Rider Mower problem

[Studebaker]

I have a Husqvarna YTH20B42T rider. it's the 42", with the 20HP Briggs & Stratton Intek motor. It's always been garaged and looks like new. The oil and filter is changed at the end of every season. It's about 5 yrs old, and I mow about 3/4 acre. It has 180 hours on it.

Today while mowing it let out a puff of smoke and died. Won't turn over, tighter than a drum. Plenty of clean oil. The motor has been loud for some time now, but I assumed that was normal.
Couple of questions
1. 5 yrs, 180 hours a normal life?
2. Replacement motor runs about $750+, if I put it in myself. Worth it or just throwing good money after bad.
3. If the motor is replaced, should I skip this model and see if I can fit a Kohler in there?
The mower was $1499 5 years ago.
Or do I cut my losses and move on. I'm not too impressed with the Intek motor if I only get 180 hours out of it.

 

[tomcat27]

I had an 18HP intek with many more hours on it. your case is unusual. perhaps someone else here can lend an experienced guess, otherwise, lets tear into it and see the cause! I would think it would be worth repowering...

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: Studebaker
If the motor is replaced, should I skip this model and see if I can fit a Kohler in there?


Definetly, when my Dad got a new Ridng Mower, I insisted that he stay away from Briggs and look for one with a Kohler or Kawasaki Engine.

Is this the motor with twin cylinders, meaning you have 2 spark plugs on this motor.

What brand of motor oil were you using.

What brand of oil filter were you using.

What color was the puff of smoke.

 

[Studebaker]

Blue smoke
1 cylinder
Texaco 30W
stp filter (Cross referenced with the B&S)

I guess i am wondering if it is worth spending $750+ on a 5 yr old $1500 rider when you can get a new one now for $1299 from Sears.

 

[tomcat27]

I'm a little puzzled - my 18 was a twin. I would highly recommend getting a twin cylinder - more torque, much smoother, probably longer life....

 

[Studebaker]

At the time my choice was the 2 cyl, or the 1 cyl with pressurized oil system and filter. I guess I chose wrong.

 

[-Clayton-]

Pull the plug and see if you can turn it over by hand.

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: Studebaker
I guess i am wondering if it is worth spending $750+ on a 5 yr old $1500 rider when you can get a new one now for $1299 from Sears.


Well, I am willing to bet that the Sears Mower has a Briggs Engine, why go down that road again.

You can go to Home Depot and pickup a Cub Cadet that has a Kohler Engine for about $1500.00

I have a neighbor who bought a John Deere Tractor back in 1993 for $3600 and it has a Kawasaki Engine on it, its still going strong, his property is 1.5 acres.

His next door neighbor who bought his 1st Sears Mower with a Briggs Engine is now on his 3rd Sears Lawn Mower, and he also has 1.5 acres.

 

[nitehawk55]

Before you condemn it I would have a tech look at it . It might not be a write off .
Had a friend with a rider that had a B&S that he though siezed . The started drive had poped up and jammed in the flywheel . I saw this on a twin cyl Brigs as well . Not saying it's that but it might not be as serious as it looks .

 

[rclint]

With all this B&S bashing the new Kohlers of the lower end that you wil be getting when purchasing this exact same mower is not without it's problems as well. I would choose a B&S over a Kohler when comparing these two entry grade engines.

Start checking at the valves, I bet you have a valve that has locked down which is no big deal the most it probably done is bent a pushrod. You can search the internet it's very easy to remove the head to correct this problem if it is your problem, and I'm betting it is.. I assume this is the OHV INTEK ?

In the future I would choose a HDEO such a Delo or Rotella HD 30, I don't think the oil had anything to do with your problem, however the HDEO is a better choice with about the same exact money being spent. If your replacing the motor which I would not do until looking into the problem on the motor you have.. I would in no way convert it over to Kohler as the wiring harness etc can become very detailed on these riding mowers making them pretty much a OEM frame/engine. Look for a B&S vanguard which is the top of the line and a fine engine !!

 

[Colt45ws]

Yeah, I would start looking at this stuff. I had a smaller B&S, an 8HP OHV have the valve rockers loosen to the point they wouldnt open. Seriously felt seized because of the amount of force needed to spin it.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: Studebaker

Today while mowing it let out a puff of smoke and died. Won't turn over, tighter than a drum. Plenty of clean oil.


It may not be the engine at all. Take a look underneath and make sure the transaxle drive belt didn't pop off and jamb around the crank pulley area. That will lock you up tight.

