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Customers should change oil filters...

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Customers should change oil filters...

Postby KE4AVB » Wed Oct 31, 2018 11:28 am

I just got through tearing down a 310000 series that was seized. Not the normal lack of oil seizure either. It the first time I have seen the $3 AVS Counterweight plug failure. It sent plastic pieces though the engine fusing the rod and AVS links to the crankshaft. Due the previous owner never changing oil (molasses) since engine the was new (2004) the oil filter was operating in bypass mode.

He claimed that just clip have came loose in the engine before. I kinda free bad for my customer since he only had the mower for three weeks but no bad for a free repair. ;) Just got to special order the dang plug now as I just in my Briggs order Friday and don't anywhere the free shipping amount and I have all the other parts on hand.

My curious as if many of our members seen this nylon plug to fail.
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby bgsengine » Wed Oct 31, 2018 1:10 pm

Far as I go, I dont know - I don't even do teardowns any more.. if the engine's seized after popping the flywheel and head(s) and verify it isn't a pulley jam, we quote a new engine.
How poor are they who have not patience. What wound did ever heal, but by degrees? - Iago (Othello Act II, Scene 3)
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby hanz63 » Wed Oct 31, 2018 7:09 pm

You know, it seems that too many of these Intek singles want to self destruct. Whether it is under serviced or not, but it doesn't help to run vintage oil. A week or two back I had a customer with 10 y/o Sears rider with an engine issue. The last time that I saw him was 2 years ago and my SO said that I added oil to test run. This time he said it made a funny noise like something loose, tinging in the engine. Won't crank now. Recorded it on his smartphone. Sounded like maybe the the arm sailed off the cam to me. Brought the oil level back up into the safe zone. Tries to crank, but seems like the compression release is inop. Takes 30 seconds to pry off the valve cover. Only thing visibly awry was excessive lash. Thought that I would reset the lash and look for the bump. Well, it started. The counter weight was tumbling around inside. That was the only the second time that I've heard a failed AVS. Didn't bother to grab the can opener. He was heading to buy a new rig. I said, buy a twin!
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby KE4AVB » Wed Oct 31, 2018 8:25 pm

I only seen one 310000 with a snap rod that was caused by running it without oil due to a bad head gasket these 31, 33, and 28 tend to blow regularly. Of the ACR on the 793880 camshaft tends to fail a lot too. This is my first AVS failure and it is just the nylon spacer. The engine probably would have ran a lot longer it was for the failed oil filter. Actually not a failure as they are design this way in case they get plugged.

There is no reason to kill off this engine because a $3 part failure. Of course cost more due gaskets and seals that will get replace since the engine a part. I only have about 40 of these 31 series under my wing currently. Personally I don't see the failures that everyone is complaining about so much other than the camshaft and head gasket failures; both which are easy fixes. My biggest engine problem is carbs.
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby hanz63 » Wed Oct 31, 2018 8:56 pm

The head gasket set up is their biggest issue, true. They can be sneaky when they begin to fail and the excess emissions isn't always noticed. If everyone parked the tractor on a level surface and checked the oil before they cranked it up more would survive. But then their camshaft is a higher failure item than it should be too. And sometimes that's fatal as well. Less valve guide failures than there used to be though. Carbs you say? :shock: Really, I can't recommend these anymore.
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby KE4AVB » Thu Nov 08, 2018 12:40 pm

Well ran into more problems with the 31Q I repairing. Beside the plastic seizure issue turn I also have an exhaust valve seat failure along with the valve guide misplaced and a blown head gasket... None of which showed once I freed the piston rod. Apparently the broken valve seat pieces had dislodged and was not inferring with the piston movement when I was going through the crankcase. I will need another head and piston. I got a good used head in stock just got await the piston.

There was no report of the engine using oil and its level was fine when I checked it but it should have been drinking and burning oil. Customer was not truthfully about the problems before failure as I asked was it using oil. He said no.

This has turned a $250 repair into a $410 repair. He is not going to like it but that what it will be. At least it is not the $1100 engine replacement the Husqvarna mower calls for.
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby hanz63 » Thu Nov 08, 2018 7:33 pm

I feel your pain. These seem like good little engines, then.... I will tell you this though. I price these out too and some being 11-1200$ and you turn around and compare the specs to a 600$ service engine and they are the same.
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby KE4AVB » Fri Nov 09, 2018 4:44 am

Yes I can get a 31R907-0007-G1 (17.5) which list for $571 to replace the 2008 18.5 rated engine which might be fine since the old engine is on the old rating system for more than twice the price of the current parts needed. The problem is how close was the old engine actually to the labeled HP. Still I would had recommend the more powerful engine as I done ran into this with one my 42" mowers that had a 310000 series that just barely was able to cut grass and this Husqvarna 42" would have the same problem and needs a true 18.5 or better engine. This would be the 33S877-0019-G1 (19hp) Promo engine which lists for around $623 plus an hour labor to put it on and wired it up properly.

What had got me on this engine was the pieces of the valve seat where in the muffler and I hadn't removed it. When I was turning the engine over accessing various areas they worked they way back into the exhaust port into the engine. Jamming it again once the valve had opened. Kinda lucky it did it. I would not had known until I had everything bolt down and attempted a start-up. It is first time I have ran into this kinda problem in a long time. Usually with a valve seat problem the engine still turns most of the way turn if pieces are in the cylinder and stops but this had done few complete turns after I got the stuck rod and counter balance link freed but I didn't have the camshaft and push rods in place before I was re-assembling the engine yesterday. This is what I get for thinking that the stuck rod and counter balance links to be the root problem caused by the destroyed plastic plug of the counter balance weight.

Sometimes surprises shows up on a repair and boy this is a big one and caught me off guard. :oops: And I am :x at myself for letting the engine do it do me.
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby hanz63 » Fri Nov 09, 2018 3:26 pm

It happens to all of us and an education is born. I have to say many of the things that you get into on the forum show that you are in it to learn more about your craft. Myself, I do very little in what one would call a rebuild anymore. Winter time if I have enough to put an engine together on the shelf and make a rider that can be worth my while I'll do it. Have you gotten signed up w/ your Briggs distributor yet? Even as the lowest trade account on the books, you get fairly decent pricing on some service engines. 31, 33, 44's and more. I know you were concerned earlier about non OEM Briggs parts on the shelf.
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Re: Customers should change oil filters...

Postby KE4AVB » Fri Nov 09, 2018 3:58 pm

I actually been signed with one Briggs distributor for several years but now I have three competing for the orders. What was my main problem a few months ago was that TEW went out and kill my decent Husqvarna and MTD oem reasonable price part source. Now I Gardner covering that area most times. The Oregon can come either Gardner or Power Distributors depending pricing, what is needed, and how press I am on delivery time.

Right now I entering my chainsaw and ATV repair season so neither the above distributors will be getting much in the line of orders. Sorta the piston assembly I needed this week. It was cheaper to just order it through Amazon as the others shipping costs when added exceeded the suggested retail price of the part.
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