Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Electronics Repair (sci.electronics.repair) Discussion of repairing electronic equipment. Topics include requests for assistance, where to obtain servicing information and parts, techniques for diagnosis and repair, and annecdotes about success, failures and problems. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Follow-up on lawn mower with bad spark-plug threads
Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . The hole was definitely too small for the bigger sparkplugs, so I decided to go with the helicoil. The motorcycle shop was willing to do it for 6 dollars for the helicoil and iirc 30 dollars installation. Also, on E-bay, I found a lower cost brand, Recoil Fix-a-thred (no a), and the vendor said it was better because the insertion tool was metal instead of plastic. And he said that the coils themselves were the same as the other brand used. Helicoil brand? I think his buy-it-now price was about 40 dollars and I was willing to spend the extra to have the tool. (not sure about the price. I don't see them for sale now, and ebay purged my Watch list of the old items (probably because they purge completed auctions after 30 or 60 days or something.) (although now I see a Helicoil brand kit for 12MM with less than 4 hours to go (15:16PST on Saturday) whose current bid is 20.50 dollars plus 8 dollars shipping. This week there seems to be a lot of helicoil stuff, but not that one guy. Last time a lot of that one guy, but little else. ) But I also took the head off the engine to clean inside and I noticed -- well I didn't notice enough and I'm very confused now -- that even though the spark plug fell out if placed in halfway and turned it, if I pushed it in all the way, there seemed to be good threads in the head at the very bottom (of the head, not the plug). I feel like a fool, and that I wasted your time. I apologize. Although I am glad to learn what I did about helicoils, and maybe telling you about the off-brand and ebay is enough to make up for wasting your time. Maybe sometime next summer I'll have to take the plug out for some reason, and I'll figure out why it was so hard for me to screw in. I've never had a problem before putting in a sparkplug and maybe I'm not such a fool, somehow. Meirman -- If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
In sci.electronics.repair on Sat, 22 Jan 2005 15:03:43 -0500 meirman
posted: Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . This was meant for another group, alt.home.repair. But I'm going to think that most guys who fix electronics also fix their lawn mowers when they need it. The hole was definitely too small for the bigger sparkplugs, so I decided to go with the helicoil. The motorcycle shop was willing to do it for 6 dollars for the helicoil and iirc 30 dollars installation. Also, on E-bay, I found a lower cost brand, Recoil Fix-a-thred (no a), and the vendor said it was better because the insertion tool was metal instead of plastic. And he said that the coils themselves were the same as the other brand used. Helicoil brand? I think his buy-it-now price was about 40 dollars and I was willing to spend the extra to have the tool. (not sure about the price. I don't see them for sale now, and ebay purged my Watch list of the old items (probably because they purge completed auctions after 30 or 60 days or something.) (although now I see a Helicoil brand kit for 12MM with less than 4 hours to go (15:16PST on Saturday) whose current bid is 20.50 dollars plus 8 dollars shipping. This week there seems to be a lot of helicoil stuff, but not that one guy. Last time a lot of that one guy, but little else. ) But I also took the head off the engine to clean inside and I noticed -- well I didn't notice enough and I'm very confused now -- that even though the spark plug fell out if placed in halfway and turned it, if I pushed it in all the way, there seemed to be good threads in the head at the very bottom (of the head, not the plug). I feel like a fool, and that I wasted your time. I apologize. Although I am glad to learn what I did about helicoils, and maybe telling you about the off-brand and ebay is enough to make up for wasting your time. Maybe sometime next summer I'll have to take the plug out for some reason, and I'll figure out why it was so hard for me to screw in. I've never had a problem before putting in a sparkplug and maybe I'm not such a fool, somehow. Meirman Meirman -- If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
meirman writes:
Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . The hole was definitely too small for the bigger sparkplugs, so I decided to go with the helicoil. The motorcycle shop was willing to do it for 6 dollars for the helicoil and iirc 30 dollars installation. Also, on E-bay, I found a lower cost brand, Recoil Fix-a-thred (no a), and the vendor said it was better because the insertion tool was metal instead of plastic. And he said that the coils themselves were the same as the other brand used. Helicoil brand? I think his buy-it-now price was about 40 dollars and I was willing to spend the extra to have the tool. (not sure about the price. I don't see them for sale now, and ebay purged my Watch list of the old items (probably because they purge completed auctions after 30 or 60 days or something.) (although now I see a Helicoil brand kit for 12MM with less than 4 hours to go (15:16PST on Saturday) whose current bid is 20.50 dollars plus 8 dollars shipping. This week there seems to be a lot of helicoil stuff, but not that one guy. Last time a lot of that one guy, but little else. ) But I also took the head off the engine to clean inside and I noticed -- well I didn't notice enough and I'm very confused now -- that even though the spark plug fell out if placed in halfway and turned it, if I pushed it in all the way, there seemed to be good threads in the head at the very bottom (of the head, not the plug). I feel like a fool, and that I wasted your time. I apologize. Although I am glad to learn what I did about helicoils, and maybe telling you about the off-brand and ebay is enough to make up for wasting your time. A fool for what? If some of the threads were damaged, a repair was still needed. It wouldn't be very cool for the spark plug to pop out (probably rather violently) half way through the lawn. --- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/ Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/ +Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/lasersam.htm | Mirror Sites: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/F_mirror.html Note: These links are hopefully temporary until we can sort out the excessive traffic on Repairfaq.org. Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
"meirman" wrote in message ... Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . The hole was definitely too small for the bigger sparkplugs, so I decided to go with the helicoil. If the threads are damaged, helicoil it. Don't rely on just some of the threads. I'd have paid the shop - seems like a fair price for one plug. N |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
NSM wrote: "meirman" wrote in message ... Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . The hole was definitely too small for the bigger sparkplugs, so I decided to go with the helicoil. If the threads are damaged, helicoil it. Don't rely on just some of the threads. I'd have paid the shop - seems like a fair price for one plug. N If its one of the garden variety BS with valves in the block, there is another solution. Every town has its shade tree mower shop. Yea, that's that one with mower parts stacked up all over the yard. Take the head off for comparison and get a used one off a donor. Then buy a new head gasket. I got a crank that way for a 3.5 BS. Bet you can get a used one for less than the repair kit if you hunt deep enough. Bob ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