Joel

 

[95busa]

I went to Lowe's and got a 22HP Kohler on a 48" cut Troy-bilt for $1250 (after military discount). Small Briggs are excellent, I am still on the fence on the big ones.

 

[Studebaker]

All good suggestions. The noise I heard earlier could have been the valves hitting something. I need to go on line and figure out how to check that.

 

[addyguy]

I have a hard time believing a mower with 180 hours and regular oil changes would actually seize...must be something else.

Keep us updated!

 

[rclint]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
I have a hard time believing a mower with 180 hours and regular oil changes would actually seize...must be something else.

Keep us updated!


Mine done it at 8 hours a 24 hp B&S Craftsman DYT 4000 with of course the warranty just out by a month or so !! I had Mobil 1 synthetic in it as I ran the engine the first season I purchased at end of season, then changed using Mobil 1 synthetic can't remember but thinking 5 or 10w30. The valves had got a thick coating of varnish thick enough to be called coke I guess.. Anyway the entire valve area was crusted up with this mess, and also I cleaned the head which had a lot of carbon caked on as well from this problem. The other side looked great on carbon, however I pulled the other head as well due to the extreme varnish build up.. I was NOT impressed with Mobil 1 on a air cooled engine at all, and have/will never run it again in a air cooled engine.

I was disgusted at everyone from myself for putting the Mobil 1 oil in to the Craftsman dealership to warranty department. I straightened the bent aluminum pushrod out by hand, then put on a lathe to check concentric/runout which was perfect when I finished, I even went so far as to cut a new radii on each side of the pushrod for the bevel point where the most extreme mechanical wear would be.

I have since run Rotella HD 30 with zero problems. I have close to 200 hours on now, I have pulled the heads once more to check, clean etc which should be done on pretty much all aircooled engines at least every two years.

 

[boraticus]

I run Mobil 1 5W30 in my B&S engine on my snow thrower. It's an aluminum bore engine with maybe 35 hours on it. Performance has been excellent but oil consumption is an issue using synthetic. The engine probably uses an ounce for every two hours of operation but it doesn't smoke. That's unacceptable consumption in my opinion.

I had owned two other snow throwers for twenty years with 10 h.p. Tecumseh engines and ran nothing but conventional oil in them. No oil consumption at all. I plan to go back to using conventional oil in the B&S engine next season to see if it's an issue with the oil or just the nature of the engine.

 

[rclint]

I can tell you what that oil is turning into when it's being "lost". The coke or however you spell it in valves head area, and also a thick black slime on the oil pan which is not to bad considering it pretty much stays put... it's the head/valve are that builds up so thick case the valve to stick then the above happens... This is on two air cooled lawn engines I have personally tore down !! only one confirmed mobil 1 for the entire time though... as I suggested above run Delo or Rotella HD 30 things should look much better from then on.

boraticus I think your a pretty knowledgeable small engine person from reading your post on the board, pull the head off for a routine cleanup to see what I'm talking about, or if it's a flathead check the valves/stems... however I think there is more gas/vapor wash on the flathead valves os they make in fact look cleaner, still when that oil burns it leaves that nice carbon footprint on the piston/chamber area etc that causes so many problems on these aircooled engines.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: rclint
I can tell you what that oil is turning into when it's being "lost". The coke or however you spell it in valves head area, and also a thick black slime on the oil pan which is not to bad considering it pretty much stays put... it's the head/valve are that builds up so thick case the valve to stick then the above happens... This is on two air cooled lawn engines I have personally tore down !! only one confirmed mobil 1 for the entire time though... as I suggested above run Delo or Rotella HD 30 things should look much better from then on.

boraticus I think your a pretty knowledgeable small engine person from reading your post on the board, pull the head off for a routine cleanup to see what I'm talking about, or if it's a flathead check the valves/stems... however I think there is more gas/vapor wash on the flathead valves os they make in fact look cleaner, still when that oil burns it leaves that nice carbon footprint on the piston/chamber area etc that causes so many problems on these aircooled engines.


The B&S engine I have is OHV. I really appreciate your "heads up" and will give the engine a good inspection. I've been running a bit of SeaFoam through it on occasion. Hopefully, that might have minimized the carbon/coke build up.

 

[JTK]

I've also read of several OHV engine issues the last few years where the intake valve stuck in the head due to a sticky varnish build-up. The theory was moisture laden (or an old batch of) ethanol blended fuel was the cause.

Joel