Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules

Bother, that looks like a total catastrophic failure.

Closest I've had, was a generator that threw a rod.
But, mine was enought to result in some very
out of character crude language, as I realized my
mistake. Oh, well.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Jules Richardson" wrote in message
...

Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules

Jules Richardson wrote:
Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights
(with a bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside
the crankcase)

Just wrap some duct tape around it, you'll be fine.

Jon

On Wed, 16 May 2012 08:10:01 -0700, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:

Jules Richardson wrote:
Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights
(with a bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside
the crankcase)

Just wrap some duct tape around it, you'll be fine.

Jon


I was thinking it could be used as a boat anchor.

On Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:44 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson
wrote:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

If the rod cap on the crank journal gave way ("things bouncing around
inside") you have crank damage from the rod, so to speak...

On 5/16/2012 8:56 AM, Jules Richardson wrote:

Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules


nice. it's not your daddys briggs anymore.

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

Jules Richardson wrote:
Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules

Be sure to salvage that air cleaner screw and spacer....

On May 16, 6:56*am, Jules Richardson
wrote:
Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

*http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules

I've heard JB Weld can work wonders.

On Wed, 16 May 2012 13:30:36 -0500, Steve Barker
wrote:

On 5/16/2012 8:56 AM, Jules Richardson wrote:

Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules


nice. it's not your daddys briggs anymore.

I noticed that the old Briggs push mowers with 2 to 5 HP engines will
last forever, even if they are not kept up properly, but the larger
Briggs engines are notorious for blowing rods, no matter how well you
care for them. Of course that includes all the lawn tractors because
they all have at least 8hp engines, often up to 20hp.

"Jon Danniken" wrote:
Jules Richardson wrote:
Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights
(with a bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside
the crankcase)

Just wrap some duct tape around it, you'll be fine.

Jon

Duct tape and wd-40 .

Greg

On May 16, 8:56*am, Jules Richardson
wrote:
Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

*http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules

UUuuuuhhhh. Which part of that is collateral damage?

On Wed, 16 May 2012 14:43:49 -0500, Fat-Dumb and Happy wrote:
Be sure to salvage that air cleaner screw and spacer....

Good, isn't it? :-) The original screw sheared, and that was a quick fix
using the only thing I had in the junk box with the right threads; I
figured I'd find a replacement later, which was two years ago now.

On May 16, 7:26*pm, Jules Richardson
wrote:
On Wed, 16 May 2012 14:43:49 -0500, Fat-Dumb and Happy wrote:
* Be sure to salvage that air cleaner screw and spacer....

Good, isn't it? :-) *The original screw sheared, and that was a quick fix
using the only thing I had in the junk box with the right threads; I
figured I'd find a replacement later, which was two years ago now.

If you stuck a rope in the spark plug hole and back out the.....
well, ..... that other hole, it might make a pretty good boat anchor.

RonB

On Wed, 16 May 2012 14:47:26 -0500, wrote:

On Wed, 16 May 2012 13:30:36 -0500, Steve Barker
wrote:

On 5/16/2012 8:56 AM, Jules Richardson wrote:

Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules


nice. it's not your daddys briggs anymore.

I noticed that the old Briggs push mowers with 2 to 5 HP engines will
last forever, even if they are not kept up properly, but the larger
Briggs engines are notorious for blowing rods, no matter how well you
care for them. Of course that includes all the lawn tractors because
they all have at least 8hp engines, often up to 20hp.

Larger (just bought a 24).

Naah, it's got to be gorilla tape.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"gregz" wrote in message
...
http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights
(with a bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside
the crankcase)

Just wrap some duct tape around it, you'll be fine.

Jon

Duct tape and wd-40 .

Greg

On Wed, 16 May 2012 09:44:12 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:44 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson
wrote:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

If the rod cap on the crank journal gave way ("things bouncing around
inside") you have crank damage from the rod, so to speak...
LLOKS like the rod and cap are still intact???

On Wed, 16 May 2012 23:54:14 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 16 May 2012 09:44:12 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:44 +0000 (UTC), Jules Richardson
wrote:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

If the rod cap on the crank journal gave way ("things bouncing around
inside") you have crank damage from the rod, so to speak...
LLOKS like the rod and cap are still intact???

I see one bolt :-\

"Jules Richardson" wrote in message
...

Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

Yeah, they keep running forever, until they stop.

On Wed, 16 May 2012 13:56:44 +0000, Jules Richardson wrote:

Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

I thought I'd follow up on this, having torn it all down. The root
failure seems to be the hole for the oil slinger bracket wearing and
elongating - that meant the oil slinger teeth were no longer meshing with
the drive gear properly. The fragments of the top support and bearing for
the synchro balance weights show signs of major overheat, presumably due
to oil starvation. One that support failed, the lower support couldn't
handle the load by itself and quickly failed too - this left the weights
flapping around, and which point the crank collided with them and threw
them out of the engine...

cheers

Jules

On Wednesday, May 16, 2012 3:56:44 PM UTC+2, Jules Richardson wrote:
Must be something in the air... following the 'mower engine blowout'
thread a few weeks ago, my trusty ol' mid-'80s B&S lawn tractor engine
decided to call it quits yesterday:

http://www.patooie.com/temp/eng.jpg

Upon initial inspection the valvegear and crank seem to have escaped
damage, so I think the failure was limited to the balance weights (with a
bit of collateral damage due to things bouncing around inside the
crankcase)

cheers

Jules

Jules, can you mail me, i have a XD88/20 and some other nice stuff like boot/install tape.