Does anyone use a temp gun to tune?

[Government Cheese]

I have a 107 that I don't think has run is years. I got it going, and it seems to run fine, but when I try to mow it bogs down and eventually dies. I went to reset the carb adjustments by the FSM but it didn't seem to help much. So, thinking back to my days with nitro powered RC cars, we used head temp to help set the carb. Does anyone else do that, and what should I consider to be an optimum temp range? Where do you check the temperature, since it seemed to vary depending on where I measured.

If I can get the carb set and I know it's not that, I'll have to look at the spindle bearings next. I'd hate to have to tear the engine down and rebuild, too many projects as it is.

[J-Mech]

Short answer: no

Could be lots of things. Better start diagnosing.

[duryea21]

My brother owns a excavation company and has a few temp guns from a harbor freight to a top of the line snap on, a few days ago we were on a job his John Deere excavator said the hydraulic fluid was running hot but the snap on gun said no normal temp so I tried the harbor freight gun and it had the same temperature readings on various parts as the expensive gun, my point is I do use it from time to time but just wanted to share with everyone my findings with the less expensive gun, never tuned a small engine with one but I hope this can help some

[clay1811/44c]

It's amazing how many things you can figure out with a temp gun. I worked at a electric motor repair shop years ago. Once we rewound 300hp motor for a rock quarry crusher. Customer called complaining we wound the motor for the wrong speed. You can't easily change the speed on a electric motor. So our shop foreman heads to the quarry with the temp gun in hand. Shoots the motor pulley 160 degrees and then the crusher pulley 120 degrees. Tells them to tighten up the belts. Guess what it was wound for the correct speed. Belts were slipping. Almost everything comes down heat or lack of.

[Government Cheese]

Originally Posted by clay1811/44c

It's amazing how many things you can figure out with a temp gun. I worked at a electric motor repair shop years ago. Once we rewound 300hp motor for a rock quarry crusher. Customer called complaining we wound the motor for the wrong speed. You can't easily change the speed on a electric motor. So our shop foreman heads to the quarry with the temp gun in hand. Shoots the motor pulley 160 degrees and then the crusher pulley 120 degrees. Tells them to tighten up the belts. Guess what it was wound for the correct speed. Belts were slipping. Almost everything comes down heat or lack of.

I use one at work to check bearing and gearbox temps. It's a good way to see if something is going to fail or not.

[Government Cheese]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

Short answer: no

Could be lots of things. Better start diagnosing.

And that's what I wanted to use the temp gun for, if I can figure out how hot is too hot.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by Government Cheese

And that's what I wanted to use the temp gun for, if I can figure out how hot is too hot.

I have a temp gun. Used it for larger engines to see if there is a weak cylinder. For a Kohler motor..... don't need it. I have ears and eyes. It's only one cylinder. Just tune it. Run it as rich as it will run without blowing smoke or stumbling on acceleration. Pretty easy.

[drglinski]

Agreed. Kohlers are great motors. Any dummy can get one running well---mine runs great.