"meirman" wrote in message ... In sci.electronics.repair on Sat, 22 Jan 2005 15:03:43 -0500 meirman posted: Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . This was meant for another group, alt.home.repair. But I'm going to think that most guys who fix electronics also fix their lawn mowers when they need it. Yep, I started out fixing things with lawnmowers, remarkably simple and robust machines. In your case I would have replaced the cylinder head though, usually a mower shop will have a whole pile of scrapped stuff and would be happy to sell you a good used part. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
In sci.electronics.repair on Sat, 22 Jan 2005 21:16:46 GMT "James
Sweet" posted: "meirman" wrote in message .. . In sci.electronics.repair on Sat, 22 Jan 2005 15:03:43 -0500 meirman posted: Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . This was meant for another group, alt.home.repair. But I'm going to think that most guys who fix electronics also fix their lawn mowers when they need it. Yep, I started out fixing things with lawnmowers, remarkably simple and robust machines. In your case I would have replaced the cylinder head though, usually a mower shop will have a whole pile of scrapped stuff and would be happy to sell you a good used part. Thanks for the suggestion. This was a 6 or 6.5 HP Craftsman engine, and I don't think they've been making that for more than a few years (so they're still new), or selling that many. I don't think I could find one in the time I had available. (winter was coming.) Meirman -- If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
In sci.electronics.repair on 22 Jan 2005 15:44:34 -0500 Sam Goldwasser
posted: meirman writes: Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . The hole was definitely too small for the bigger sparkplugs, so I decided to go with the helicoil. The motorcycle shop was willing to do it for 6 dollars for the helicoil and iirc 30 dollars installation. Also, on E-bay, I found a lower cost brand, Recoil Fix-a-thred (no a), and the vendor said it was better because the insertion tool was metal instead of plastic. And he said that the coils themselves were the same as the other brand used. Helicoil brand? I think his buy-it-now price was about 40 dollars and I was willing to spend the extra to have the tool. (not sure about the price. I don't see them for sale now, and ebay purged my Watch list of the old items (probably because they purge completed auctions after 30 or 60 days or something.) (although now I see a Helicoil brand kit for 12MM with less than 4 hours to go (15:16PST on Saturday) whose current bid is 20.50 dollars plus 8 dollars shipping. This week there seems to be a lot of helicoil stuff, but not that one guy. Last time a lot of that one guy, but little else. ) But I also took the head off the engine to clean inside and I noticed -- well I didn't notice enough and I'm very confused now -- that even though the spark plug fell out if placed in halfway and turned it, if I pushed it in all the way, there seemed to be good threads in the head at the very bottom (of the head, not the plug). I feel like a fool, and that I wasted your time. I apologize. Although I am glad to learn what I did about helicoils, and maybe telling you about the off-brand and ebay is enough to make up for wasting your time. A fool for what? If some of the threads were damaged, a repair was still needed. It wouldn't be very cool for the spark plug to pop out (probably rather violently) half way through the lawn. --- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/ Thank you for denying I'm a fool. But I know myself, and if it ran for 3 minutes, I'll try to run it for 20 next summer. (That's how long it takes to mow my lawn. And 20 for weedwacking.) So knowing how I am, I was either a fool for bothering you, or a fool for not trying harder to screw in the plug. I actually just screwed it in almost finger-tight the first time I started it, and it made one "blam" and stopped. The spark plug shot out about 6 inches, restrained I guess by the spark plug wire. Once the engine is really revving it will probably go farther, regardless of the wire, but the plug is on the far side of the mower, so I'm safe. And in practice, there is almost always no one around when I mow the lawn. Even when there is, they've always been on the other side of the picket fence and at least 10 or 20 feet away. Still, I don't want to risk anyone's knees, and I might want to walk in front of it when it's running, so I'll see how things go in the spring. I have a mower, but I saw this at an auto junk yard (one that seems to have more non-autos than any others I've been to), and he only wanted 10 dollars. But I don't want to invest too much until I see how I like it, compared to the other one. Thanks a lot. Meirman -- If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
In sci.electronics.repair on Sat, 22 Jan 2005 15:02:04 -0600 BOB URZ
posted: NSM wrote: "meirman" wrote in message ... Follow-up on the engine with bad spark-plug threads that you were good enough to advice me on a couple months ago . The hole was definitely too small for the bigger sparkplugs, so I decided to go with the helicoil. If the threads are damaged, helicoil it. Don't rely on just some of the threads. I'd have paid the shop - seems like a fair price for one plug. Well, I may do that yet, in the spring. Thanks. N If its one of the garden variety BS with valves in the block, there is another solution. Every town has its shade tree mower shop. Yea, that's that one with mower parts stacked up all over the yard. Take the head off for comparison and get a used one off a donor. Then buy a Thanks for the suggestions. I just don't know where to find a donor. I know about 5 repair shops, but the one nearest me is expensive (at least for used mowers) and, like I say, it's not a common engine, afaik. Not BS and and not small. new head gasket. I got a crank that way for a 3.5 BS. Bet you can get a used one for less than the repair kit if you hunt deep enough. Bob ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- Meirman -- If emailing, please let me know whether or not you are posting the same letter. Change domain to erols.com, if necessary. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Yep, I started out fixing things with lawnmowers, remarkably simple and robust machines. In your case I would have replaced the cylinder head though, usually a mower shop will have a whole pile of scrapped stuff and would be happy to sell you a good used part. Thanks for the suggestion. This was a 6 or 6.5 HP Craftsman engine, and I don't think they've been making that for more than a few years (so they're still new), or selling that many. I don't think I could find one in the time I had available. (winter was coming.) Craftsman doesn't make engines, it's probably made by Tecumseh, which while not as cross-compatible as Briggs & Stratton, it should still be easy to find a head that will fit. |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:36:59 GMT, "James Sweet"
