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briggs and stratten engine problems

2K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  rtyauch301 
#1 ·
really not a hotrod engine, but it has a rather large problem and my lawn needs mowed..

just dumped a couple hundred into the mower for a new deck spindle and pully

fired it up and got about 100' before the engine just shut off w/o warning or hesitation.. fired it back up and it started hard ( turned just fine ) and smoked alot when it first started, then continued to smoke a little before it shut down again.. fired it back up and had the same problem, and the last time pop and fire but no start..

actually get off the mower and check it out now, and find the pan below the muffler is coated in fresh oil.. immediatly think, cracked pistion or rings.. so I get the compression tester and check it and it pumps 125 PSI

any ideas? I'm thinking time for a new engine, but before I spend that $$, I want to explore the possibility of fixing it if it's less involved than a rebuild.. I could rebuild, I have rebuilt others, but I really don't have time right now, and push mowing 2 acres is not fun with a 20" mower, but I have done that
 
#4 ·
Could it be something simple like a head gasket or something? Sorry, I don't know much about your engine but if you are going to replace it, go with a Kohler engine. I have on on my 52" zero turn and they last a life time. It's getting close to 10 years old now and still running as good as it did the day i bought it.
 
#6 ·
bigdog7373 said:
Could it be something simple like a head gasket or something? Sorry, I don't know much about your engine but if you are going to replace it, go with a Kohler engine. I have on on my 52" zero turn and they last a life time. It's getting close to 10 years old now and still running as good as it did the day i bought it.
I don't think a head gasket would cause it, altho it's possible being there is an oil passage that goes to the valve cover for rocker shaft oiling..

I would go kohler but, the mower is set up for a B&S
 
#9 ·
it was white smoke when it first started, then switched to blue when it was idiling, when I revved it up just to try to get it back to the shed is right about when it died but it seemed to clear up b4 it died.. it does maintain spark at least until it dies, and as of now it will crack and pop every once in a while so it has spark of some degree.. this is a magneto ignition engine
choke and carb is operating freely.. and kicking and swearing didn't work
 
#10 ·
double check the sensor ( fill the oil to its proper level and disconnect the sensor wire ) as if you had the mower up at a excessive angle to move the deck it sometimes knocks them off kilter and you could have also caused oil to run past the rings or thru a worn valve guide if its a vertical crank engine( I have alot of homeowners bring them to me thinking the motor has blown upfrom doing this and get the white smoke of death ... ) , a B&S is a very low compression motor and you can littlerlly run the things on motor oil once you get them to turn over .
 
#11 ·
With all the $ you just put in it, did you have the engine tilted towards the carb? If so you've drowned the intake system possibly got a bunch into the cyl. also. Check oil level, pull plug and crank engine to TDC with the plug removed and look for oil in the cyl. You also fouled the plug. Replace it don't clean it. If you've got oil in the cyl. you can poor gas down the carb and crank the engine with the plug removed to clean out the intake and cyl. and then change the oil and plug. It should fire right up being you've still got good compression. :D I've seen quite a few self taught lawnmower mech's make that mistake. :D
 
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