I have a stage 2 23hp Gator Tail that started acting up this weekend. When I start it and it is in neutral, it will immediately rev to over 4000 rpm. It also revs very high when I activate reverse, without using any throttle. When I have it in forward, it runs completely normal, but I did notice that it did rev to over 5000 rpm when I was a little stuck and trying to get out, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen it rev that high before. Any idea what would cause this? I will add that when removing the blind from my motor, it ripped out my oil dip stick but luckily I found that, and I feel like it’s missing a spring or something in the back, that may have been ripped out, would something like that possibly cause this? I’d post a picture but I cannot figure out how to. Thanks in advance!

Sounds like the whole throttle to governor linkage is jacked. Maybe something bent wrong, etc.

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Take a couple pics and post them here and someone will be along to help.

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Thanks for the reply. We, or should I say my cousin, found that what is causing the issues is the governor weight assembly(?) broke inside the engine. So now I have a list of parts to hopefully get and put it back together for my next trip, in two weeks.

Yep, that’s common on factory 23 cams

Get a performance cam to throw in there while it’s all apart.


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It was a performance cam from what I was told. Anyone know where or if I can just get the weight assembly, or do I need to order a whole new cam?

I took the whole governor assembly out of mine when I put my cam in. That included removing the weights, spool and the arm. I would think you should be able to remove as well. I’ve read that pvt sold some cams with the stock governor. If you have one of those then not sure if you can just remove spool and weights or not. Need an expert to chime in..


Jacks small engines.com has all those pieces if you want to go back with them. Just search by your engines model number.


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Actually just looked back at it, I do think you need a new cam if you slung a weight..


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That’s what I was hoping wouldn’t be what I had to do, but it’s looking like I will have to buy a new cam. if I put in a stock cam with performance heads, would I just not have the performance I had before, or is there anything else that could go wrong? I just need to get something quick for a trip I’m going on next weekend.

Yeah that’s correct, just wouldn’t have as much performance through the whole power band and you would also have the stock governer assembly that you would have to put back together and that has the potential to fail again.

I ran performance heads with a stock cam for a while but I wouldn’t go back. If you wanted a performance cam, Al at PVT or BPS probably both have one on the shelf you could get shipped overnight.


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Take the governor crap out and put a mikuni on it.