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Pushed into my yard
- Thread starter jcdammeyer
- Start date
"Optimized a different measure"
What's odd, is this problem exists on a number of different size B&S engines and has for a number of years.
I'm not so sure it's a design screw-up as much as a compromise to keep costs at a minimum.
The friends who gave me the tractor bought another one. They had this one for 11 years. I'll ask and report back whether the new one also has a B&S engine. If it does then this 'design' problem isn't really hurting B&S.
And I've seen cars have problems way sooner than 11 years old that require massive repair bills due to 'design' problems.
The other video I watched showed the operator holding a piece of rubber over the intake while cranking preventing air intake (kind of an air tight choke) so that compression was limited and the starter could spin it up to speed. He then remove the rubber and the tractor started. Of course in the video I noticed he wasn't sitting in the seat so he'd also disabled the seat switch. Not a good idea.
I think there are lots of more expensive solutions to this problem. Likely a $100 factory brand CAM assembly, if available, is the easiest solution.
Don’t know about your particular mover, but on JDs you can set the parking brake and then start the engine without being in the seat. No disabling of the seat switch required.
Quick update. Although I cannot find the youtube video again I did take a piece of old inner tube, remove the air filter and hold it over the carb air intake while cranking. Before that I verified that: a) without spark plug the engine cranked properly; b) With spark plug connected and body grounded I could see a spark while cranking.
Sure enough, just like in the video, blocking the air intake results in no air in cylinder and therefore minimal compression and the engine turns over quickly. Yank away the rubber and on the second try the engine started. Opened the choke let it run and blow blue smoke out and was eventually able to get it to almost idle and blue smoke vanished.
It still sounds really rough. Not a happy engine no matter what. Could be valve lash needs adjustment. Likely carb needs cleaning. I blew out the air filter and it's better but a new one would be best.
Another video shows an intact compression relief cam mechanism but the CAM incredibly worn on the peak of the lobe.
Only aftermarket cam assemblies are available at the moment and based on one video not all are created equal. Lowes in the USA want's $900 for a new engine. Lowes here doesn't even list it.
No point in spending money on battery or air filter until starting problem is solved which requires a partial tear down and there's no point in doing that unless I can get a genuine part.
I wonder what would be involved in swapping it over to fully electric?
Sure enough, just like in the video, blocking the air intake results in no air in cylinder and therefore minimal compression and the engine turns over quickly. Yank away the rubber and on the second try the engine started. Opened the choke let it run and blow blue smoke out and was eventually able to get it to almost idle and blue smoke vanished.
It still sounds really rough. Not a happy engine no matter what. Could be valve lash needs adjustment. Likely carb needs cleaning. I blew out the air filter and it's better but a new one would be best.
Another video shows an intact compression relief cam mechanism but the CAM incredibly worn on the peak of the lobe.
Only aftermarket cam assemblies are available at the moment and based on one video not all are created equal. Lowes in the USA want's $900 for a new engine. Lowes here doesn't even list it.
No point in spending money on battery or air filter until starting problem is solved which requires a partial tear down and there's no point in doing that unless I can get a genuine part.
I wonder what would be involved in swapping it over to fully electric?
140mower
Don
Every one that I have seen works that way, as long as all of the interlock switches are operational. One other regularly overlooked features is the mowing in reverse switch. On JD's it's a yellow button that you hold while first engaging the reverse pedal, on Craftsman and Husqvarna etc you can usually turn the key back one more position after realeasing the starter. This second run position is the reverse mow enable....
140mower
Don
No idea on the cost to convert to electric, but when I replaced the briggs on mine, I put in a Kawasaki that came from a higher level john deere that was being scrapped. $200 and I put that issue behind me.
Well Princess Auto has a 17.5HP drop in replacement for only $999.99. A new tractor starts at $2300. The motor is in stock. Who knows when I'll get a B&S quality CAM assembly. Some of the ones out there for less than $99 are apparently really good cheap forgeries that fail within hours. I only want to rebuilt the engine once. Not every couple of months.
trlvn
Ultra Member
A replacement engine is ready to go. This engine will need to wait for the OEM CAM shaft due in November but will also require a carb rebuild, battery, air filter and mover will require blade sharpening and maybe a new 92.5" belt.
The rough running may also be due to the governor and on this engine it has tabs that throw the oil around. This version does not have the oil pump and filter. (Nor does the PA version).
I checked into electric motors with this power rating (17.5HP * 755W) = 13kW.
I wonder how much power is actually needed to spin the blades at 3000 RPM?
Anyway. At this point it's all up in the air because I'm not allowed to lift anything over 30 lbs so the motor at 80 is out of the question. Which means nothing will get done until fall.
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You are suggesting of course that unless I need it I should wait. Probably a good idea.
Which really means the important work is happening right now - figuring out if it's worth doing. At the numbers you've shown to date, I don't think it sells on at a win on your time. But if you want used mower for $1200 you're right there.