wrote: Yep, I started out fixing things with lawnmowers, remarkably simple and robust machines. In your case I would have replaced the cylinder head though, usually a mower shop will have a whole pile of scrapped stuff and would be happy to sell you a good used part. Thanks for the suggestion. This was a 6 or 6.5 HP Craftsman engine, and I don't think they've been making that for more than a few years (so they're still new), or selling that many. I don't think I could find one in the time I had available. (winter was coming.) Craftsman doesn't make engines, it's probably made by Tecumseh, which while not as cross-compatible as Briggs & Stratton, it should still be easy to find a head that will fit. The OP could try getting a helicoil to fix his original head. They can be gotten at NAPA or any good auto parts store. If his craftsman mower does have the tecumseh engine it should take a standard J19 plug, a fairly standard diameter and thread pitch. If you go the head replacement route it gonna cost you, unless you can find a junk engine that'll match. You will most likely have to buy a new head gasket as well as most late models use a cheap foil laminated paper gasket that's sure to come apart when you pull the old head.(earlier models had a heavy metal head gasket that lasted forever.) If on the other hand it's a B&S get ready to shell out for new parts as every engine they make is very parts specific and pricey. |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
forever.) If on the other hand it's a B&S get ready to shell out for new parts as every engine they make is very parts specific and pricey. Huh? I've been repairing B&S engines off and on for around 15 years now and have never run into this problem, I've used parts made in the early 70's on engines made in the late 80's and vice-versa, never had any problem at all finding good used or reasonably priced new parts for them, though I haven't worked on any that were newer than early 90's, they generally don't need more than basic tuneup parts. |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 03:20:03 GMT, "James Sweet"
wrote: forever.) If on the other hand it's a B&S get ready to shell out for new parts as every engine they make is very parts specific and pricey. Huh? I've been repairing B&S engines off and on for around 15 years now and have never run into this problem, I've used parts made in the early 70's on engines made in the late 80's and vice-versa, never had any problem at all finding good used or reasonably priced new parts for them, though I haven't worked on any that were newer than early 90's, they generally don't need more than basic tuneup parts. If you're referring to their earlier model sprint engine or smaller 3.5/4hp they're not too bad as long as you don't run them to hard. Anything past about 87 is pure crap. Especially their Quantum or larger OHV junk. Aluminum used in high stress parts such as valves and piston arms etc... B&S is also good about changing tolerances in mid production to ensure aftermarket parts jobbers suffer, not to mention how it can make the home repair owner's life hell. I could go on and on... I have a huge pile of B&S motors behind my shop(I do small engine repair). Most suffered catastrophic engine failure do to cheap material and shoddy craftsmanship, some right out of the box. As for interchangability.... IF you can get a part to cross you're lucky. I've had experiences where internal parts from one model wouldn't fit an exact model of the following year or series.(Mostly piston arms/ crankshaft tolerances.) B&S likes to vary the coil sizes as well. Techumseh's generally use one size coil. B&S likes to use a plethora of different length and style of control cables as well, both throttle and safety/cutoff cables.(AND charge and arm and a leg for them.) B&S also uses the worst carbuerators I've ever seen as well as the most ill concieved govenor system ever applied to small engines.(plastic carbs on their small engines that once they wear out that's it, just toss and replace. Even the more expensive engines use crappy Walbro carbs.) After just hours of use most B&S engines suffer uneven engine idle as the govenor system can't adjust for engine runout. I have some Techumseh engines that have been going for years and hundreds of hours.( Steel alloy pistons and cast irons sleeves) You're lucky to get the rated hours out of a B&S.(FYI the small 3.5/4 hp mower engines that Briggs makes are generally rated at 30-40 hrs of use. I have managed to get as much as 100 out of some of the older models but only after tweaking the govenors down and keeping fresh oil iin them at all times.) As for Briggs not needing service... I do a steady business on small engine repair and most of the dead lawn equipment that come into my shop have B&S motors.(Burned coils in the first year, engine explosions due to poor craftsmanship/tolerances etc...) I mostly swap them for a tecumseh engine and have happy customers thereafter. It could be said that at one time Briggs did make a quality engine, however that's simpl not true anymore.(I DO have some vintage Briggs from the early 60's and as late as the late 70's that are very fine engines and put Brigg's later offerings to shame both in reliability and power.) |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
If you're referring to their earlier model sprint engine or smaller 3.5/4hp they're not too bad as long as you don't run them to hard. Anything past about 87 is pure crap. Especially their Quantum or larger OHV junk. Aluminum used in high stress parts such as valves and piston arms etc... B&S is also good about changing tolerances in mid production to ensure aftermarket parts jobbers suffer, not to mention how it can make the home repair owner's life hell. I could go on and on... I have a huge pile of B&S motors behind my shop(I do small engine repair). Most suffered catastrophic engine failure do to cheap material and shoddy craftsmanship, some right out of the box. As for interchangability.... IF you can get a part to cross you're lucky. I've had experiences where internal parts from one model wouldn't fit an exact model of the following year or series.(Mostly piston arms/ crankshaft tolerances.) B&S likes to vary the coil sizes as well. Techumseh's generally use one size coil. B&S likes to use a plethora of different length and style of control cables as well, both throttle and safety/cutoff cables.(AND charge and arm and a leg for them.) B&S also uses the worst carbuerators I've ever seen as well as the most ill concieved govenor system ever applied to small engines.(plastic carbs on their small engines that once they wear out that's it, just toss and replace. Even the more expensive engines use crappy Walbro carbs.) After just hours of use most B&S engines suffer uneven engine idle as the govenor system can't adjust for engine runout. I have some Techumseh engines that have been going for years and hundreds of hours.( Steel alloy pistons and cast irons sleeves) You're lucky to get the rated hours out of a B&S.(FYI the small 3.5/4 hp mower engines that Briggs makes are generally rated at 30-40 hrs of use. I have managed to get as much as 100 out of some of the older models but only after tweaking the govenors down and keeping fresh oil iin them at all times.) As for Briggs not needing service... I do a steady business on small engine repair and most of the dead lawn equipment that come into my shop have B&S motors.(Burned coils in the first year, engine explosions due to poor craftsmanship/tolerances etc...) I mostly swap them for a tecumseh engine and have happy customers thereafter. It could be said that at one time Briggs did make a quality engine, however that's simpl not true anymore.