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Default Small engine repair question

Cub Cade riding mower. 24 Hp Briggs & Stratton V-twin engine. 129 Hours, 6
years old.

SWMBO has been complaining that it doesn't have the power that it used to
and it kind of 'sputters'.

Put on new air filter (really needed it) and pulled the plugs. Left side
plug is sooty (black) compression is 72 p.s.i. Right side plug is normal
(light brown) but compression is only 40 p.s.i.
BTW, both plugs were very clean, i.e., not crusted or worn. Plug gap is
right on the money.

Upon buying this riding mower 6 years ago (we're new to country living) my
neighbor said "nice machine, you'll be buying one every 5 years". I hope
he's wrong.

What could be going on with this engine? Is 129 hours a lot?

I've rebuilt probably 15 car engines over the years. I've done 2 automatic
transmissions. Have never tackled a 'small engine'. What do I need to
know? Do I inject a little oil, redo compression in order to differentiate
between piston ring wear vs. valves?

All directions and encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I don't have
the $2k± to go buy a new one.

Help!!

Ivan Vegvary

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Default Small engine repair question

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Cub Cade riding mower. 24 Hp Briggs & Stratton V-twin engine. 129
Hours, 6 years old.

SWMBO has been complaining that it doesn't have the power that it
used to and it kind of 'sputters'.

Put on new air filter (really needed it) and pulled the plugs. Left
side plug is sooty (black) compression is 72 p.s.i. Right side plug
is normal (light brown) but compression is only 40 p.s.i.
BTW, both plugs were very clean, i.e., not crusted or worn. Plug gap
is right on the money.

Upon buying this riding mower 6 years ago (we're new to country
living) my neighbor said "nice machine, you'll be buying one every 5
years". I hope he's wrong.

What could be going on with this engine? Is 129 hours a lot?

I've rebuilt probably 15 car engines over the years. I've done 2
automatic transmissions. Have never tackled a 'small engine'. What
do I need to know? Do I inject a little oil, redo compression in
order to differentiate between piston ring wear vs. valves?

All directions and encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I
don't have the $2k± to go buy a new one.

Help!!

Ivan Vegvary


I'm wondering if the motor has one of those "easy-spin" designs - usually
a late closing intake valve to bleed pressure down at starting speeds , but
which intake charge velocity negates at higher RPM's .
And if you've built car motors , a small engine should be a piece of cake
.. Doubly so if you've done auto trannies , I won't touch one ... the one
thing on a car I won't tackle .
--
Snag
"90 FLHTCU "Strider"
'39 WLDD "PopCycle"
BS 132/SENS/DOF


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Default Small engine repair question

As strange as it sounds, please try an oil change. The drain
plug on the side, one side or other. Use a good brand of
oil. Castrol GT is my favorite. Old oil can do some strange
things.

Same on the gasoline. Most places have "gasohol" now days,
but buy a good brand.

Please remove the motor cover, and clear any traces of oil,
dirt, cut grass, etc. If the fins on the motor side are
dirty, the motor will run hot. And kill the motor oil early,
as with some other problems. Use engine cleaner foamy spray,
or oven cleaner spray to strip it down to the paint. Rinse
well. A hot running engine can do strange things.

Seriously, the simple stuff is the important stuff.

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


"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
...
Cub Cade riding mower. 24 Hp Briggs & Stratton V-twin
engine. 129 Hours, 6
years old.

SWMBO has been complaining that it doesn't have the power
that it used to
and it kind of 'sputters'.

Put on new air filter (really needed it) and pulled the
plugs. Left side
plug is sooty (black) compression is 72 p.s.i. Right side
plug is normal
(light brown) but compression is only 40 p.s.i.
BTW, both plugs were very clean, i.e., not crusted or worn.
Plug gap is
right on the money.

Upon buying this riding mower 6 years ago (we're new to
country living) my
neighbor said "nice machine, you'll be buying one every 5
years". I hope
he's wrong.

What could be going on with this engine? Is 129 hours a
lot?

I've rebuilt probably 15 car engines over the years. I've
done 2 automatic
transmissions. Have never tackled a 'small engine'. What
do I need to
know? Do I inject a little oil, redo compression in order
to differentiate
between piston ring wear vs. valves?

All directions and encouragement would be greatly
appreciated. I don't have
the $2k± to go buy a new one.

Help!!

Ivan Vegvary


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Default Small engine repair question

On Sat, 8 May 2010 10:38:03 -0700
"Ivan Vegvary" wrote:

Cub Cade riding mower. 24 Hp Briggs & Stratton V-twin engine. 129 Hours, 6
years old.

SWMBO has been complaining that it doesn't have the power that it used to
and it kind of 'sputters'.

snip

Your barely broke in hour wise...

Did you open the throttle and choke all the way, air cleaner maybe off
when you did the compression test?

Are you sure it is firing on both cylinders? You should be able to
unhook one plug at a time and listen to how it sounds/acts.

If it has sat with gas in the carb over several winters, as the others
have mentioned cleaning would be a good start.

I've had good luck finding Briggs manuals online for download. Your
local library may have some repair manuals too. I buy the old ones when
the library purges them. Lots of good info in them.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

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Default Small engine repair question

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
... doesn't have the power that it used
to and it kind of 'sputters'. ...


This is the most significant symptom. Likely a dirty carb, especially
if it sat over the 6 winters with gas in the carb. These carbs are dirt
simple - tear it down & clean thoroughly, THEN see what it runs like &
worry about what else might be wrong, if anything.

Left side plug is sooty (black) compression is 72 p.s.i. Right side plug is
normal (light brown) but compression is only 40 p.s.i.

snip

"Sooty" is too rich, as you know. Why one side & not the other is
puzzling to me, but I've never worked a twin. But clean first, then
check again.

You can't do compression checks on these engines - it's meaningless.
Well, twins may be different, but I doubt it.

Clean the carb.

Bob


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Default Small engine repair question


"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
...
Cub Cade riding mower. 24 Hp Briggs & Stratton V-twin engine. 129 Hours,
6 years old.

SWMBO has been complaining that it doesn't have the power that it used to
and it kind of 'sputters'.

Put on new air filter (really needed it) and pulled the plugs. Left side
plug is sooty (black) compression is 72 p.s.i. Right side plug is normal
(light brown) but compression is only 40 p.s.i.
BTW, both plugs were very clean, i.e., not crusted or worn. Plug gap is
right on the money.

Upon buying this riding mower 6 years ago (we're new to country living) my
neighbor said "nice machine, you'll be buying one every 5 years". I hope
he's wrong.

What could be going on with this engine? Is 129 hours a lot?

I've rebuilt probably 15 car engines over the years. I've done 2
automatic transmissions. Have never tackled a 'small engine'. What do I
need to know? Do I inject a little oil, redo compression in order to
differentiate between piston ring wear vs. valves?

All directions and encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I don't
have the $2k± to go buy a new one.

Help!!

Ivan Vegvary



Okay, seems like you are all saying that compression check (V-Twin with
starter motor) is kind of meaningless. Ergo, I will start by cleaning out
the carburetors. BTW, I have never believed in the 'old gas' theory since
my small engines have always started after a winter of sitting idle. Best
example is my 5500 watt generator. Sits for two years but starts on the
first pull even though the gas is 24 months old. (I do let the carburetor
run dry when I shut down).

Now maybe I've become a believer. I will dump the old gas, clean the carbs,
change the oil, install new plugs and give it another try.

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

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Default Small engine repair question

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Cub Cade riding mower. 24 Hp Briggs & Stratton V-twin engine. 129
Hours, 6 years old.

SWMBO has been complaining that it doesn't have the power that it used
to and it kind of 'sputters'.


If this just started I would say it's two problems. One is crud and crap
that built up over the years has been flushed loose by the alcohol in
the current gas.
The second is the current alcohol content in the gas. It causes the
engine to run lean usually, causing sputtering and lower power.


Put on new air filter (really needed it) and pulled the plugs. Left
side plug is sooty (black) compression is 72 p.s.i. Right side plug is
normal (light brown) but compression is only 40 p.s.i.


Doesn't mean anything on these newer Briggs engines. They have a weird
compression release that makes it hard to test them unless you turn the
engine backwards.

Sooty black is usually rich running BUT on the V twins it is a sign of a
weeping valve stem seal. They can be changed easily without tearing down
the engine. You can also adjust the valves at the same time.

BTW, both plugs were very clean, i.e., not crusted or worn. Plug gap is
right on the money.


Good. That means it's just started.


Upon buying this riding mower 6 years ago (we're new to country living)
my neighbor said "nice machine, you'll be buying one every 5 years". I
hope he's wrong.

What could be going on with this engine? Is 129 hours a lot?


Nope. I have well over 800 on a Cub Cadet with an 18 HP V twin. Burns a
little oil but runs great.


I've rebuilt probably 15 car engines over the years. I've done 2
automatic transmissions. Have never tackled a 'small engine'. What do
I need to know? Do I inject a little oil, redo compression in order to
differentiate between piston ring wear vs. valves?


