Small Engine Repair

[rluzinski]

6.5 HP, 4 Stroke Briggs & Stratton on a Craftsman Lawnmower.

 

While I was away, the wife was mowing the lawn when it started smoking on her (burning oil). She kept mowing (of course http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif ), until the engine died. Then, she saw that it had little or no oil, WAY over filled it and tried to mow some more. According to her, it was mowing OK but burning lots of oil, with oil running all over the place. When I got back, I took some oil out and ran it. It started right up but was burning a lot of oil, so I shut it down right away.

 

When I took the head off, I found a substantial notch at the perimeter of the piston, with a corresponding shallow scratch on the cylinder wall. When I turned the engine upside down, it was obvious that oil was getting leaking through the rings and the notch on the piston.

 

I assume that the piston was damaged, which caused the oil to start burning. I don't know if the engine then over heated or not but I assume that it did. I don't see anything obviously wrong but I don't really know what to look for.

 

I bought the lawnmower new about a year ago for $180. I could buy a new piston head, rings and gaskets for $56 (including tax and shipping). If I thought there was at least a reasonable chance it would be OK, I'd give it a go. Might I be able to get away with that slight scratch in the cylinder wall or should I hone it a bit? Is there any other obvious damage I should be looking for?

 

Any information would be appreciated.

[Fatter than Joey]

I had the almost exact same thing happen to me a few years back -- I had my neighbor look at it, who is a small engines guy, and he advised me to just get a new mower.

[BraunsBoyfriend]

You'd have to re-bore the cylinder if it has a notch in it. And getting a new pistons, head gasket, etc....sounds like more trouble than it's worth.

 

I'd buy an electric lawn mower. They don't pollute (from the point of operation anyways) nearly as bad as gasoline ones.

[rluzinski]

The piston has the notch, the cylinder has only a small scratch. I assume I could just hone it out if necessary. As for the parts, I was a click away from getting them delivered to my house, so I'm not worried about that, either. I just don't want to waste my time and money fixing something that has a small chance of success. Considering it was $180 news and the parts are almost a third of that, I'm leaning towards giving it up. Just seems like a waste, though.

[BraunROY]

I work on small engines in the summer and when I get something like that come in the shop, I usually let out a few 4-letter words. Haha, unless you got a friend who really knows what he's doing for cheap, you are definitely best off just getting a new mower. Once your engine problems become that internal its a major headache and the likelyhood of the exact same thing happening again once you do fix it is exponentially greater. Sorry to hear that though. Best of luck.

[rluzinski]

Well, if anyone wants to sell their used lawnmower, let me know. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif