So I'm an idiot and didn't check the oil before starting up my lawn mower at the weekend. Result is seized engine, as in it won't
turn on the pull cord.
It's a Briggs 190cc about 10 years old.
Is it worth trying to fix it? I'm guessing stand it up on it's end with a load of penetrating oil in the bore, leave it a couple of days
to soak, and then try to persuade it to turn again.
easy to fix. fill it up with diesel, let it soak over night, try turning the blade (welding gloves and spark plug out). If it won't turn whip
the head of and hammer it down with a wide as possible bit of wood till it free's.
My dad always was great at running out of oil on his, done this too many times over the years
can't say I ever noticed any ill effects from all of this, these engines are so forgiving of abuse, never worn one out either, amazing
In my past experiences with B&S engines, I have found the parts prohibitively expensive.
The price of a replacement engine is often double the cost of a new mower fitted with the same engine. ( Figure that one out )
Nothing to loose if you can free off the engine, clean up the bores without spending out on a load of parts.
My last 2 B&S powered lawn mowers have been very poor, both lasted less than Two seasons.
Current one will start on 1st / 2nd pull, run for 5 mins & then cut out then will refuse to start until its cold again.
Fuel issue of sorts.
changed carb, fuel primer bulb & fuel tank all to no avail.
It was a good little runner before this, and an expensive mower when it was new (Hayter Harrier 48) so I am loathed to bin it. There is one on eBay
that is a runner but with a knackered auto drive which (if the worst comes to the worst) sounds like donor material but it's 300-odd miles away.
Anyway, sounds like I should give it a go. Have got some diesel up at my unit so I'll bring that home tonight and see if I can get any luck
with it.
My last briggs died a heroic death like the many before it, so after it,s viking funeral i went to Homebase and bought a cheap chineese one,it is
miles better than the briggs,i think briggs are just selling on their name now as quality has deffo gone out the window.
quote:Originally posted by Mr Whippy
easy to fix. fill it up with diesel, let it soak over night, try turning the blade (welding gloves and spark plug out). If it won't turn whip
the head of and hammer it down with a wide as possible bit of wood till it free's.
My dad always was great at running out of oil on his, done this too many times over the years
can't say I ever noticed any ill effects from all of this, these engines are so forgiving of abuse, never worn one out either, amazing
[Edited on 29/3/17 by Mr Whippy]
My Dad's run a garden machinery business for many years and has these with the same problem every spring. As suggested a soak in diesel and/or
a knock to free it up and it should run ok. What's the worst that can happen? You buy a new mower!
If it isn't hydro locked due to oil getting into the upper cylinder via the crankcase breather and the flywheel brake is not stuck on then soak
it in Redex and try gently working it back and forward with spanner. Don't force it might take a couple of weeks of soaking and working
everyday to get it moving.
Briggs engines are ultra reliable if stored properly .
My last one was scrapped because the rest of the mower wore out. at 16 years old. The only thing that really goes wrong with them is dirt in the carb
and sometimes magneto issues otherwise throw them a new plug every year as use 5w/30 synthetic in the sump and if the flywheel magneto air gap is
right they start on the first pull.
Carbs are cheap but sadly magnetos are expensive. A box of spark plugs off ebay cost buttons and is a good investment.
[Edited on 29/3/17 by britishtrident]
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
Thanks everyone. As was suggested, I stood it up and put a big squirt of WD40 (all I had at the time) in the cylinder and left over night. Next day
gave the blade a whack with a rubber mallet and it freed up easy. Checked the oil level, plug back in, and it fired up after a couple of pulls.
It's got a bit of a low-pitched knock that I'm sure wasn't there before but it runs fine. Just cut the lawn with it to prove it!
quote:Originally posted by ChrisW
Thanks everyone. As was suggested, I stood it up and put a big squirt of WD40 (all I had at the time) in the cylinder and left over night. Next day
gave the blade a whack with a rubber mallet and it freed up easy. Checked the oil level, plug back in, and it fired up after a couple of pulls.
It's got a bit of a low-pitched knock that I'm sure wasn't there before but it runs fine. Just cut the lawn with it to prove it!
Thanks for the advice.
Chris
now fit it to a scooter, go-cart or shopping trolley?
quote:Originally posted by ChrisW
Thanks everyone. As was suggested, I stood it up and put a big squirt of WD40 (all I had at the time) in the cylinder and left over night. Next day
gave the blade a whack with a rubber mallet and it freed up easy. Checked the oil level, plug back in, and it fired up after a couple of pulls.
It's got a bit of a low-pitched knock that I'm sure wasn't there before but it runs fine. Just cut the lawn with it to prove it!
Thanks for the advice.
Chris
Does it cut grass?
If it does then don't worry about it and mow when you need to.
Sounds like you got off lightly.. some fool didn't out oil in my lawn tractor and the resulting failure sent shards of conrod through the crank
case... total write off... forunately they haven't changed the design much over the years so a used motor dropped right on
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
quote:Originally posted by ChrisW
It's got a bit of a low-pitched knock that I'm sure wasn't there before but it runs fine. Just cut the lawn with it to prove
it!
So that's not the end of the story unfortunately. Sunday night went to cut the lawn. Got about half way through and there was a crunch and the
engine rattled to a stop. Few pulls suggested no compression.
First I thought a valve had hit the piston but of course it is a side valve so that can't happen.
Pulled the head tonight and it seems the piston isn't attached to the crank any more. I'm guessing it has snapped at the big end but I
didn't bother dismantling it further. I guess that is what the low knock was!
So now I am faced with either a new engine or a new mower. That will teach me to check the oil more regularly!
talking of old mowers i pulled my granddads old sufolk colt 12" cylinder mower out of the asbestos shed that was about to be demolished been in
there over 25 years, drained the sump of water, pulled it to bits, cleaned it, smeared all moving bits in Vaseline gave it fresh oil and fuel and
commenced cutting stripes into his lawn made him proper smile that did, then took it all to bits again painted the lot and gave it back almost as
fresh as the day he bought it. its almost funny watching it occasionally pull him around the garden if he bumps the throttle leaver accidentally,
sorry about the OT