Push-rod in oil pan (25 HP briggs and Stratton)

[steppinthrax]

I was talking to a guy who's selling a 25 HP briggs (V Intek) lawnmower for 200 bucks. He's saying the timing was wrong and the push rod fell out and ended up in the oil pan. He said it's running and starts and cuts grass but is really only working on one cylinder. I"m not to clear on these larger engines. I overhauled a 5HP briggs. How does a push rod fall out from the engine doesn't it ride on the cam lobe. Unless the push rod snaped or bent?

 

[Eli]

Yeah, that doesn't make any sense.

And lol @ the engine starting, running and cutting grass on 1 cylinder. I suppose it might, but it'd be very obvious something is seriously wrong.

 

[Bartman39]

I agree with Eli thats BS...

Doubt its a horizontal shaft engine so on a vertical shaft V twin Briggs the cylinders are horizontal as are the pushrods and the rockers can get loose enough for one to come off and the pushrod might be laying there but doubt its in the pan/crankcase area...? BTW the timing is not moveable and would not affect it anyhow...?

Pull the valve covers and check it out the only way to know if he full of it or not...? Also if it runs on 1 cylinder I doubt it would do much more than just that run...

 

[LTC8K6]

A connecting rod might be in the oil pan...

 

[Rifter]

thats impossible

 

[LTC8K6]

thats impossible

One would think so...

 

[Eli]

A connecting rod might be in the oil pan...

LOL, probably this.

 

[Meghan54]

Gotta agree with Eli, et al. You're getting fed a line of shit....guess the seller thinks you are a mushroom.

A pushrod can't just fall out. Get broken and pieces fall out, maybe, but not a whole, undamaged pushrod.

And I'd think that if a connecting rod broke, you'd have more problems than the engine just running on one cylinder.

Walk away. No matter the condition of the engine, how can you trust anything the seller says after feeding you such a line of shit like that...as in trusting he changed the oil like he said, etc.

Besides, an Intek isn't that great an engine anyway. You want a good engine, either look for a Vanguard if you want to stick with B&S brand, or go find a Kawasaki or a Honda or a Kohler Command.

 

[Eli]

Well.. I tend to look at these situations optimistically.

If I deem that the seller just doesn't know what he's talking about, given that it runs and cuts grass apparently, there's a good chance that there's actually nothing major wrong with it?

Whats wrong with the Intek engines exactly? Not disagreeing with you, but I don't have any experience with them. What goes wrong? They looked OK on paper from my brief research. Not bottom of the barrel, but of course not top of the line like the engines you mentioned.

Robin-Subaru makes good small engines too.

 

[skyking]

a pushrod could possibly get into the pan if the camshaft broke and fell out too

 

[BUTCH1]

Price out what a new engine or parts for a rebuild of the current one will cost and go from there. If seller wants $200 and its gonna be 4-500 to replace the motor you could probably find one in good running condition without having to worry about a bad engine and all the work to replace/rebuild one..

 

[bruceb]

Check here:

http://www.brandnewengines.com/

Also here:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_engines

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Well.. I tend to look at these situations optimistically.

If I deem that the seller just doesn't know what he's talking about, given that it runs and cuts grass apparently, there's a good chance that there's actually nothing major wrong with it?

Whats wrong with the Intek engines exactly? Not disagreeing with you, but I don't have any experience with them. What goes wrong? They looked OK on paper from my brief research. Not bottom of the barrel, but of course not top of the line like the engines you mentioned.

Robin-Subaru makes good small engines too.

Our 22HP Intek engine ended up bending a rod twice. Though it is well over 10 years old now. I dont know what makes it happen.

 

[steppinthrax]

Well, I bought the lawnmower home over the weekend (before reading these threads). My grass was so long I went ahead and used it to cut my entire 1 AC lawn. The only thing I could see was it bogged down on tall grass (no mulching), almost to the point like it was going to stall (but never did). I even drove the thing up hills and it worked. I finished my cutting and drove it into the garage to do some inspection. I pulled the cam cover off the cylinder head where the owner said the rod is missing. I noticed no push rods were present. I turned the engine over while the cover was off and noticed the Tappet was moving up and down (good indicator). I noticed the engine block had two holes in it (by design) where you could essentially drop stuff into the engine that way. I removed the engine and began to tear it down. I finally popped open the crankcase to find 1 bent intake rod and a broken piece of the exhaust rod. I removed the pistons, oil pump and everything. I can’t find any other damage relating to the rods throughout the engine. I imagine the previous owner removed that broken piece of rod.

 

[skyking]

sounds like you made out OK. I wonder what causes the bent pushrods? Stuck/sticky valves?

 

[steppinthrax]

sounds like you made out OK. I wonder what causes the bent pushrods? Stuck/sticky valves?

Based on my research it appears the Exhaust valve guide has a tendacy to ride down the valve stem and prevent the spring from compressing. The next time the cam pushes on the tappet and pushes the rod to push the rocker, there is not room for the rod and the weakest compenet fails (in this case the rod).

Apparently this is common in inteks. It has something to do with the cylinder head heating up due to blocked cooling fins. The head expands more than the valve guide, causing it to move...

 

[usnavyvet]

Well, I bought the lawnmower home over the weekend (before reading these threads). My grass was so long I went ahead and used it to cut my entire 1 AC lawn. The only thing I could see was it bogged down on tall grass (no mulching), almost to the point like it was going to stall (but never did). I even drove the thing up hills and it worked. I finished my cutting and drove it into the garage to do some inspection. I pulled the cam cover off the cylinder head where the owner said the rod is missing. I noticed no push rods were present. I turned the engine over while the cover was off and noticed the Tappet was moving up and down (good indicator). I noticed the engine block had two holes in it (by design) where you could essentially drop stuff into the engine that way. I removed the engine and began to tear it down. I finally popped open the crankcase to find 1 bent intake rod and a broken piece of the exhaust rod. I removed the pistons, oil pump and everything. I can’t find any other damage relating to the rods throughout the engine. I imagine the previous owner removed that broken piece of rod.

Could you expand on a couple of your comments? I am new to this engine, and have one that has eaten the exhaust pushrod. It has to be in the case. So my questions are these: Is there room in the bottom of the case for the pushrod to live there without seizing the engine? In general what is the procedure to access the case, and if the flywheel must be removed, how do you loosen it? Lastly, is 004 the correct clearance for
the valve lash? Because that's where my three remaining rods are set.

Take note this is a thread from over a year ago (necro thread)...
Please make a new thread with your questions and you should have answers...


Thank you,
AT Moderator
Bartman39