B&S engine life.

[KJA426]

Is it just me or has B&S quality gone south. When I was a kid it seemed that we had mowers with this brand engine and they would run for fifteen or twenty years. Now mine seem to be pretty worn out after about five to seven years.

 

[SteveD2]

quote:

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Originally posted by KJA426:
Is it just me or has B&S quality gone south. When I was a kid it seemed that we had mowers with this brand engine and they would run for fifteen or twenty years. Now mine seem to be pretty worn out after about five to seven years.

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No, it hasn't. The standard aluminum flathead engine is almost completely unchanged since they started making them in the '50s. The outsides of the newer OHV engines are a little cheaper, more plastic, etc, but the insides are still very similar to the old flatheads.

 

[obbop]

This was a very interesting thread.

 

[Slick 55]

Briggs engines used to have hardened crankshafts and the blocks were made of a better quality aluminum. When I was still racing WKA the older 5hp engines with the cam gear integral in the crank were highly sought. The were hardened and would last for years of running. New cranks would be a .003 or so out of round in the first season. The old blocks would last much longer as well.

 

[SteveD2]

quote:

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Originally posted by Brett Miller:
New cranks would be a .003 or so out of round in the first season.

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In racing, yeah, they can get pretty rough pretty quick. But how often does an engine in normal service have to be replaced/rebuilt because the crank is too worn?

 

[kkat]

Ive been repairing small engines for some time and have worked on them all and the older models with the cast iron sleeves or even the newer i/c with the sleeves can last forever, Ive had them come into my shop locked up (LOW OR NO OIL)and have been able to free them up and are still running today, The new alum engines wont last long unless they are maintained, the commericial motors I work on can have 1500/2000 hours on them and still have good compression but then again its all in how they are maintained, Ive seen new motors ruined in 2 seasons because of lack of maintaining them

 

[JohnBrowning]

If cared for the engine should outlast all of the other parts. The carbs are the weak link. You will have to rebuild the carb two-three times and then when the mowering deck and tractor body rusts out you throw it away with the engine still running. In my 31 years I have never seen a Brigs with a worn out engine unless the unit was pushed into commerical like use. For comercial or heavy duty use the Kohler V-Twins are hard to beat.

 

[Slick 55]

The only engine that beats a Kohler is an Onan.

 

[JohnBrowning]

People are always surprised how little I know about workingon small engines! I tell them I have never had to work on one. The only problems I normal get with them are carb related.I put a new sparkplug on them yearly and a new filter. Change the oil twice a year. I just started useing a carb cleaner or injector cleaner once a year.

It is always about ballanceing and sharpening blades or changine belts etc....... Sometimes a switch or conector goes bad. The engine just is not the problem normaly!