(I DO have some vintage Briggs from the early 60's and as late as the late 70's that are very fine engines and put Brigg's later offerings to shame both in reliability and power.) Dang have they really gone that far downhill? I've had nothing but excellent performance out of B&S engines, I particularly like the 80's-early 90's I/C flatheads with the cast iron bore, maybe I've just been lucky but I've just never had anything major go wrong with any of them and the carburetors have been some of the easiest and most dependable I've ever dealt with. I've had too limited experience with the OHV stuff, encountered them a few times on pressure washers I've borrowed (and they worked well but were also fairly new) but I've never had to work on them. I've had exactly the opposite experience with Tecumseh, though I was never surprised because last I checked (about 10 years ago) they were always about $100 cheaper than a comparable size B&S. I've had several of them throw rods, ignition go wonky, carburetors that wouldn't stay in tune and would clog up every time they sat a few months, hard starting, rough idle, and it always seemed like they were unnessesarily hard to take apart for simple stuff (head bolts holding the cowling on?!). They were the one brand I swore off ever buying. Guess I better hoard the few old (mostly late 70's-early 80's) B&S engines I have. |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 04:13:41 GMT, "James Sweet"
wrote: If you're referring to their earlier model sprint engine or smaller 3.5/4hp they're not too bad as long as you don't run them to hard. Anything past about 87 is pure crap. Especially their Quantum or larger OHV junk. Aluminum used in high stress parts such as valves and piston arms etc... B&S is also good about changing tolerances in mid production to ensure aftermarket parts jobbers suffer, not to mention how it can make the home repair owner's life hell. I could go on and on... I have a huge pile of B&S motors behind my shop(I do small engine repair). Most suffered catastrophic engine failure do to cheap material and shoddy craftsmanship, some right out of the box. As for interchangability.... IF you can get a part to cross you're lucky. I've had experiences where internal parts from one model wouldn't fit an exact model of the following year or series.(Mostly piston arms/ crankshaft tolerances.) B&S likes to vary the coil sizes as well. Techumseh's generally use one size coil. B&S likes to use a plethora of different length and style of control cables as well, both throttle and safety/cutoff cables.(AND charge and arm and a leg for them.) B&S also uses the worst carbuerators I've ever seen as well as the most ill concieved govenor system ever applied to small engines.(plastic carbs on their small engines that once they wear out that's it, just toss and replace. Even the more expensive engines use crappy Walbro carbs.) After just hours of use most B&S engines suffer uneven engine idle as the govenor system can't adjust for engine runout. I have some Techumseh engines that have been going for years and hundreds of hours.( Steel alloy pistons and cast irons sleeves) You're lucky to get the rated hours out of a B&S.(FYI the small 3.5/4 hp mower engines that Briggs makes are generally rated at 30-40 hrs of use. I have managed to get as much as 100 out of some of the older models but only after tweaking the govenors down and keeping fresh oil iin them at all times.) As for Briggs not needing service... I do a steady business on small engine repair and most of the dead lawn equipment that come into my shop have B&S motors.(Burned coils in the first year, engine explosions due to poor craftsmanship/tolerances etc...) I mostly swap them for a tecumseh engine and have happy customers thereafter. It could be said that at one time Briggs did make a quality engine, however that's simpl not true anymore.(I DO have some vintage Briggs from the early 60's and as late as the late 70's that are very fine engines and put Brigg's later offerings to shame both in reliability and power.) Dang have they really gone that far downhill? I've had nothing but excellent performance out of B&S engines, I particularly like the 80's-early 90's I/C flatheads with the cast iron bore, maybe I've just been lucky but I've just never had anything major go wrong with any of them and the carburetors have been some of the easiest and most dependable I've ever dealt with. I've had too limited experience with the OHV stuff, encountered them a few times on pressure washers I've borrowed (and they worked well but were also fairly new) but I've never had to work on them. Actually, the only way to get a B&S that's built for durability is to pay through the nose, usually somewhere in the range of 500 bucks or more, whereas Techumseh are all built rugged. Briggs is so bad about making so many different versions of the same model engine that most all that are in the lawn care business and have any savy run from them. If you take apart those 80's/90's models of Briggs you mentioned you'll find alot of copycat design in them. Take the starter recoil mechanics and shroud for instance. A direct copy of Tecumseh's far superior starter recoils, except they're built with far too much plastic to hold up for long.(what's especially bad is the use of PLASTIC pawls instead of steel. You'll only see the steel pawls in the top end commercial Briggs motors, whereas ALL Tecumseh starter assemblies use stainless steel pawls.) Briggs is especially bad about using very cheap steel in the recoil springs, which results in some pretty bad jams once the starters have seen a bit of wear. Once the spring folds up and jams the whole assembly it usually takes everything else as well as the pawls will stick in the extended position. You can't be serious about Walbro making a good carb, considered the worst in the business.( That from my 30 some odd years working int he bussiness.) Briggs is also famous for having some of the worst electronics in the ignition system. Coils that can fry out after just a few hours.(I NEVER replace them with oem on any of my customers machines. I've had better luck with Stens aftermarket than original Briggs.) B&S, as I'd mentioned is bad about varying the size and values on their coils as well. It can be a real guessing game as to what size coil any particular model of a Briggs might take.(IMO this is completely uneccessary, they could easily make one size and value coil for all their single cylinder engines instead of the dozen or so they do.) Even the OHV's they make for use on pressure washers are shabby. I have the service contract for a local rental companies fleet of pressure washers. Virtually all the one's with Briggs engines have had catastrophic engine failures(exploding engines usually from thrown rods and spun cranks.) We wound up replacing them with either Honda or Toyo engines, which sadly enough cost LESS than the cruder, simpler designed and built B&S engines. I've had exactly the opposite experience with Tecumseh, though I was never surprised because last I checked (about 10 years ago) they were always about $100 cheaper than a comparable size B&S. I've had several of them throw rods, ignition go wonky, carburetors that wouldn't stay in tune and would clog up every time they sat a few months, hard starting, rough idle, and it always seemed like they were unnessesarily hard to take apart for simple stuff (head bolts holding the cowling on?!). They were the one brand I swore off ever buying. In all my years I've never even heard of a Tecumseh engine having any internal failure, remarkable considering that you'll find them in alot of off road recreation equipment that get run very hard, even to the point of abuse. As for their ignition... All that could go wrong is the coil, and Tecumseh has the best track record for endurance in that regards.