Have you done a compression test? I would do one first before I would say the engine was wore out. I have heard that an aluninium bore has an average life of 500 hours and a cast iron sleeve is good for 1000 to 1500 and some of the industrial engines 3000+.
B&S engine life.
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Country, Be very careful to state what kind of aluminum bore. The better variants of Nikasil (nickel silicon carbide plated aluminum bore) have many times (up to about 10 times) the wear life of cast iron. That is a major reason why modern 2 stroke motorcycles last so long under such high stress. Those Nikasil plated bores will outlast many pistons and tons of rings before needing to be renewed.
Chris
Chris
Cujet, sorry if you misunderstood but I thought we were talking about briggs engines here. What do you think someone can expect with a briggs intek aluminium bore? I have one on a generator and looked around at a few forums and I heard 500 hours with good maintainence.
Country, sorry I get carried away.
I think that the EPA guide is accurate. So, for a larger Briggs aluminum bore engine that might be used on a generator, say 10HP, 250 hours would be the expected point at which compression losses would cause an increase in emissions. That could be due to valve sealing also. 500 to up to 750 hours would be the expected ultimate life if very well maintained. Once again, if modified with things such as oil coolers, larger oil capacity, better air filters and such, the life could be extended far beyond the basic numbers
I do not dislike Briggs engines, my all time favorite is the 5 HP flathead. Remember, with normal use, the average Briggs lasts over 10 years.
Chris
I think that the EPA guide is accurate. So, for a larger Briggs aluminum bore engine that might be used on a generator, say 10HP, 250 hours would be the expected point at which compression losses would cause an increase in emissions. That could be due to valve sealing also. 500 to up to 750 hours would be the expected ultimate life if very well maintained. Once again, if modified with things such as oil coolers, larger oil capacity, better air filters and such, the life could be extended far beyond the basic numbers
I do not dislike Briggs engines, my all time favorite is the 5 HP flathead. Remember, with normal use, the average Briggs lasts over 10 years.
Chris
My neighbor has one of those cheap John Deeres named a sabre that he bought I think about five to six years ago. It has a fourteen horse power built B&S single. Well anyways me and another neighbor also uses this mower and we fill it up with gas when we return it. And if anything needs to be fixed or something we split the cost. But anyway what I wanted to say is that we put on average about 275 to 300 hours on it a year. We change the oil every ten hours and we use Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15w40 oil. Have never had that engine apart and it still starts the first hit of the key. Right now the hourmeter is reading 1714.8 hours. It hardly uses any oil at all. It will only be down a pint when we change the oil. It all smokes at start-up but it hardly noticable.
They seem to be designed to last at least as long as a good share of what they are attached to. That's a good design, if not overkill.
That was a type-o. We change the oil every 15 hours not 10 hours. Also I didn't mean to lead ya to believe this mower uses oil. I ment to say that the most oil cunsomsion we have seen has been about a pint at oil change.
I have a lawn tractor that is a vintage 1987 model.It has a B&S on it.I use only regular HD 30 conventional in it.
I also use the cheap oil like Advance and SuperTech.The only thing I have done internally is to remove carbon,a small amount,from the cylinder head a couple of years ago.
It uses little if any oil between changes.I change the oil in it about twice a year.
I clean and re-oil the air filter about once a year.
All in all,it is a good engine.
I like B&S over the others.
I also use the cheap oil like Advance and SuperTech.The only thing I have done internally is to remove carbon,a small amount,from the cylinder head a couple of years ago.
It uses little if any oil between changes.I change the oil in it about twice a year.
I clean and re-oil the air filter about once a year.
All in all,it is a good engine.
I like B&S over the others.
I just filed down the stretched valves on my 5hp self propelled. It has 4 years/350 hours on it. It starts on the first pull(like it it did before it lost power)cold or hot. No problem.
Just a note If you mow a hilly yard or around a lake would explain your motor problem. Most briggs are splash oil system and run semi dry when not on perfect level ground. I should know since I ruined 2 engines letting them run on a slight hill while clearing kids toys from the yard .
where at the Techumsas? My 4.5 HP mower is 16 years old (craftsman) and over 600 hours on it. Changed to synthetic 10 years ago and change oil in Spring and end of July. Starts fine when hot, uses a little oil. My problem is parts, especially bags, they are no longer made!
I've got an old 2.5hp Briggs with a steel liner. I don't know how many hours it has on it, but it's had regular use since.........1960. I recently took it apart with the intention of honing it and putting in new rings, but decided it wasn't worth the trouble since it's still in such good condition.
What I've been wondering about, is why do small engines usually wear out so quickly? I mean, even with ridiculously good maintainence 1000 hours is a long life for a steel bore engine. In that time the piston has gone up and down about 216 million times. My Jeep's pistons have gone up and down nearly 500 million times, and it's still got alot of life left!
[ October 09, 2004, 01:47 AM: Message edited by: ZmOz ]
What I've been wondering about, is why do small engines usually wear out so quickly? I mean, even with ridiculously good maintainence 1000 hours is a long life for a steel bore engine. In that time the piston has gone up and down about 216 million times. My Jeep's pistons have gone up and down nearly 500 million times, and it's still got alot of life left!
[ October 09, 2004, 01:47 AM: Message edited by: ZmOz ]
There are a number of factors involved in engine life. Water cooling is a big one. Oil filters may play a part too. Another one is the overall quality of the parts. But maybe the biggest one is the fact that automotive and aircraft engines generally run for a while once started, and are used regularly.
Our aerobatic aircraft do not get used often anymore and the cylinders are wearing out due to corrosion. Total time is less than 200 hours!
Chris
Our aerobatic aircraft do not get used often anymore and the cylinders are wearing out due to corrosion. Total time is less than 200 hours!
Chris
Not being used, maybe however I think it is simply lower quality parts. Few people want to pay over $200 for a mower these days and with the price of labor (like weed/grass trimers) they are becoming throw away machines. The manufactureres usually give the customer what they want and we IMO want poor quality low priced equipment.
I just recently paid $40 for an old 2.5 hp, B&S powered gas edger. The machine burns no oil at all and only required a little carb adjustment. It starts on the first or second pull every time. Great machine. I actually found the manual for it on B&S' web site (good job, B&S
). It was copyrighted 1976, so the engine is at LEAST 20 years old, probably closer to 30 or more.
Look for the code number stamped on the blower housing. The first two digits are the year it was made.quote:
Originally posted by Matt_S:
I just recently paid $40 for an old 2.5 hp, B&S powered gas edger. The machine burns no oil at all and only required a little carb adjustment. It starts on the first or second pull every time. Great machine. I actually found the manual for it on B&S' web site (good job, B&S). It was copyrighted 1976, so the engine is at LEAST 20 years old, probably closer to 30 or more.
ZmOz - What I've been wondering about, is why do small engines usually wear out so quickly? I mean, even with ridiculously good maintainence 1000 hours is a long life for a steel bore engine. In that time the piston has gone up and down about 216 million times. My Jeep's pistons have gone up and down nearly 500 million times, and it's still got alot of life left!
Pressure lubrication, oil filters, lower operating temps, and not running wide open all the time.
Pressure lubrication, oil filters, lower operating temps, and not running wide open all the time.
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