I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I just bought an old snapper push mower a couple weeks ago (think its a 78) and was told by the guy I bought it from he had changed the oil, cleaned and oiled the air filter, new plug, and replaced the drive belt. Well, the plug and belt do look new, but the air filter wasn't touched, and the oil looked awfully thin, like water. I took care of the air filter, but the oil was real metallic looking when I drained it, and super thin, even when cold. the engine runs great, doesn't make any unusual noises, and has a little end play in the crank, but no back in forth in the bearings. I got to thinking though, all the pictures I've seen of these with the 3.5hp briggs, show them with a dipstick tube, but mine doesn't have one, just the white plastic plug that threads into the fill hole in the bottom of the case that has the two little nubs on it you can stick a screw driver in to turn it off. I've only been able to find one other snapper like mine for sale on craigslist that had the same plug as mine and not a dipstick. I have the oil filled to the the threads for the plug, is this high enough, or is this thing supposed to have a dipstick tube and dipstick and have more oil in it? I can't use it until I get this straightened out. The snapper model # is V212P and serial # is 81020366. I'm not to sure on whether this is the original engine, or if the engine cover is different, as the sticker is all faded, but i swear I can make out 4h.p. on it, but the air filter when I look it up is said to be for a 3.0-3.5hp engine, and I don't think they used a 4h.p. on these until in the 80's sometime. The numbers off the engine cover are as follows- model # 92908, type # 1826 01, and Code # 77110208. Can anyone help me out? Don't wanna blow this thing up cause I didn't have enough oil in it.
Need help with my old snapper mower
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Some of those engines (a lot in fact) have what you are describing, instead of a normal top mounted dipstick. Everyone of them that I've had, in fact have that. the plug should still have a dipstick on it. If not you can usually eyeball the oil level and get it close enough. Those briggs aren't particularly picky.
I've seen the newer engines like your talking about, but the have a dipstick tube for lack of a better term, cast into the engine case now, with a yellow plug that I'm assuming has a dipstick on the end of it. Mine is just a white plastic plug and the part of the case that it threads into is to shallow to have a dipstick on the end of it, this is why I'm worried that maybe someone rigged it with a plug instead the dipstick tube it should have and not getting enough oil in it.
The 3.5 Classic Briggs is a TOUGH engine.. mine was the only Briggs that didn't use oil or fog for pests in the area though until It got REALLY REALLY up in hours. I mowed Churches and other areas with it. If I wasn't running it someone else was. It ran 4-5 hours a day 5 days a week 3 weeks off for Christmas for 8 years. It finally got so tired I modified the gov spring to 4K RPM or maybe a smidge higher so it wouldn't stall in thick grass. It lost compression. after commercial type use for 8 years.I miss it
I don't know if it's the original engine but the B&S with the plug do not have a dipstick. You fill them to about the bottom of the cap threads as you did. Whether they have a dipstick or just a plug the oil capacity is 20 ounces. So even if it had a dipstick tube the oil level would be at the same level and amount.
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the snappers ive had always only had plugs on each side of the bottom on the engine. you fill it until it drips out just like you would a tranny/diff then put the cap back on.
i used to love popping wheelies on my fathers snappers as a boy.
i used to love popping wheelies on my fathers snappers as a boy.
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Originally Posted By: mechanicx
I don't know if it's the original engine but the B&S with the plug do not have a dipstick. You fill them to about the bottom of the cap threads as you did. Whether they have a dipstick or just a plug the oil capacity is 20 ounces. So even if it had a dipstick tube the oil level would be at the same level and amount.
This is kinda what I was thinking, but wanted to be sure. Wish I would have payed attention to how much oil I put in it. not sure it it was 20oz. or not. I'll have to check the bottle when I get home.
I don't know if it's the original engine but the B&S with the plug do not have a dipstick. You fill them to about the bottom of the cap threads as you did. Whether they have a dipstick or just a plug the oil capacity is 20 ounces. So even if it had a dipstick tube the oil level would be at the same level and amount.
This is kinda what I was thinking, but wanted to be sure. Wish I would have payed attention to how much oil I put in it. not sure it it was 20oz. or not. I'll have to check the bottle when I get home.
