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#1
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine locked up
48" craftsman Riding mower.
I have a 48 ' Craftsman Riding mower. I have had the mower for 4 years with app 450 hrs on the 25 hp Courage engine. The last cut I did with it , I slowed it down to back up and the engine died! Locked up ! It was a hot day and I had about 2 or 3 hrs of running time on it that day. That's usual for my cutting my large lawn. Towed it back to my garage and still locked up. Had about 25 hrs running time on the oil and it was still full. I pulled the engine and dropped the crankcase bottom off and it looks perfect inside but the crank is locked up. The rods still move on their journals and the cylinders look fine for what I can see. I`m guessing the upper main is where the lock up is. I have not yet pulled the heads off and the pistons out. If in fact I can get the crank out , is it possible to recon the the upper main journal and recon the block opening for the crank journal? Hate to junk this engine ,but what caused the failure. Has anyone run into this problem. I did have a Sears tech look at it and he said he has had a few that did lock up , and said the customer used a breaker bar and a socket to try to break the seize up on it and it worked and ran! I tried but no success. Should I look at something else on it. The crank will not budge either way but there is slack in the rods so I`m pretty convinced the crank is seized. All info much appreciated. Russ -- |
#2
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine locked up
On Tue, 01 Mar 2016 22:44:01 +0000, Russ in the Ozarks
wrote: I have a 48 ' Craftsman Riding mower That's yuuuuge. Wonder is a piston ring broke and wedged in the cylinder wall? |
#3
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine lockedup
Russ in the Ozarks wrote:
48" craftsman Riding mower. I have a 48 ' Craftsman Riding mower. I have had the mower for 4 years with app 450 hrs on the 25 hp Courage engine. The last cut I did with it , I slowed it down to back up and the engine died! Locked up ! It was a hot day and I had about 2 or 3 hrs of running time on it that day. That's usual for my cutting my large lawn. Towed it back to my garage and still locked up. Had about 25 hrs running time on the oil and it was still full. I pulled the engine and dropped the crankcase bottom off and it looks perfect inside but the crank is locked up. The rods still move on their journals and the cylinders look fine for what I can see. I`m guessing the upper main is where the lock up is. I have not yet pulled the heads off and the pistons out. If in fact I can get the crank out , is it possible to recon the the upper main journal and recon the block opening for the crank journal? Hate to junk this engine ,but what caused the failure. Has anyone run into this problem. I did have a Sears tech look at it and he said he has had a few that did lock up , and said the customer used a breaker bar and a socket to try to break the seize up on it and it worked and ran! I tried but no success. Should I look at something else on it. The crank will not budge either way but there is slack in the rods so I`m pretty convinced the crank is seized. All info much appreciated. Russ Can we assume that removing the spark plug did not change anything ie: engine is still locked with the spark plug removed? |
#4
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine locked up
On Tue, 01 Mar 2016 22:44:01 +0000, Russ in the Ozarks
wrote: 48" craftsman Riding mower. I have a 48 ' Craftsman Riding mower. I have had the mower for 4 What make engine. How many HP. years with app 450 hrs on the 25 hp Courage engine. The last cut I did with it , I slowed it down to back up and the engine died! Locked up ! It was a hot day and I had about 2 or 3 hrs of running time on it that day. That's usual for my cutting my large lawn. Towed it back to my garage and still locked up. Had about 25 hrs running time on the oil and it was still full. I pulled the engine and dropped the crankcase bottom off and it looks perfect inside but the crank is locked up. The rods still move on their journals and the cylinders look fine for what I can see. I`m guessing the upper main is where the lock up is. I have not yet pulled the heads off and the pistons out. If in fact I can get the crank out , is it possible to recon the the upper main journal and recon the block opening for the crank journal? I'm sure whatever's broken can be fixed, but I'd take the head off and see if you can find what is broken. Hate to junk this engine ,but what caused the failure. Has anyone run into this problem. I did have a Sears tech look at it and he said he has had a few that did lock up , and said the customer used a breaker bar and a socket to try to break the seize up on it and it worked and ran! I tried but no success. Should I look at something else on it. The crank will not budge either way but there is slack in the rods so I`m pretty convinced the crank is seized. Five lines up you thought the upper main is where the lockup is. All info much appreciated. Russ |
#5
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine locked up
On Tue, 1 Mar 2016 19:47:36 -0500, Arnie Goetchius
wrote: Can we assume that removing the spark plug did not change anything ie: engine is still locked with the spark plug removed? Can we assume the wrong plug size didn't crack the top of the piston? |
#6
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine lockedup
Oren wrote:
On Tue, 1 Mar 2016 19:47:36 -0500, Arnie Goetchius wrote: Can we assume that removing the spark plug did not change anything ie: engine is still locked with the spark plug removed? Can we assume the wrong plug size didn't crack the top of the piston? I just wanted to see if he tested for Fuel vapor lock |
#7
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine locked up
On Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 9:54:20 PM UTC-5, Arnie Goetchius wrote:
