Engine Icing Up

[Skywatcher]

Greetings All

A customer has a B&S V-twin engine on a grain auger that is icing up the crankcase breather system and pressuring up the crankcase. Does anyone know if there is a winterization kit for this engine to prevent icing problems like this? Thanks and all the best,

Sky

Engine Information:
Make: Briggs and Stratton
Model: 543477
Type: 0065-E1
Code: 05051112

[KE4AVB]

Probably will something that Briggs would need to be involved in.

As icing problem where is it actually icing in the PVC or the hose? Just curious. If the hose it just may need insulating. I know it probably done insulted. The only icing problems that I have both on small engines and on aircraft has been carburetor icing and they just reroute some of the heat via ducts to the affected area.

[bgsengine]

Same as with cars. engine needs to get run for long enough time to get full operating temperature and for long enough to burn off the crankcase moisture that builds up over time. Otherwise, need to find where the ice builds up and engineer a way to direct engine heat to the area (fashion an air duct from over exhaust pipes to direct warm air to the area that radiates off the exhaust, much like the Tecumseh snowblower air boxes many of us winter folk are familiar with)

[RoyM]

Has he tried disconnecting the breather hose from the air cleaner assembly and taping over the hole in the canister? It is a real problem in your area, you might call Power Source Canada at 1-800-663-9700 and talk to Mike.

[Skywatcher]

Thank you Gentlemen for your replies.

Roy, for the moment, we've disconnected the PCV line from the breather on the rocker cover, plugged off the breather hose and run a draft tube from the breather down the side of the engine. This seems to keep the engine going for now, but it's not EPA compliant to say the least. I'll give Mike at PSC a call and see what he says. Thanks again,

Sky

[bgsengine]

but it's not EPA compliant to say the least.
Sky

Why would Canucks care about U.S. EPA? Anyhoo, it's not just emissions as a reason to have breather venting to clean air side of air filter - It's also to keep dirt and dust OUT of the breather (and by necessity, the engine crankcase!) So, it is not something you want to run for too long. Older style engines that did not have breather hose venting to air cleaner, they had their own air filter (that also helped trap oil mist) that had to be cleaned or replaced every so often..(typically when removed for valve service adjustment) new style ones have no such filter for the most part.

[RoyM]

I don't recommmend running it year round for that very reason but in very cold conditions it is the only way to keep the c/s seals from being pushed out. If you are skilled at metalwork you could fab a box to fit around an exhaust pipe and direct the heat over the carburetor and air filter.

[KE4AVB]

Sky, Just wondering since it appears to be a crankcase water vapor problem what is the likelihood of having 120 vac or 12 vdc available at the engine's location? I was thinking that a small crankcase heater would work to keep the oil above freezing temps. If nothing else it would starting a cold engine much easier.

Kat's makes a 5 x 5 in 75W 12v heater that could be attached to bottom of the crankcase for heating the oil. Of course you need a way to control it such as a time delay relay or temperature switch. Now there is magnetic version that wound need strapping to the engine because it aluminum. Another drawback is that the magnetic version is 120V so an inventor would be needed to convert 12V but at it shuts off 275 F. At 275F at least all the water would vaporized. I know my old 73 international would have so much crankcase water vapor that everything was turning white until I increased the thermostat temp setting.

Just thinking out loud.....

[plotthound]

we have the same problem here in Ontario in the winter with kohler powered argo's.the damn kohlers will ice up the pcv line and pop the crank seals out.the fix from the argo dealer was to block the air intake off which didn't work then they suggested to remove the air breather intake hose and pipe it to a warm place which also was a failure.finally they put in a warmer thermostat and that seems to have solved the problem.i hope this helps.

[RoyM]

That works on a liquid cooled engine which Briggs no longer offers. There was talk of a winter kit for the Vanguard twins but I don't know if anything came of it. One of my customers in Alberta had this problem, he was using a zero turn for snow removal. Briggs said not their problem, it was up to the OEM if they were going to supply snow blades for their machines. OEM served it back to Briggs saying the engine should be for year round use regardless of application.