(I've even taken coils off engines that had been sitting in the parts bin for years and had them run on much later models with no problems.) Any carb can clog up if you let it sit long enough. the walbro's are worse for that in my opinion. As for rough idle, you can't be serious? The only way to get any kind of faulty idle on a Tecumseh carb is if you try and run them with a rotted primer bulb or dirty gas.(Tecumseh uses a counterbalanced govenor system that literally makes for a rock steady idle, unlike Briggs which are famous for up and down idle states.) That said, ask yourself how many hours on a given day you actually run your briggs engine. If you just cut your own yard at most an hour? And what one a week tops? Remember when I told you about the actual ratings that Briggs gives for expected engine life for their engines? On consumer models at best 50 hours.(pathetic really) And yes IF you really take care of them you can get more, most owners don't though which is where I get SO much business.( most scoff at the thought of changing the oil at least every two use cycles which is paramount for keeping an engine clean.) I have customers in the lawn care business that on a usual day will run their Tecumseh engines for as long as 7-8 hours, some even more. On average they'll get as much as 5 seasons out of them, your'e lucky to get one out of a B&S at that level of work load. Many of my customers use commercial duty Snappers which almost always come with Briggs engines and which crap out the first year. I replace them with a comparable Tecumseh and will seldom see them come back for service for as much as three years, then it's usually a tune up and replacement of the primer bulb. I have several old Craftsman mowers that i keep around for loaners on warranty work, all run Tecumseh and the oldest one is from the early 80's and still going strong. Guess I better hoard the few old (mostly late 70's-early 80's) B&S engines I have. Yeah, as anything later will dissapoint you. As I said I have a huge pile of junk Briggs behind the shop.(once or twice a year it means a trip to the scrap yard just to get rid of them.) |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
You can't be serious about Walbro making a good carb, considered the worst in the business.( That from my 30 some odd years working int he bussiness.) I don't know if they were made by Walbro or someone else, the ones I'm referring to are the aluminum Pulse-Jet carbs, only one needle valve to adjust, I've just never come across one that was much trouble. Briggs is also famous for having some of the worst electronics in the ignition system. Coils that can fry out after just a few hours.(I NEVER replace them with oem on any of my customers machines. I've had better luck with Stens aftermarket than original Briggs.) B&S, as I'd mentioned is bad about varying the size and values on their coils as well. It can be a real guessing game as to what size coil any particular model of a Briggs might take.(IMO this is completely uneccessary, they could easily make one size and value coil for all their single cylinder engines instead of the dozen or so they do.) I guess things must have changed, I've never run into that problem, I particularly like the Magnetron electronic ignition, have that on a couple motors (one of which replaced a Tecumseh that threw a rod on a tiller) and it runs MUCH better than the old motor ever did, granted the old one was from the 70s. Even the OHV's they make for use on pressure washers are shabby. I have the service contract for a local rental companies fleet of pressure washers. Virtually all the one's with Briggs engines have had catastrophic engine failures(exploding engines usually from thrown rods and spun cranks.) We wound up replacing them with either Honda or Toyo engines, which sadly enough cost LESS than the cruder, simpler designed and built B&S engines. Honda also makes a very good engine, though I've found them a little tougher to work on, but again very good. In all my years I've never even heard of a Tecumseh engine having any internal failure, remarkable considering that you'll find them in alot of off road recreation equipment that get run very hard, even to the point of abuse. I had the one with the thrown rod around for a while because I fixed it by epoxing up the hole in the crankcase and replacing the rod, but it never did idle very well, the carb would clog and finally the ignition coil failed so I junked it. As for rough idle, you can't be serious? Yes I'm serious, I'm beginning to think we might live on different planets though, or perhaps the climate difference accounts for this? of faulty idle on a Tecumseh carb is if you try and run them with a rotted primer bulb or dirty gas.(Tecumseh uses a counterbalanced govenor system that literally makes for a rock steady idle, unlike Briggs which are famous for up and down idle states.) Primer bulb always seemed silly to me, I've had a couple of them rot out, as far as I know they're the only common 4 stroke that needs one. That said, ask yourself how many hours on a given day you actually run your briggs engine. If you just cut your own yard at most an hour? And what one a week tops? Remember when I told you about the actual ratings that Briggs gives for expected engine life for their engines? On consumer models at best 50 hours.(pathetic really) 50 hours is pretty bad, I know my mower must have many times more though, it's at least 20 years old and has had a lot of use, engine still runs strong though. I change the oil every year though, I doubt most people do that. Sounds like perhaps things have changed though, so much has, noticed the Fluke meter we have at work felt a little lighter than my own and the switch is a little sloppy and not as solid feeling, flipped it over and it's made in China! Usually that wouldn't surprise me but this is a *Fluke*! If I wanted a Chinese multimeter I'd go buy one at Fry's for $25. Fluke is top of the line and can command the much higher price due to a reputation of top quality and being US-made. |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
"none" wrote in message ... Experience w/ Techumseh and B&S so noted, but cut for brevity... That said, ask yourself how many hours on a given day you actually run your briggs engine. If you just cut your own yard at most an hour? And what one a week tops? Remember when I told you about the actual ratings that Briggs gives for expected engine life for their engines? On consumer models at best 50 hours.(pathetic really) I am surprised by the B&S 50 hour life rating. Can you cite a reference for this number? And yes IF you really take care of them you can get more, most owners don't though which is where I get SO much business.( most scoff at the thought of changing the oil at least every two use cycles which is paramount for keeping an engine clean.) Can you please clarify what is meant by "use cycle" above. IIRC, my Honda lawnmower engine user manual stated that under normal homeowner use (every 4 days for 1 hour for me from Spring through Fall) the engine oil was to be changed after the 1st hour of use and then after every 25 hours. I'm just not sure what a "use cycle" means in terms of cumulative hours of operation. Thanks in advance for the response. |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 09:39:11 -0600, "Bob Shuman"