Won't make much difference unless you can figure out how to crank the
engine backwards.


All directions and encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I don't
have the $2k± to go buy a new one.

Help!!

Ivan Vegvary


What I would likely do is - Clean out the fuel system, replace the
inline filter, clean the carb. Install a tune up kit (most dealers have
them on the shelf, includes a new oil filter, air filter, plugs, gas
filter and oil).

Then try to buy gas that doesn't have alcohol in it if possible. If not
there is an additive you can buy that will help keep the gas/alcohol
from separating while the tractor isn't being used. If you buy your gas
in quantity and have it sitting around over a couple weeks you might
want to lower the amount you keep on hand and rotate it more often.

--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")
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Now maybe I've become a believer. I will dump the old gas, clean the
carbs, change the oil, install new plugs and give it another try.


I've got a short cut cleaner - sea foam. Put in spray bottle and spray in
carb while running. Do it several times. After that put a bunch in the gas
tank with it nearly out of gas. Qucik and dirty - normally works wonders on
my gravely kohler engines. After this, I pressure wash the engine, new plug,
new filter new oil. engine runs like new.

Works on 2 cycle also

Karl



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Default Small engine repair question

Ivan Vegvary wrote:
... BTW, I have never believed in the 'old gas' theory
since my small engines have always started after a winter of sitting
idle. Best example is my 5500 watt generator. Sits for two years but
starts on the first pull even though the gas is 24 months old. (I do
let the carburetor run dry when I shut down).

....

Ah ... my point about sitting over winter was not "old gas", but gas
evaporating in the carb & leaving deposits. If you stored it with a dry
carb, as you say, this does not apply.

I'd still recommend cleaning the carb(s?), just based on the performance
symptoms.

Bob
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Default Small engine repair question

On Sat, 8 May 2010 13:32:10 -0700, "Ivan Vegvary"
wrote:


"Ivan Vegvary" wrote in message
...
Cub Cade riding mower. 24 Hp Briggs & Stratton V-twin engine. 129 Hours,
6 years old.

SWMBO has been complaining that it doesn't have the power that it used to
and it kind of 'sputters'.

Put on new air filter (really needed it) and pulled the plugs. Left side
plug is sooty (black) compression is 72 p.s.i. Right side plug is normal
(light brown) but compression is only 40 p.s.i.
BTW, both plugs were very clean, i.e., not crusted or worn. Plug gap is
right on the money.

Upon buying this riding mower 6 years ago (we're new to country living) my
neighbor said "nice machine, you'll be buying one every 5 years". I hope
he's wrong.

What could be going on with this engine? Is 129 hours a lot?

I've rebuilt probably 15 car engines over the years. I've done 2
automatic transmissions. Have never tackled a 'small engine'. What do I
need to know? Do I inject a little oil, redo compression in order to
differentiate between piston ring wear vs. valves?

All directions and encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I don't
have the $2k± to go buy a new one.

Help!!

Ivan Vegvary



Okay, seems like you are all saying that compression check (V-Twin with
starter motor) is kind of meaningless. Ergo, I will start by cleaning out
the carburetors. BTW, I have never believed in the 'old gas' theory since
my small engines have always started after a winter of sitting idle. Best
example is my 5500 watt generator. Sits for two years but starts on the
first pull even though the gas is 24 months old. (I do let the carburetor
run dry when I shut down).

Now maybe I've become a believer. I will dump the old gas, clean the carbs,
change the oil, install new plugs and give it another try.

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary


Do yourself a favor..and buy a bottle of Sta-bil gas stabilizer and dump
the proper amount in the gas tank, and run some through the carby before
shutting it down for the season.

The stuff works Great!, is used by major corporations, the military,
government agencies and a ****load of us who only use gas powered
equipment a few times a year.

http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/default.aspx

I have a number of gas welders, gennies, weed eaters, mowers, chain saws
etc etc etc..and they all get FRESH gas AND Sta-bil before shutdown.

Gunner

--


"First Law of Leftist Debate
The more you present a leftist with factual evidence
that is counter to his preconceived world view and the
more difficult it becomes for him to refute it without
losing face the chance of him calling you a racist, bigot,
homophobe approaches infinity.

This is despite the thread you are in having not mentioned
race or sexual preference in any way that is relevant to
the subject." Grey Ghost


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Default Small engine repair question

--Don't forget to change out the fuel filters; there may be more
than one (my Kubota has 2). Also it's old enough that you might want to
change out the fuel line tubing; that stuff gets old and may shed debris in
the fuel lines..

--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : Come see my stuff
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : at Maker Faire!!
www.nmpproducts.com
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---
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