11 HP Briggs & Stratton, 48lesco where are you?

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 3:42 pm

I always try to help a neighbor out on anything mechanical if I can, and keep it cheap.
It's out of his favorite "rough cut" riding mower from the farm.
Not too optimistic about this one though....
Don't think this one is worth fixing???

Goodysnap · Post by **Goodysnap** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 5:15 pm

Looks as though it got run out of oil. Normally Briggs motors can stand quite a beating on little oil. I can remember an old simplicity we had when i was younger and it would sieze up when run low. Let it cool down, top it off and away we go. Granted it burned more oil than gas.

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 7:12 pm

I agree, Briggs motors are usually pretty tough, but I think a rod bolt loosened and caused this one.
It had plenty of oil in it, and the owner is a stickler for maintenance on his stuff.

Several years ago I had a smaller Briggs push mower motor lose a rod bolt completely and found it laying in the case, with the u-shaped cap bent severely, and the other bolt good and tight.
No other damage.
A few taps back and forth with a hammer on the cap till the clearance felt ok, and it ran fine for years after.

Not this time..one bolt broken in 2 and the other severely bent

48lesco · Post by **48lesco** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 12:13 am

Brewsky - I'm here for you!!! Sorry - just noticed your post and no, don't fix that. Definately starved for oil but that doesn't mean it was low on oil. Those motors only had slingers, not pressure-fed lube systems which seemed to me like a corner that Briggs shouldn't have cut. What you have there can happen if the engine was run at the wrong angle for a length of time, or if the slinger/governor gear was damaged. Anyway, not Briggs finest hour. Hope you found a good replacement for your neighbor.

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 5:36 am

Thanks 48,
Yep, too scored for bore job and replacement parts are high.
Local repair guy had 3 whole running mowers for less than a short block.
He did say I had some good parts, though!

Now you got me worried about mowing my back yard!
For part of it I have to lean off like a crotch rocket rider in a sharp curve to keep from flipping over!

48lesco · Post by **48lesco** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 4:04 pm

Glad it worked out. Just keep the oil level where it should be and you will be fine unless you tip over and roll down the hill... In that case you should kill the engine:)

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 8:53 pm

Good tip!

One of our dozer operators rolled a D-5 off a bench he was cutting and landed about 30' below, away from the dozer luckily, which ended up on its side still running.
We were thinking the worst, till he jumped up, ran over and cut it off.