wrote: "none" wrote in message .. . Experience w/ Techumseh and B&S so noted, but cut for brevity... That said, ask yourself how many hours on a given day you actually run your briggs engine. If you just cut your own yard at most an hour? And what one a week tops? Remember when I told you about the actual ratings that Briggs gives for expected engine life for their engines? On consumer models at best 50 hours.(pathetic really) I am surprised by the B&S 50 hour life rating. Can you cite a reference for this number? Just check any of the specs in the parts manuals on replacement engines. They'll give a max hour rating for warranty purposes, something the salesman at the parts counter doesn't want you to see. After all 200-500 bucks for a engine that if run for 1-2 days non-stop is past it's warranty. If you stop and think about the time it actually takes you to cut the average size yard with a walk behind mower it's what an hour at the most? And the average homeowner cut their yard around 6-7 times during the average summer. This would give you about 3-4 years on the engine warranty. Heck most homeowners toss their mowers off after one summer's use.( They'll push it under the edge of the house or worse yet just park it in the corner of the back yard leaving it exposed to the elements. Worse yet they leave gas in it over the winter, then expect it to start first pull in the spring. Bad gas, soupy, burnt oil and a dirty plug anf they're suprised when it doesn't start.) I can drive around in early spring and pick up mowers off the street where homeowners put them out with the trash, simply because the failed to take proper care of them over the winter months and are either too stupid or lazy to do the required service to get them going again.( Not to mention too damn cheap to pay a service shop even as little as 20 bucks for a tune up.) Yet they'll toss it out and go and plop down another 190-300 bucks on a new one, which of course will be tossed out in a years time as well. Lawn care professionals know about the very limited time warranty on engines today and choose the brand and models that'll give them the best value. Once upon a time virtually all the pro grade snappers came with a commercial Briggs engine. Not true anymore. just go by your local commercial lawnmower supply shop and you'll see the top of the line Snappers usually have Tecumseh. They only offer B&S on some to sell to those who are loyal Briggs fans.( I started out many moons ago as a B&S fan when I started cutting yards in my youth, and stayed loyal untill just the past decade or so. After enough years being trained in engine repair and even more working on them brand loyalty WILL take a back seat to plain facts. There was atime when like many I saw Tecumseh's as being cheap in construction. The roles have been reversed though, just look at all the Craftsman brand mowers that'r still going strong after years of use.) And yes IF you really take care of them you can get more, most owners don't though which is where I get SO much business.( most scoff at the thought of changing the oil at least every two use cycles which is paramount for keeping an engine clean.) Can you please clarify what is meant by "use cycle" above. IIRC, my Honda lawnmower engine user manual stated that under normal homeowner use (every 4 days for 1 hour for me from Spring through Fall) the engine oil was to be changed after the 1st hour of use and then after every 25 hours. I'm just not sure what a "use cycle" means in terms of cumulative hours of operation. A use cycle is one cutting.(Time of engine operation is just one factor to consider in wear. The real damage to the oil occurs AFTER you turn the engine off. All the trapped gas vapors condense down into the oil pan and break the oil down, which is why it better to change the oil before each use, not after.) I change the oil in my home mower before each use, or every two cuttings at the most. On US made single cylinder simple air cooled engines the oil is the lifeblood and dirty oil will greatly shorten engine life. However on a Honda you can get much longer use on an oil change, they're built that much better.( Honda/Toyo machine and polish the internal facings to a much higher degree and use a more porous steel, which holds oil on the cylinder walls to a greater degree than their American counterparts.) I've had several SX series Honda mower and find them to be far superior to domestic offerings. That's why they genrally cost much more than the run of the mill, they'll give you a lifetime of dependable use with the proper care.(I've always let my neighbors talk me out of them. They know of my rep as a honest repairman and come to me for good lawn equipment at a fair price.) I've always been a big fan of Honda, Virtually all my higway bikes in the past 40 some-odd years have been Honda with a couple of BMWs for good measure.(I had one Goldwing that I put nearly 300 thousand miles on before retiring it.) Thanks in advance for the response. |
#19
|
|||
|
|||
I change the oil in my home mower before each use, or every two cuttings at the most. On US made single cylinder simple air cooled engines the oil is the lifeblood and dirty oil will greatly shorten engine life. Now that's a little ridiculous, change the oil after every use? That's like those people who change the oil in their car every 1000 miles. I've dealt with enough 25-30 year old air cooled engines that were still in good mechanical condition after obviously many hundreds of hours of use, generally they had the oil changed occasionally but certainly not after every use. Once a season is perfectly adaquate unless you're running 8 hours a day, I change mine every year when I put it away for the winter. I just checked in an old (1970's I guess) B&S service manual I have and they specify oil changes ever 25 hours of operation so I probably end up changing mine a little more often than that, but as you say oil does get combustion byproducts in it, same reason a car driven all the time on the highway can go a lot more miles between changes than one driven around town. As for the lifetime ratings, the number of hours the warranty guarantees an engine will last, and the number of hours it's expected to or actually will last are two drastically different things, I would be absolutely shocked if even the cheapest most shoddy lawnmower engine out there wore out sooner than a couple hundred hours even if the oil was never changed (as is often the case). |
#20
|
|||
|
|||
none wrote: snip of faulty idle on a Tecumseh carb is if you try and run them with a rotted primer bulb or dirty gas.(Tecumseh uses a counterbalanced govenor system that literally makes for a rock steady idle, unlike Briggs which are famous for up and down idle states.) Odd. I have exactly the opposite. B&S lawnmower is the worst engine I've ever had, but idles so smooth so slow that I can't imagine why it keeps running. Just does. Tecumseh snow king engine is the best engine I've ever had. Starts at -40 degrees with just a single tug on the starter. Electric start, and even though I'm an old guy, I don't bother plugging it in. But at anything less than full open, it idles up and down so bad it's scary. Goes from what sounds like wide open to almost stalling and back again. Over and over. Looking at the spring on (or near) the carb, it goes from tightly stretched to so sloppy and loose that it looks like it should fall off. Ken |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
I agree with James that changing lawnmower engine oil every two cuttings is
