Briggs Head Gasket Advise

[Dan Hunter]

I blew the head gasket on my 16 hp Briggs vertical shaft engine on my mower. It's not uncommon on this engine. The web between the cylinder and the pushrod galley is the narrowest and the distance between studs the greatest. The oil consumption is through the roof and the vacuum fuel pump is spitting oil.

Here's my problem: my mail delivery person is an Okie Redneck Hillbilly woman that has rolled up or bent every gasket Amazon has sent me. The agreed not to charge me for any of them but won't send me anymore. Granted, Amazon isn't stamping them "Do not bend" or "Do not fold" but then no one stamps an envelope "Don't jam this thing into the mailbox until it looks like a wad of tinfoil." One of them wasn't that bad. It wasn't folded but did disrupt the material bonded to the metal part of the gasket visually and may still be sound depending on what happens after it's crushed and heated. The metal part of the gasket has no crease though and the damage is not on the bridge between the cylinder and the pushrod galley.

I purchased one locally and it didn't have the same package and frankly looked dated with the material on the surface of the gasket flaking off in spots and looked more alloy than copper with stippling. It isn't bent but the circle for the cylinder doesn't look as perfect with much of the material - whatever it is - flaking off.

I'll attach photos but I'm entertaining thoughts for those here. The problem is as always that I live in a small town and have no options on purchasing. I'll likely install one of them though I view both as flawed but I'm open to suggestions.

 

[CalG]

So don't purchase from Amazon. Call someone who cares to package correctly.

 

[mjw357]

The problem is as always that I live in a small town and have no options on purchasing.

Don't feel bad. I live close-ish to major city and it's quite the norm for me to have to order things. No one stocks anything. I can call 10 different ag dealers/lawn garden/auto parts and get the same answer, 'don't have it, but I can get it'.

 

[flyerdan]

I'd suggest finding a small engine parts place online that has customer service that will actually answer emails, and see if they might cut up some scrap paneling or other thin wood to sandwich them, and buy two or three gaskets, since it happens more than once.
Small outfits that aren't slammed are more apt to help with issues like this, especially if they know the reason why.

 

[Dan Hunter]

Fixed and quite easily. These are surprisingly simple engines. I had drained the oil, refilled it, fired and warmed it up, and then changed the filter and oil again. It runs great.