Briggs blown engine

[daugen]

my three year old Ariens snowblower with about thirty hours on it died.
Power just went away and then became useless, though it would start.
I take very good care of my machinery, this was not neglect from anything.
And it was running 10/30W synthetic, likely Valvoline.

So what would cause the valve seat to "blow out" so badly, I assume burned and therefore
the seal and compression were lost.

Did I do something wrong?
I'm in my sixties and I have never had an engine die on me like this.

How does one burn ruin a valve seat?
Was this just a crappy low end Briggs snow engine?
Never had problems with Briggs either...and I own Kohler, Honda, Briggs, Kawasaki, etc.
And I use Sea Foam in all of them.

Does a head gasket blow first, then the valve burn?
Lot of oily deposit on lower part of engine.
again, help with a cause would be nice.

thanks.

 

[JimRB]

Exactly what Briggs engine?
You have removed the head and you observed a burnt valve?
What are the chances the head is loose and needs to be tightened?
Some engines have an automatic compression release that requires proper valve clearance to work. Have you used feeler gauges to measure the valve clearance after you torque the head to proper torque?

 

[daugen]

Exactly what Briggs engine?
You have removed the head and you observed a burnt valve?
What are the chances the head is loose and needs to be tightened?
Some engines have an automatic compression release that requires proper valve clearance to work. Have you used feeler gauges to measure the valve clearance after you torque the head to proper torque?

Jim, thank you. No, just a call from the dealer. Likely a 900 series one, needs a new head he said. Not a hard job, and my friend will do it for free and parts, and we will have a project to do together. Vs. 500 bucks for the dealer to fix it. It's a good snowblower, awesome when it ran... We are going to fix it up and put it on Craig's List at the first snowfall next Winter.

In the meantime I ordered a new larger Ariens for the fall with a 414cc LCT Chonda engine in it and maybe that tells me something that Ariens, a top spec company, would gravitate to LCT.

I was told the entire valve seat area was ruined and could not be repaired.

 

[DeereMann]

First off, be aware it is likely a Briggs-branded Chinese engine. They move their entire small engine lineup to China some years ago.

This also explains the many more quality issues they've had since then.

The last I read, Briggs still makes the Dihatsu-licensed V-twin engines in the U.S. These have been quite reliable (we use them where I work).

 

[oldnslo]

I presume this has the "pressed-in" valve seat. If yes these have been know to work loose causing the head or block to be ruined. On the older valve in block design I have carefully JB welded the seat back in and then also lightly staked the seat in place with center punch marks or the perimeter. Not sure if this is an option on the over head valve models.

 

[facereader]

This snow season we got four new Craftsman snow blowers with blown engines, and none was a case of neglect. Replaced engines on all four. All were just past the warranty.Two were 900 series, two were 1350 series. All made in China apparently.

 

[daugen]

This snow season we got four new Craftsman snow blowers with blown engines, and none was a case of neglect. Replaced engines on all four. All were just past the warranty.Two were 900 series, two were 1350 series. All made in China apparently.

is that a lower spec engine? the 900? One of them is all aluminum and a disposable engine. Maybe more than one.

I am really curious now to pull that head and check it out. I'll take pics...nothing like a good blown up motor to diagnose.

 

[facereader]

900 is a smaller engine. Do not know what you meant by a lower spec?

Since we are pro shop, we will not try to put any time to diagnose why the connecting rod broke in one, camshaft in another, head cracked and valves damaged in the remaining two. We will just sell the parts that can be salvaged, and not take any of such Briggs engines or equipment with them in trade.

 

[daugen]

900 is a smaller engine. Do not know what you meant by a lower spec?


Cylinder heads used to be all iron. Then aluminum with steel liners.
and then some with no liner, a disposable engine. That's what I meant as a lower spec.
I have three Briggs this size, one 1350 and one 1650. The latter particularly is a marvelous
engine on my log splitter.

and btw:
:welcome:

 

[facereader]

Perfect. Yes, it seems to be a lower spec engine, and I would not be surprised that both are. The quality of casting suggests both engines were made in a shop in Kabul.


Thanks for the welcome.