My engine is idling too high. How do I adjust the idle speed?
You can adjust the valves on your 17 horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine by turning the adjustment screws. The adjustments screws will determine how much fuel goes into the piston chamber.
with a big freagin hammer
Try watching the video in the link below.
Valves 21 hp Briggs and Stratton Intek V Twin can be adjusted by increasing the torque on screw band with a right rotation. This can eliminate some leaking problems.
There is no way to adjust the timing on a 17.5 Briggs engine. The magnet is on the side of the flywheel and there is only one way the flywheel can line up. All you can do is make wure that the coil is gapped correctly.
You do not state if it is a single or a twin (which it could be of either at that HP) so links to each below:
Even though an Intek is not shown, it would be the YouTube video below.
You can not set the timing. It is determined by the keyway between the flywheel and the crankshaft. It only goes in one place. You can adjust the coil, the valves and the carburetor.
The most popular place I know of for instruction is the YouTube site at the link below.
All Briggs engines run at 3000 rpm. Slacking off the 10mm nut on the gov lever adjusted the arm of the gov to which ever speed you whant but be careful not to over do it
The valve clearance is set by grinding the faces if there is too much clearance or grinding the tip of the stem if there is too little. If it is a OHV engine you can easily adjust the valves. Try going to the link below for a video that shows how to adjust the valves.