Yeah but as long as you have the oil level to the bottom of the fill hole threads then the level is correct. If you copied the engine codes down you could look up the manuals for the engine on B&S website and see if it originally had a dipstick. You might also be able to look up mower model with Snapper and see which engine model it came with. I'm not sure about Snapper but older Briggs and Stratton didn't usually have a dipstick.
I tryed looking it up on briggs and stratton's website, but they must have changed model numbers somewhere along the line. They ask for a 6 digit model number and mine is only 5. It also looks like the combine the model and type numbers on the newer stuff.
That old B&S design was pretty much idiot-proof, you could not overfill it with oil to a dangerous level. If you tried, it would just run out onto the deck. Those engines took exactly 16oz of oil after draining the old oil out. This will put the oil level right to the bottom of the threads. Use a quality SAE30 motor oil in it and check the oil level before each use.
BTW, once a season you should pull the top shroud off and clean the cooling system with compressed air. Pay particular attention to the area next to the fuel tank and the deflector that goes under the engine, make sure that this is clear. If this area plugs with debris (a known problem on rear bag Snappers), cooling air won't flow between the cylinder and the gas tank, then the gas tank will get very hot and the cast top part of the tank will warp. If it isn't warped too bad B&S makes a repair kit to fix the problem (a small roll pin and small teflon washer), but if it warps badly you will have to take a flat metal file and CAREFULLY file the top of the casting flat so it will seal again. I have done hundreds and hundreds of these.
BTW, once a season you should pull the top shroud off and clean the cooling system with compressed air. Pay particular attention to the area next to the fuel tank and the deflector that goes under the engine, make sure that this is clear. If this area plugs with debris (a known problem on rear bag Snappers), cooling air won't flow between the cylinder and the gas tank, then the gas tank will get very hot and the cast top part of the tank will warp. If it isn't warped too bad B&S makes a repair kit to fix the problem (a small roll pin and small teflon washer), but if it warps badly you will have to take a flat metal file and CAREFULLY file the top of the casting flat so it will seal again. I have done hundreds and hundreds of these.
I forgot to mention, the B&S 92908 IS a 3.5hp engine. A 4hp from the same era is a 110908.
Both of them originally came with a vertical pull starter and an oil dipstick tube with dipstick, although you could remove the dipstick tube, unscrew/remove the rubber seal, and replace them with a plug. Replacement shortblocks came this way from the factory. If the engine block is painted a silver/grey color, the shortblock has been replaced.
Both of them originally came with a vertical pull starter and an oil dipstick tube with dipstick, although you could remove the dipstick tube, unscrew/remove the rubber seal, and replace them with a plug. Replacement shortblocks came this way from the factory. If the engine block is painted a silver/grey color, the shortblock has been replaced.
the block is still painted white, so maybe it is still the original. I snapped a pic of the fill plug. Judging by the whitness mark on the engine cover, and the missing bolt, I'd say it used to have a dipstick tube. I checked my bottle of oil, and it looked like I got 15-16oz. of oil in it. everyone else had told me it took 20oz., so it took lots of patience, but I managed to get close to 20oz. in it. there is no oring on the plug, nor does the plug look like the factory ones, so it looks like this thing is probably going to leak when I use it. I may try and find a dipstick and tube assembly. I have G OIL SAE 30 in it right now.
No. That engine takes EXACTLY 16oz of oil, 20oz is way overfull. Trust me, I have changed the oil on thousands of these. The splash lubrication system is very intolerant of overfilling and the engine will be damaged by running it with too much oil in it.
The reason that Snapper specified a dipstick and fill tube on this engine was because the way the engine was mounted on the deck made it difficult to check and add oil, especially with the bag chute in place.
The reason that Snapper specified a dipstick and fill tube on this engine was because the way the engine was mounted on the deck made it difficult to check and add oil, especially with the bag chute in place.
