John Deere L120 Mower Problem

[pacerron]

It comes off by pulling the springs back and out, then the whole good slides off. But that's OK, I stopped by Home Depot and found one that was nearly identical, I see that all I had to do was hook it up, evidently when the engine starts the governor arm raises and allows it all to work correctly. I just ***-you-me-d that it should actuate with the engine off. I hooked it all up and wouldn't you know it, it works! By the way, I checked the gas cap and the vent was clogged, I cleaned it and mowed through a tank and a half of gas with no problems! So, it looks like one of the many things I did fixed it! Probably the gas cap vent!

Glad you got it going. The vent, as I mentioned in my first reply, will continue to clog, so keep that in mind every time it starts to run ruff. We use the regular grade crap gas available these days and it leaves a white/green deposit in the little hole. Apparently the good stuff you buy clogs the hole too.
An ice pick fixes it. I took the rubber vent gasket out of the cap once to see if the 3 holes inside were clogged as well. They were coated but still open.
I did find out the correct amount of hood closure to get the pivots to slide out easily from the net last evening just before our 70 mph storm blew through so I didn't get around to taking it off but know how too easily, if I ever need to in the future.
My wife uses that little tractor daily for all kinds of stuff in addition to mowing. She pulls a 4 x 4 two wheel trailer behind it a lot and has a 15 gallon electric pump sprayer plugged into the tractor. She can get along fences, tree lines, and close to buildings much easier than I can with the big tractors.
If you look at some of the parts diagrams for your engine, I think you still have an excessive bend in your governor link rod.
It may cause an additional tension on the spring arm and slow/restrict the governor response, but if it works to your likeing leave it alone.

 

[MattFHamby]

the clog in mine appeared to be from dust/ dirt, I just used a piece of wire and it popped right out and was working fine - no one I talked to about this locally thought anything about vapor lock in the tank being an issue, I know a lady that just bought a new mower ($2500) after spending $500 trying to fix what sounds like this exact problem - I'm not going to share that it probably could have been fixed for free - I feel idiot enough spending the $40 I have ($15 on the carb to have it cleaned and $25 on the new linkage and the new throttle cable). I removed the bend in the link, I had it installed upside down - which was the only way it could go with the carb already installed - when I removed the carb to "fix" the throttle mechanism, I put the linkage on then installed the carb, and now it clears the intake manifold, I don't know how that made any difference, but before it was catching on the manifold so it had to be bent. this time I straightened it out and put it on in the right direction and it clears it (it is on the same side of the arms as before, so I don't know how that made any difference - it won't fit trying to go on the other side of the throttle arm).

I am so glad to have it running correctly - it took me 4 hours to mow approx. 2.5 acres yesterday, all of it had to be mowed 2 times, most of it 3 times and a few spots 4 times - I have about another .5 acres left to go that has not been touched all season, so I'm figuring about another hour to have that done!

I am the only one who uses it right now, I am starting to let my oldest daughter mow in the "flat" unobstructed areas of my yard, after I cut all of the boundaries for her. I use it to tow one of the trailers full of what ever is needed, wood for fire, dirt, etc..., but my family (2 girls and wife) like to get in it with a blanket and let me pull them through the neighborhood on Halloween like a small hay ride.