obsessive! Also, I do not know where you live, but can't imagine anywhere that you only cut the lawn 6-7 times a year. I live in Chicago and cut my lawn once a week from the first week of April till about the end of April. From then till Mid-July, it gets cut on a 4 day interval because if I go longer I can't get through the lawn because the mower will die (I use a Honda mulching mower to avoid bagging). It gets cut once a week again till the first week of September when I go back to 4 day intervals till October. I figure I get about 50 hours a year on the mower so I change the oil twice a season. My last Honda lasted 15 years, but eventually threw a rod. I picked up another Honda that someone threw into the garbage. It was about 10 years old and looked terrible. The oil was thick as molasses and it still had 5+ year old gas in the carb and tank. I flushed the tank, removed the carb, cleaned the pickup with a needle and cleaned/regapped the plug. I then had to change the oil three times to get it to look clean. I've now used the old Honda for the last two seasons without any problems. My wife hates when I scrounge something from the garbage, but I just hate to see something that still has life in it tossed into the landfill. Bob "James Sweet" wrote in message news:%c_Kd.444$bH.282@trnddc02... I change the oil in my home mower before each use, or every two cuttings at the most. On US made single cylinder simple air cooled engines the oil is the lifeblood and dirty oil will greatly shorten engine life. Now that's a little ridiculous, change the oil after every use? That's like those people who change the oil in their car every 1000 miles. I've dealt with enough 25-30 year old air cooled engines that were still in good mechanical condition after obviously many hundreds of hours of use, generally they had the oil changed occasionally but certainly not after every use. Once a season is perfectly adaquate unless you're running 8 hours a day, I change mine every year when I put it away for the winter. |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Unfortunately one of you statements is contradictory. Polishing the cylinder
walls to a much higher degree lessens the chance of oil to lubricate as it would be wiped off, not having the minor 'indentations' to adhere to; unless it is a pressure lubricated interface. A porous metal cannot be polished more than a less porous metal just by definition. A bearing surface profilameter test would confirm this, a standard surface finish test would not be appropiate for this situation. On a similar subject, I know of many automotive engines/transmissions that were in service far beyond the 12,000 mile warranty. Manufacturing warranty has no direct correlation to component/subsystem design criteria. It is a marketing decision. At least it was for the automotive/marine manufacturing companies I worked with. |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
|
#24
|
|||
|
|||
On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 06:26:39 GMT, Ken Weitzel
wrote: none wrote: snip of faulty idle on a Tecumseh carb is if you try and run them with a rotted primer bulb or dirty gas.(Tecumseh uses a counterbalanced govenor system that literally makes for a rock steady idle, unlike Briggs which are famous for up and down idle states.) Odd. I have exactly the opposite. B&S lawnmower is the worst engine I've ever had, but idles so smooth so slow that I can't imagine why it keeps running. Just does. Depends on the year of that Briggs. The early B&S were designed for low rpm and high compression, just the opposite of their newer models. Of course they'll put along just fine at low rpms as the compression is probably alot lower with age. They're just not going to have alot of power on heavy load. Tecumseh snow king engine is the best engine I've ever had. Starts at -40 degrees with just a single tug on the starter. Electric start, and even though I'm an old guy, I don't bother plugging it in. But at anything less than full open, it idles up and down so bad it's scary. Goes from what sounds like wide open to almost stalling and back again. Over and over. Looking at the spring on (or near) the carb, it goes from tightly stretched to so sloppy and loose that it looks like it should fall off. If you're getting up and down on that Techumseh it may be because the govenor springs are reversed. This can happen with some installs on power equipment where the maker of whatever it is(mini bike, snow plow, tiller etc...) purchases the engines and does the install themselves. The particular device it's going on can require particular govenor springs or mods on the links.(I've gotten a fair amount of such in where all I had to do was reverse the springs and all was fine.) On the govenor arm on the side of the engine there's two holes for the link and the spring. The link goes into the top hole and them to the carbuerator. There'll also be two holes on the top of the butterfly link, the link goes in the outside hole in most apps. Also make sure the link isn't reversed as this'll cause inconsistent throttle operation. The spring goes into the bottom hole on the govenor arm and then to the control arm on the throttle plate assembly. Or in some of the older models that have fixed throttle to a metal tang on the intake. If you're still having problems please give me some more details and I'll look it up in my parts manuals. Ken |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
On Sun, 30 Jan 2005 05:25:15 GMT, "James Sweet"
wrote: I change the oil in my home mower before each use, or every two cuttings at the most. On US made single cylinder simple air cooled engines the oil is the lifeblood and dirty oil will greatly shorten engine life. Now that's a little ridiculous, change the oil after every use? That's like those people who change the oil in their car every 1000 miles. I've dealt with enough 25-30 year old air cooled engines that were still in good mechanical condition after obviously many hundreds of hours of use, generally they had the oil changed occasionally but certainly not after every use. Once a season is perfectly adaquate unless you're running 8 hours a day, I change mine every year when I put it away for the winter. I just checked in an old (1970's I guess) B&S service manual I have and they specify oil changes ever 25 hours of operation so I probably end up changing mine a little more often than that, but as you say oil does get combustion byproducts in it, same reason a car driven all the time on the highway can go a lot more miles between changes than one driven around town. As for the lifetime ratings, the number of hours the warranty guarantees an engine will last, and the number of hours it's expected to or actually will last are two drastically different things, I would be absolutely shocked if even the cheapest most shoddy lawnmower engine out there wore out sooner than a couple hundred hours even if the oil was never changed (as is often the case). Not ridiculous to change it that often at all. As I did say most of the engines I service go all day long and they get fresh oil at the start of every day. You'r also not considering that this is 30 wt non-detergent which suffers viscoscity breakdown after just a couple of hours. If you look at alot of those Briggs motors you'll noticed they're mounted with the head to the REAR on the mower. This is absolutetly the worst orientation for allowing air flow over the hottest part of the engine. This only speeds up the process of breaking down the oil. Yes in normal situations I'd agree about warranty vs. actual engine life but I've had nothing but bad experiences with Briggs for the past few years. I've seen many burn up right out of the box, after running them for just a few minutes.(AND yes we did put oil in them, every B&S replacement engine come with a small bottle of Their own certified oil.) This is nothing more than shabby workmanship, plain and simple. (All the ones I've gotten have been manufactured in the orient. A real crime considering they tend to cost more than the other brands.) |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