Is there usually an oring on the fill plugs? I think i'm gonna just run it with a plug for now, at least till I get around to restoring it. If I spend any more money on it right now, my wife might have a fit
Originally Posted By: afoulk
Is there usually an oring on the fill plugs? I think i'm gonna just run it with a plug for now, at least till I get around to restoring it. If I spend any more money on it right now, my wife might have a fit
The plastic screw-in oil plug does not have a gasket or o-ring.
For the dipstick setup, there is a rubber thing with a hole in the middle that screws into the oil plug hole. The plastic dipstick tube is friction fit into hole in the rubber thing, with one small sheet metal bolt near the top holding it to the cooling shroud.
Is there usually an oring on the fill plugs? I think i'm gonna just run it with a plug for now, at least till I get around to restoring it. If I spend any more money on it right now, my wife might have a fit
The plastic screw-in oil plug does not have a gasket or o-ring.
For the dipstick setup, there is a rubber thing with a hole in the middle that screws into the oil plug hole. The plastic dipstick tube is friction fit into hole in the rubber thing, with one small sheet metal bolt near the top holding it to the cooling shroud.
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Thanks wag, I guess I'll just run it as is for now. Is the oil usually pretty metallic looking coming out of these, our do I have a problem? I know after a season of mowing with the 4.5HP Tecumseh on my lawn boy, it comes out pretty dark, but never real metallic looking
Originally Posted By: afoulk
Is there usually an oring on the fill plugs? I think i'm gonna just run it with a plug for now, at least till I get around to restoring it. If I spend any more money on it right now, my wife might have a fit
You sound like you're still set on getting a disptick. It didn't come with one. I wish I still had one with a plug instead of the dipstick. Oil filled to the threads, be done with it.
Is there usually an oring on the fill plugs? I think i'm gonna just run it with a plug for now, at least till I get around to restoring it. If I spend any more money on it right now, my wife might have a fit
You sound like you're still set on getting a disptick. It didn't come with one. I wish I still had one with a plug instead of the dipstick. Oil filled to the threads, be done with it.
Originally Posted By: afoulk
The numbers off the engine cover are as follows- model # 92908, type # 1826 01, and Code # 77110208. Can anyone help me out? Don't wanna blow this thing up cause I didn't have enough oil in it.
That codes equates to 1977, month 11(Nov), 2nd day... The 08 is a plant code...
Back in the day I always filled them to the top of the threads(yes approx 20oz), never had a issue and that was cutting at least three or four lawns a week...
The dipstick on similar vintage B&S engines suck... Problem is the long tube air locks and traps approx two ounces of oil in it, so when you check oil it reads 3/4 or farther up the stick... I have a 1980 that uses that setup, so usually i'll loosen the oil fill after cutting then retighten and check oil at next start up, a little over full defiantly doesn't hurt those...
BTW metallic isn't good, probably has seen few oil changes...
The numbers off the engine cover are as follows- model # 92908, type # 1826 01, and Code # 77110208. Can anyone help me out? Don't wanna blow this thing up cause I didn't have enough oil in it.
That codes equates to 1977, month 11(Nov), 2nd day... The 08 is a plant code...
Back in the day I always filled them to the top of the threads(yes approx 20oz), never had a issue and that was cutting at least three or four lawns a week...
The dipstick on similar vintage B&S engines suck... Problem is the long tube air locks and traps approx two ounces of oil in it, so when you check oil it reads 3/4 or farther up the stick... I have a 1980 that uses that setup, so usually i'll loosen the oil fill after cutting then retighten and check oil at next start up, a little over full defiantly doesn't hurt those...
BTW metallic isn't good, probably has seen few oil changes...
Originally Posted By: bvance554
You sound like you're still set on getting a disptick. It didn't come with one. I wish I still had one with a plug instead of the dipstick. Oil filled to the threads, be done with it.
I went back and look at the picture that is posted, with that unpainted pattern on the cover, appears it originally did have a diptube bracket bolted to it...
You sound like you're still set on getting a disptick. It didn't come with one. I wish I still had one with a plug instead of the dipstick. Oil filled to the threads, be done with it.
I went back and look at the picture that is posted, with that unpainted pattern on the cover, appears it originally did have a diptube bracket bolted to it...
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