best way to clean crankcase small briggs

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when the oil is really dirty what's the best way to clean the crankcase, besides pulling it apart? right now the carburetor and feel tank is off, I'm wondering if it's worth filling up halfway with diesel or kerosene to clean it and then drain before starting.
 
Wouldn't hurt to use some diesel fuel, CRC Motor Treatment, or SeaFoam to clean things.

On the preventive maintenance side of things, I change the oil in my 4-cycle engines twice as often as recommended. An extra 20-oz's of oil is cheap insurance and ensures long-term operation with less hassles.
 
this mower is constantly operated and dusty environment, the entire inside of the carburetor throat was covered with dirt. so that's what's causing the oil to be so dirty that I'd like to clean at this oil change.

147gr .308?
 
Originally Posted By: 1 FMF
this mower is constantly operated and dusty environment, the entire inside of the carburetor throat was covered with dirt. so that's what's causing the oil to be so dirty that I'd like to clean at this oil change.

147gr .308?


Does if have a properly working air filter? I would doubt it.
 
I'm a big spender too with my lawnmower. I change the oil more frequently than the factory suggests. I generally have enough oil left over from my two cars and when I have enough then it must be time for an oil change for the mower. My Honda lawnmower is about 10 years old and still starts on the first pull.
 
yes the air filter is the main problem, hopefully I have it sealed this time
 
I would get it hot and pour in some kerosene and slosh it around, Harley Davidson used to tell you in service manuals to clean out the oil tank this way and it does work.
 
Seafoam!
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Add a few ounces of berryman b-12 to a cold engine, crank it and let it run for say 20 seconds and shut it down. Tilt the mover in several directions to slosh the mix around and let it sit for say 10 minutes and drain. refill with either 15w 40 rotella, or 5w40 rotella as they have lots of detergents.
 
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Unbolt it from the deck, fill it half full of some petroleum based solvent/fuel and shake it like a martini shaker.

Or just change the oil and not worry about it. No matter what you do it could last 40 more years or clunk out tomorrow.
 
Gasoline is a great solvent. Run it around, pour it back out and then mix it with some more gas to run in an engine. My dad and I used it many times as an oil solvent in small engine cases.
 
Originally Posted By: jhellwig
Unbolt it from the deck, fill it half full of some petroleum based solvent/fuel and shake it like a martini shaker.


that's what i'm thinking, i don't feel like doing many oil changes and I'm looking to do at least something now before i start it since it's mostly apart. it's a simple craftsman mower so i think with just the blade off, 3 or 4 bolts and the engine comes off the deck.
 
What makes you think that the engine is really dirty? Unless chunks came out when you changed it I wouldn't worry to much. The oil in these can get black and nasty looking ans still run forever. No need to spend a to on money cleaning something that is going to have the oil looking dark and nasty the next time you change it anyways. It isn't a corvette motor.
 
I make my living with small single piston engines and air pumps. Shooting nails is far faster than pounding them.

Now I have Honda engines with in excess of 10000 hours on them,and 2 with close to 15000 hours.
Now this is unheard of so I'm told. I dunno. I run 100 hour intervals or 2 weeks,whichever comes first,I add mos2 into every second interval and I can pretty much guarantee the innards of my 16 air compressors,and 7 generators are clean.
And if not I don't care. They run flawlessly.
 





what makes me think it's dirty is because the entire carb throat was dirt, and the oil came out like gritty chocolate milk.
the kerosene did the trick,
used about 2 quarts total, a pint first shook it drained chocolate milk, did it again not as bad. third time put about a quart of kerosene in and shook it all around, drained out clear. ran it for about 15 minutes with 10w30 to heat it up and burn off the kerosene, drained the oil and it came out clear. in the past it would get black almost immediately after new oil. running 20w50 in it now. hopefully the air cleaner will seal good now and be the solution.
 
There should be a gasket where the air cleaner housing attaches to the carb. Also the air cleaner element should be oiled. If it isn't oiled dirt will pass through.

There isn't much to the air filter. Kinda hard to mess up.


Edit maybe there isn't a gasket. I am not sure. There is an upgraded air filter for those though.
 
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the gasket i don't think worked because the air filter housing is plastic and somewhat flexible and seems bent where it mounts to the carb. just a cheap part. the silicone seemed to do the trick there, now i can feel the frame seal when it mounts to the carb. i should have used the silicone a long time ago instead of messing with that gasket.
 
Leave it alone. Just run a couple of short OCIs with PYB SAE30 and keep a close eye on your dirt ingestion problem to make sure that you have it solved. If it has a foam air filter, are you oiling it properly?
Also, check the throttle valve in your carburetor for looseness. All of that dirt ingestion will wear it out and the engine will suck air and dirt in around the loose shaft. Unfortunately the cure for this problem is a new carburetor.
 
If you have already flushed it out, you should be good as far as the crankcase goes, but if you have been sucking in so much dirt that the inside of the carburetor was dirty, I am sure you have done major damage to the rings and cylinder walls. Oil air filter properly, and keep it full of clean oil, and run it.
 
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