Oren wrote: On Tue, 1 Mar 2016 19:47:36 -0500, Arnie Goetchius wrote: Can we assume that removing the spark plug did not change anything ie: engine is still locked with the spark plug removed? Can we assume the wrong plug size didn't crack the top of the piston? I just wanted to see if he tested for Fuel vapor lock Hydro lock can cause an engine to not be able to turn over, but not vapor lock. Vapor lock is when the fuel in the fuel system gets too hot and turns to vapor so it can't be properly pumped, injected, etc. It won't prevent an engine from turning over, only from starting/running. He also said that he pulled the engine already and has it partially disassembled. If it were me, I might consider calling up a small engine shop, asking them what it would cost for a diagnosis, etc. Depends on how comfortable one is doing that kind of repair, if you have all the necessary tools, time, etc. |
#8
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine locked up
Russ in the Ozarks wrote:
48" craftsman Riding mower. I have a 48 ' Craftsman Riding mower. I have had the mower for 4 years with app 450 hrs on the 25 hp Courage engine. The last cut I did with it , I slowed it down to back up and the engine died! Locked up ! It was a hot day and I had about 2 or 3 hrs of running time on it that day. That's usual for my cutting my large lawn. Towed it back to my garage and still locked up. Had about 25 hrs running time on the oil and it was still full. I pulled the engine and dropped the crankcase bottom off and it looks perfect inside but the crank is locked up. The rods still move on their journals and the cylinders look fine for what I can see. I`m guessing the upper main is where the lock up is. I have not yet pulled the heads off and the pistons out. If in fact I can get the crank out , is it possible to recon the the upper main journal and recon the block opening for the crank journal? Hate to junk this engine ,but what caused the failure. Has anyone run into this problem. I did have a Sears tech look at it and he said he has had a few that did lock up , and said the customer used a breaker bar and a socket to try to break the seize up on it and it worked and ran! I tried but no success. Should I look at something else on it. The crank will not budge either way but there is slack in the rods so I`m pretty convinced the crank is seized. All info much appreciated. Russ Russ , depending on where in the Ozarks you are , I may be able to help you .. If you're anywhere near Stone County Arkansas , email me . My reply-to is good and I have a small machine shop . -- Snag |
#9
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine locked up
On Wed, 2 Mar 2016 07:13:11 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote: Russ , depending on where in the Ozarks you are , I may be able to help you . If you're anywhere near Stone County Arkansas , email me . My reply-to is good and I have a small machine shop . -- Snag I don't show a Reply-to header for you. What do you think that means? Using Agent v.6, eternal-september. |
#10
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine locked up
On Tue, 01 Mar 2016 22:44:01 +0000, Russ in the Ozarks
wrote: 48" craftsman Riding mower. I have a 48 ' Craftsman Riding mower. I have had the mower for 4 years with app 450 hrs on the 25 hp Courage engine. The last cut I did with it , I slowed it down to back up and the engine died! Locked up ! It was a hot day and I had about 2 or 3 hrs of running time on it that day. That's usual for my cutting my large lawn. Towed it back to my garage and still locked up. Had about 25 hrs running time on the oil and it was still full. I pulled the engine and dropped the crankcase bottom off and it looks perfect inside but the crank is locked up. The rods still move on their journals and the cylinders look fine for what I can see. I`m guessing the upper main is where the lock up is. I have not yet pulled the heads off and the pistons out. If in fact I can get the crank out , is it possible to recon the the upper main journal and recon the block opening for the crank journal? Hate to junk this engine ,but what caused the failure. Has anyone run into this problem. I did have a Sears tech look at it and he said he has had a few that did lock up , and said the customer used a breaker bar and a socket to try to break the seize up on it and it worked and ran! I tried but no success. Should I look at something else on it. The crank will not budge either way but there is slack in the rods so I`m pretty convinced the crank is seized. All info much appreciated. Russ Years ago, I had a rider mower become very hard to turn, I could barely move it with the pull rope, and the electric starter would not budge it. It had a smaller Briggs engine. I think it was a 12HP. Anyhow, I took off the top and found the generator assembly which (I cant remember if it was under or on top of the flywheel), but it had come apart and was wedged against either the crankshaft or the flywheel. It's been years, so I cant quite recall all the details, but once I removed that generator, the engine spun fine. So the problem was not inside the engine at all. Pull off the cover and check to make sure nothing is jammed on top or under the flywheel. It might not be indide the engine at all. |
#11
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My 48 in Craftsman Riding mower with a Kohler 25 hp engine lockedup
trader_4 wrote:
On Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at 9:54:20 PM UTC-5, Arnie Goetchius wrote: Oren wrote: On Tue, 1 Mar 2016 19:47:36 -0500, Arnie Goetchius wrote: Can we assume that removing the spark plug did not change anything ie: engine is still locked with the spark plug removed? Can we assume the wrong plug size didn't crack the top of the piston? I just wanted to see if he tested for Fuel vapor lock Hydro lock can cause an engine to not be able to turn over, but not vapor lock. Vapor lock is when the fuel in the fuel system gets too hot and turns to vapor so it can't be properly pumped, injected, etc. It won't prevent an engine from turning over, only from starting/running. He also said that he pulled the engine already and has it partially disassembled. If it were me, I might consider calling up a small engine shop, asking them what it would cost for a diagnosis, etc. Depends on how comfortable one is doing that kind of repair, if you have all the necessary tools, time, etc. I meant to say "hydro lock" as that is what happened on my lawn tractor. Adding a $5 dollar gas cutoff valve and using the valve to turn off the engine has solved my problem. |
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