Briggs snow blower engine

[Dale_W]

engine is: Briggs 20A114-0363-E1 Code 050 506 YE

A little history: during the winter of 2022-2023 somehow a LOT of water found it's way into this engine. and I mean a LOT. The engine would not spin, in fact, it would get about 1 rotation and there'd be a heavy clank sound from the crankcase. I had nothing to lose, so I drained the water, some oil came out too, and cracked the engine open. Turns out the push rods were pretty badly bent. I ordered and installed new pushrods and lifters and all the gaskets. Put it together, adjusted the valves, and it seemed to run fine. During the winter of 2023-2024 it also ran just fine. I should mention this snowblower lives at my sons house. A few weeks ago I picked it up to store in a pole barn for summer and sure enough, while no clanking, the engine is super hard to turn over. I drained the oil expecting water again. Nope. No water.

Could the valves be so far out of adjustment that it would be so hard to turn over? I should have pulled the spark plug but did not.

Any thoughts on what could be going on here? Where would I look first?

Thank you

Dale

[RoyM]

Unless the push rods are bent again there would be no reason for the valves to be be badly out of adjustment. At any rate that wouldn't cause the engine to lock up. You need to do a little more digging. Did the engine get submerged again?

[KE4AVB]

With the previous water laden oil I would be leaning toward the rod/crank connection seizing. But that just an opinion base other engine failures. May not be the problem or could be worst.

[Dale_W]

thanks for the replies. I have moved the snowblower to summer storage, so I only see it maybe one day a week. Today I removed the valve cover and pulled the push rods. The are still straight. Near as i can tell, no water intrusion this time.

Looks like on my next visit I will pull the engine and bring it home. When I get it apart, I'll let you know what I find. It will probably be a few weeks.

Thanks again.

Dale

[Dale_W]

RoyM
Well, I wouldn't say it got submerged again. While there might be some water in the now drained crankcase oil, it wasn't full of water like last time.
I got the engine home, and pulled the spark plug. It spun over just fine from the recoil starter, and guess what came blasting out of the spark plug hole.
Yeah. Water again. I am pretty convinced that it was a ticked-off neighbor that filled the crankcase full of water two winters ago. Heaven forbid this machine get put in the garage after a use. I can't fathom how water could get into the cylinder on top of the piston for this winters adventure.

I'll adjust up the valves, put it together with fresh oil and gas, and see where we stand.

Thanks for the input.


Dale

[KE4AVB]

Sounds like a time someone was spiking my truck's gas tank. In that case I notice a cicada shell in the fill tube. A lock gas cap solved the problem. I did have remove the tank twice to empty water before the lock gas cap.

[Dale_W]

KE4AVB
Truck tank is a way bigger issue. Plus you ain't making money while working on your stuff. Some people just plain suck.
You shouldn't have to lock your gas cap. But I'd say in an urban area with ally's for garage entrances maybe putting the snowblower in the garage might be a good idea?
What do I know.

I drained the gas yesterday and put it back together. (not much was taken apart) Now that i look at the symptoms and how the engine behaved, pulling the spark plug should have been a first part of the diagnosis. Live and learn. The engine seems to run fine now. I'll pop it back on the snowblower on my next visit to the storage unit and call it a day.

Thanks again

Dale