WHY You Want To Check The OIL Before You Mow!!

[DougGuy]

I tried to mow yesterday but the needle valve in the carb let all the fuel in the tank fill up the whole engine with gasoline! was fine when I ran it last, ran great, put it away, and now this.. Drained the oil, it was FULL of gasoline! About 5 or 6 quarts of it in the crankcase, pulled the plugs and rolled it over by hand, both cylinders full of gas, pumping it out the spark plug holes, muffler full of gas, GLAD I never cranked the engine! 21hp Briggs v twin would have been TOAST in about 4 minutes!

I checked the oil, and noticed it was about 2" above the full mark on the stick, and I thought well, I might have overfilled it last time, but it didn't look right. And the dipstick made a squeaking sound when I wiped it off with a shop towel, then I dipped it in the motor again, and smelled it, sure enough smelled like gas. Rubbing it between my fingers it was really thin feeling, not like oil should feel. And I was ALMOST ready to assume I had overfilled the crankcase, and run it anyway....



http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/20180609_090612_zpscdh0kxan.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/20180609_090612_zpscdh0kxan.jpg.html)

[Petrol & Powder]

Yep, saved yourself a lot of money and aggravation.

A gravity feed fuel system is great for reliability, no fuel pump needed. The down side is gravity always works, even when the needle valve is struck open or the engine is on fire :D !

Anytime I have something with a gravity feed fuel system, I like to have a fuel shut off valve near the tank.

Good thing you caught that before it cost you more money.

[bdicki]

Plus one on the shutoff.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

My vintage troybilt tiller has done that during tranporting it. It has a fuel shutoff valve, but it doesn't totally shut off. I've been meaning to replace it. Til then, I just empty the fuel tank after every use.

[Mal Paso]

It would not have turned over had you tried to start it.

Years ago my girlfriend's VW did the same thing. Would not start, engine was frozen almost. Gas filled the crankcase and cylinders and gas won't compress so the engine would not turn.

She had parked facing up hill, tank in front, engine in back …..

Nice Oil Adapter. You'd think with all the Laws there would be one preventing engineers from putting drain plugs where you can't possibly catch all the oil.

[Petrol & Powder]

Liquid in all the cylinders will generally result in the engine being hydraulically locked (liquids will not compress) BUT the danger is some liquid in some of the cylinders. That condition can result in the liquid being pushed out through the open exhaust valve (and igniting if it's gasoline) OR the non-compressible liquid in some of the cylinders results in bending connecting rods or blowing cylinders off crankcases.

It's the danger of a hydraulically locked engine that is only partially locked that poses the real threat. That's why you see people pushing the props around on radial aircraft engines that have been sitting for some time. A lot of oil in the cylinder will lock it up, a little bit of oil in the cylinder can do bad things if it does try to start.

[Moleman-]

The kids gocart did that last year. They came an got me saying the engine was smoking. Smoke screen machine was more like it. Dumped the oil, and told them to remember to use the fuel shut off. Had the same thing happen to our old IHC682. Always checked the oil before mowing and found the oil level way above the hash marked area. Put a new float and needle valve in the carb.

[Tatume]

Had the same stuck float problem in my Ercoupe. Fortunately, the Stromberg carburetor is an updraft type, mounted below the engine. Gas just ran out onto the pavement. Took the carb apart, cleaned it, and it works fine.

[dragon813gt]

Check the oil? Why would I do that when I know it doesn’t have any in it. When I bought my house in 2006 the previous owner left a beat up Craftsman push mower. I’ve been experimenting to see how long it can run w/out oil. It’s still going to this day. I know if I were to add oil it would stop working. One day it will seize and I will have to buy a new mower.

[DougGuy]

Put a new float and needle valve in the carb.

Yeah it is hard to figure out if the float got gas inside it and is too heavy to seal, or if ethanol gas messed up the needle, so I found a rebuild kit on fleabay for $7.35 free shipping. Briggs marked parts are STUPID expensive, and it's the same made in China parts that are on ebay. Nikki makes all the carbs, and a whole new Nikki carb is only $17.

Briggs & Stratton:

Needle = $13
Float=$22
Transfer Tube=$34
Gasket=$7

Briggs & Stratton carb rebuild kit=$56 and does not come with a float or transfer tube..

Briggs & Stratton carb=$113 for the same Nikki carb that ebay has for $17....

[farmerjim]

I have that same mower. My needle valve leaks. I put a shutoff valve in the fuel line 2 years ago. The only problem I have is when I forget to turn it on it starts and only goes about 25 feet before the engine kills. Fuel shutoff was the cheep ($4) easy (4 min) fix.

[DougGuy]

I'm gonna put a shutoff in the line as well, but hey I got a free (almost) crankcase cleaning!! :bigsmyl2:

[WebMonkey]

been there dougguy.

i enjoyed reading your post, mostly because you can fix it all yourself.
these days not many people want to learn how to fix things that aren't part of their job description.

i've never been employed as a mechanic and don't really enjoy it but i work on everything I'm capable of here at the homestead.

like you said, branded part and labor = too much.
my time + unbranded part = mo' betta.

