Carl Boyd wrote:
If you ran it dry, it is highly likely that there is other damage than a rod.

Good point. Probably the next most vulnerable would be the cam lobes &
lifters. But even when it looks dry, there can still be enough of a
left-over film to go quite a while.

I have had 3 rods break on small gas engines and all 3 times there was
significant galling on the crank shaft rod journal (which I believe is what
broke the rod). It's free to open up the engine and look, but I expect it
is not economical to repair.

....

I replaced a broken rod in a 12 hp B&S engine. It had failed by seizing
on its crank. The crank *looked* galled, but it was aluminum from the
rod that had "welded" to it. (The crank was cast iron & the rod
aluminum without any bearing insert. Likely the OP's situation.) Any
how, the aluminum cleaned off the crank & it was undamaged. Cast iron
being so much harder than aluminum, it's what you'd expect.

OP: first things first - just check it, then we'll talk about fixing it!

Bob