Wrong. snip .. If you really new anything about engine mechanics you'd know about the... snip Go back to metalurgy 101 if you're going to try and discuss... snip Starting to sound a bit like a troll... You'd think he owns a bunch of stock in a certain small engine manufacture... |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
His knowledge of the subject has convinced me that he knows a thing or two
about internal combustion engines used in mowers and such and that current Briggs and Stratton engines are of poor quality. Prior to reading these posts I had assumed B&S were good engines based on my personal experience with them, but then again my current 5KW generator and lawnmowers I used prior to purchasing the Honda were all made in the mid-80's before they moved production to the Far East. That said, I still think that lawn mower oil changes any more frequently than two or possibly three times a year for my use (~50 hours per year) would be overkill. Bob "James Sweet" wrote in message news:sCDLd.1275$eD4.622@trnddc05... Wrong. snip . If you really new anything about engine mechanics you'd know about the... snip Go back to metalurgy 101 if you're going to try and discuss... snip Starting to sound a bit like a troll... You'd think he owns a bunch of stock in a certain small engine manufacture... |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
Sorry if I hit a nerve about the metal comment. I do believe the poster has a
lot of experience with small engines and am not trying to discredit him, I just disagre with his theory and the specific statement. FTR, I did take metalurgy 101, 202 and 303 during my BSME with automotive and fluids minors, which by the way included lubrication properties/theories between dissimilar metal interfaces. I will let it drop. |
#29
|
|||
|
|||
"Bob Shuman" wrote in message ... His knowledge of the subject has convinced me that he knows a thing or two about internal combustion engines used in mowers and such and that current Briggs and Stratton engines are of poor quality. Prior to reading these posts I had assumed B&S were good engines based on my personal experience with them, but then again my current 5KW generator and lawnmowers I used prior to purchasing the Honda were all made in the mid-80's before they moved production to the Far East. Yeah you're probably right, his later post mentioned being manufactured in the orient, I haven't verified that but if it's true then I'm sure he's right, B&S has turned to crap like so many other once great brands. A few others come to mind, Chicago Pneumatic, Delta, and a number of other formerly very good equipment makers are now just a name slapped on cheap imported goods. By the time production is shifted to the far east, the cost cutting has already gone as far as they can reasonably take it and then the quality control goes to heck. So what about the other formerly very good motors? Kohler? Wisconsin? I've seen a lot of those on commercial/industrial equipment in the past. |
#30
|
|||
|
|||
On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 04:55:31 GMT, "James Sweet"
wrote: "Bob Shuman" wrote in message ... His knowledge of the subject has convinced me that he knows a thing or two about internal combustion engines used in mowers and such and that current Briggs and Stratton engines are of poor quality. Prior to reading these posts I had assumed B&S were good engines based on my personal experience with them, but then again my current 5KW generator and lawnmowers I used prior to purchasing the Honda were all made in the mid-80's before they moved production to the Far East. Yeah you're probably right, his later post mentioned being manufactured in the orient, I haven't verified that but if it's true then I'm sure he's right, B&S has turned to crap like so many other once great brands. A few others come to mind, Chicago Pneumatic, Delta, and a number of other formerly very good equipment makers are now just a name slapped on cheap imported goods. By the time production is shifted to the far east, the cost cutting has already gone as far as they can reasonably take it and then the quality control goes to heck. So what about the other formerly very good motors? Kohler? Wisconsin? I've seen a lot of those on commercial/industrial equipment in the past. You'll see the Kohler's/Wisconsin's on heavy duty marine/industrial/ emergency equipment and those that I've serviced are extremely high quality. I have noticed that some of the later Kohler's look alot like Toyo's offerings.( Toyo motor works of Japan puts out a near clone of Honda and seem to be just as good.) Even though they(Kohler) still carries a "made in usa" badge. I've seen both Kohler and Wisconsin used in emergency evac/marine pumps and on older Bearcat scooters and swamp buggies. My apologies to all if I've come off like a troll. |
#31
|
|||
|
|||
So what about the other formerly very good motors? Kohler? Wisconsin? I've seen a lot of those on commercial/industrial equipment in the past. You'll see the Kohler's/Wisconsin's on heavy duty marine/industrial/ emergency equipment and those that I've serviced are extremely high quality. I have noticed that some of the later Kohler's look alot like Toyo's offerings.( Toyo motor works of Japan puts out a near clone of Honda and seem to be just as good.) Even though they(Kohler) still carries a "made in usa" badge. I've seen both Kohler and Wisconsin used in emergency evac/marine pumps and on older Bearcat scooters and swamp buggies. My apologies to all if I've come off like a troll. Ya know, I went to Home Depot the other day and looked at lawnmowers and holy crap, you're right! The B&S motors *do* have cheap flimsy plastic carbs with primer bulbs now! I always had *great* luck with their stuff, I dunno when it changed but it most certainly has. Maybe my B&S stuff is older than I realized. |
#32
|
|||
|
|||
On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 08:46:43 GMT, "James Sweet"
wrote: So what about the other formerly very good motors? Kohler? Wisconsin? I've seen a lot of those on commercial/industrial equipment in the past. You'll see the Kohler's/Wisconsin's on heavy duty marine/industrial/ emergency equipment and those that I've serviced are extremely high quality. I have noticed that some of the later Kohler's look alot like Toyo's offerings.( Toyo motor works of Japan puts out a near clone of Honda and seem to be just as good.) Even though they(Kohler) still carries a "made in usa" badge. I've seen both Kohler and Wisconsin used in emergency evac/marine pumps and on older Bearcat scooters and swamp buggies. My apologies to all if I've come off like a troll. Ya know, I went to Home Depot the other day and looked at lawnmowers and holy crap, you're right! The B&S motors *do* have cheap flimsy plastic carbs with primer bulbs now! I always had *great* luck with their stuff, I dunno when it changed but it most certainly has. Maybe my B&S stuff is older than I realized. They've been using plastic(nylon) for nearly 20 years in their bottom of the line"plain Jane" mowers. About the only good thing about them is that they have almost no moving parts.(no throttle butterfly or mix screw) As long as you don't try and use them in commercial apps they'll last 3-4 years. Then about all you'll need to replace is the primer bulb and the diaphragm. They also have a black plastic carb on some mods of consumer mowers, I've found these to be pretty sorry. |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
18MM sparkplug for lawn mower? | Home Repair | |||
Murray Riding Mower: No Spark | Home Repair | |||
spark plug life | Home Repair | |||
Advantage: Lawn Vac vs. Mower? | Home Repair | |||
4 cycle lawn mower engine question | Home Repair |