;)

[William Yanda]

It would not have turned over had you tried to start it.

Years ago my girlfriend's VW did the same thing. Would not start, engine was frozen almost. Gas filled the crankcase and cylinders and gas won't compress so the engine would not turn.

She had parked facing up hill, tank in front, engine in back …..

Nice Oil Adapter. You'd think with all the Laws there would be one preventing engineers from putting drain plugs where you can't possibly catch all the oil.

Shhhhhh! They will hear you!

[Finster101]

Yep, put a manual shut off in line then close the shut off and leave it running till it dies when you are finished to empty the bowl. you will save yourself a lot of headaches.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Years ago I had an old VW - the valve inside the top of the left carb. unscrewed itself while crossing an intersection, that didn't run well with it flooding solidly. Opened the air cleaner to look and the vent line was spewing gas back up into the carb's top! Easy to fix, but annoying. Glad your mower is going to recover :)

[Petrol & Powder]

As for the cost of parts for small engines - They are insanely inflated !

One good effect of the internet is the ability to rapidly compare prices from different sources. Competition is a good thing. A replacement carburetor is often available via the internet for close to the same cost as a rebuild kit.

We all know the problems that ethanol causes, particularly with small engines. I will not beat that dead horse here. While I will still rebuild a carburetor, it is almost as cost effective now to simply replace the carburetor to get the engine back in service first; and then rebuild the original one to keep as a spare.

And of course using non-ethanol fuel in engines that sit a lot or storing them dry will help to avoid problems caused by ethanol.

[Taylor]

Now for the $100,000 question. Wife know you have her pot?

[Three44s]

I have seen gasoline contamination and also diesel contamination of crankcase oil (with Diesel engines). They are both bad.

A bad carb can do this but mechanical fuel pumps can also be a culprit, either gas or diesel. Besides a mechanical lift pump, diesel injector pumps can lose a seal and dump raw fuel as well.

When I pull a oil stick I generally sniff to check for a leak besides watching for a telltale overfilled oil level.

Three44s

[Three44s]

Now for the $100,000 question. Wife know you have her pot?

Actually she threw it at him a while back and he figured it was just her way of donating it for such uses. :kidding:

Three44s

[jsizemore]

Now for the $100,000 question. Wife know you have her pot?

I'm willing to bet Doug cleans it and puts it back in the cabinet. He's from Ocean Springs. It gives his gumbo that Gulf Coast flavor.

[salty dog]

Many years back when motorcycles had carbs, we had a bike come in to the shop with a clicking noise. The owner said it made a loud thunk when he tried to start it, then after that it started but made the click. Turns out that when the bike was on the side stand the float would stick in the left carb, and it dripped enough gas in to the cylinder that it bent the rod when the starter kicked it over. Warranty covered it, but it was hard to figure it out.

[woodbutcher]

:D Hi Doug.Those Briggs engines are a pretty good engine.But as you say,parts will eat your lunch or give ya a heart attack.About 2 years ago,a friend built a real nice wood boat and used a V twin Briggs for power.IIRC it was something like 25 or 30 HP.Inboard setup.
Most economical for operating costs.Uses it in Lake Okeechobee and the Intercoastal waterway.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[jonp]

Briggs marked parts are STUPID expensive

Try Cub Cadet marked parts, Doug.

[DougGuy]

Briggs marked parts are STUPID expensive

Try Cub Cadet marked parts, Doug.

This is what you do... You go to www.partstree.com and find your model, find your parts, (roll your eyes at the prices listed!) get the part numbers, most are a 6 digit number, open an ebay search and put the number in, voila! Your headaches, AND your getting ripped off from the stealership are a thing of the past!

I still have to take the muffler off and roll it around and drain it, it's the lowest point where gasoline could collect and still be lurking, and could easily cause an explosion and/or fire if I try and start the newly repaired motor without making sure it's cleared of the fuel and fumes.

[TXGunNut]

I buy most of my MTD parts from SEPW. Reasonable prices and freight, great catalogs. I have found that a genuine Cub Cadet deck drive belt will outlast an "equivalent" MTD belt 2 to 1 or better. I bought my Cub Cadet when my MTD mower locked up just like DougGuy's. Had a shop in town fix it and install a shutoff valve. After that repair bill I fixed it a time or two myself until I learned to use the shutoff. Made a good backup to my Cub Cadet. Sold it to my neighbor after buying my Kubota. I explained to him about the shutoff but for some reason he quit using it soon after he bought it.

[Mal Paso]

Gas in my girlfriends VW engine was an all day project. After I got it running for a few minutes I did another oil change.

Then there was the time she forgot she had put a trash bag over the engine to keep water out. (It rains sideways here.) The bag mostly went through the fan onto the tops of the cylinders.

[Elkins45]

I have fuel shutoff valves on every engine where I could find a place to put one. I have never regretted having them.

[Mr_Sheesh]

On old VWs also a shredded alternator belt (or, I imagine, covering plastic garbage bag) could cover up the oil cooler holes, then your oil doesn't stay cool and the engine dies; Not good.