going to scrape the heads and put new gaskets on that ... plus replace the tine gaskets once gardening season is over, put a new recoil spring in, little stuff like that. But I can do those.

I'm glad I didn't try to adjust the governor myself - it was a little more complicated than I wanted to tackle plus it did require an RPM gauge/meter to get it just right.

Put a new cutoff valve on the gas tank ... gave it a good pressure washing to get some of the crud off of it ... plan to maybe do some repainting this fall.

Note the re-enforced engagement bar ...


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