L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal

   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal #1  

Rosher18

Bronze Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2016
Messages
61
Location
Salem
Tractor
Kubota
I've searched a bit online and on all 3 of my favorite tractor forums but have come up empty so far. I need to remove the motor to check inside the crankcase because I have good reason to believe the decompression cams aren't decompressing the cylinders during starting. I suspect this because it's very hard to start even though I've jumped the mower with a pair of 6V golf cart batteries in series.

Anyone have a write up on an engine removal? Maybe there's a way to fix the decompression cable without going inside the motor?

Thanks in advance for your help.
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal #2  
I don't know about engine removal, but I have probably every B&S manual in .pdf so that might help with the cable attachment, which should be to the cylinder heads. Let me know which engine it is and I can email the manual to you.
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal #3  
You of course verified that valve lash was set correctly or that the rocker studs / heads didn't have issues? The Intek engine has a small arm that pivots to slightly hold open each of the intake valves at cranking speeds. Many times with the valve cover off, you can see the little bump if it is working. I'll assume that this is a LA 135 with an Intek twin cylinder. There are not lots of cam compression release failures on the twin. Did I mention that there are not many compression release problems with the camshaft on these? The valves are set 1/4" past TDC .004" intake and .006" exhaust.
Should you have to pull the engine, it is quite simple. Off with the engine pulley, fuel line, 6 pin connector, starter lug, throttle / choke cables and 4 bolts. Pulling the deck may make your like easier.
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks to both of you for your responses. Flyerdan, the compression release on this motor is inside the crankcase, so there's no cable adjustment for it. My email is Robert (dot) Mosher (the number "13")@gmail.com, and I thank you in advance for your help!

Tomplum, it's been several months since I last did the lash adjustment, so that would probably be the first thing for me to go back to. I don't think I did 1/4" past TDC either, so I'll do that sometime this weekend and get back to you all.

To both, the engine is definitely a Briggs 22 horse V- twin, the Intek series.
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal #5  
There's a few things to check when you are under the valve cover on these: Verify that the lift is comparable on all 4 valves. One things these cams can do is develop wear in one lobe and valve action is greatly lessened. Also verify that the valve guides protrude from the head similarly. The intakes will have caps over them that also seal, so take that into account. Thirdly know that the rocker studs themselves are tight. Now do your adjustments. It is good to know the things you are up against so good decisions can be made.
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal #6  
Anyone have a write up on an engine removal? Maybe there's a way to fix the decompression cable without going inside the motor?

Thanks in advance for your help.

The B&S manuals probably won't have anything about engine removal because it could be different for each chassis in which the engine is used.

Normally, removing the engine is very straight forward - just disconnect all the wires, cables and hoses connected to the engine. First disconnect the battery. Then remove the electrical connector near the starter and the wires going to the starter terminals. Remove the throttle and choke cables from the carb, clamp off the fuel line and remove it from the carb, remove the solenoid or plug from the bottom off the carb so you can drain the gas (else gas will run everywhere when you tilt the engine), remove the PTO clutch and pulley from the crank shaft, remove the bolts from the muffler, remove the four mounting bolts on the bottom of the engine and lift the engine free of the mower chassis.
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal #7  
The B&S manuals probably won't have anything about engine removal because it could be different for each chassis in which the engine is used.

Normally, removing the engine is very straight forward - just disconnect all the wires, cables and hoses connected to the engine. First disconnect the battery. Then remove the electrical connector near the starter and the wires going to the starter terminals. Remove the throttle and choke cables from the carb, clamp off the fuel line and remove it from the carb, remove the solenoid or plug from the bottom off the carb so you can drain the gas (else gas will run everywhere when you tilt the engine), remove the PTO clutch and pulley from the crank shaft, remove the bolts from the muffler, remove the four mounting bolts on the bottom of the engine and lift the engine free of the mower chassis.

One more thing. Take a lot of photos and notes before and during your disassemble so you can put it back together again.

Good luck.
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Well I still haven't done anything with this... When I jumper cable a pair of 6V golf cart batteries to it and let it sit for 20 minutes it will crank right through the rough spot.

Clearly I have to double check the valve clearance. Still haven't found the time. It's been below freezing here in Oregon during the times I'm home from work, but the mower belt finally let go last weekend so there's no reason for me to keep it in working order until after Christmas. Time for some maintenance!
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal #9  
One more thing. Take a lot of photos and notes before and during your disassemble so you can put it back together again.

Good luck.

What he said ^^^^^^^^^^^ !!!
 
   / L135 Briggs and Stratton V- twin engine removal #10  
Well I still haven't done anything with this... When I jumper cable a pair of 6V golf cart batteries to it and let it sit for 20 minutes it will crank right through the rough spot.

Clearly I have to double check the valve clearance. Still haven't found the time. It's been below freezing here in Oregon during the times I'm home from work, but the mower belt finally let go last weekend so there's no reason for me to keep it in working order until after Christmas. Time for some maintenance!

I recently went through this with a single cylinder B&S engine. Exact same symptoms. It was the cam/compression release. There is one easy way to tell if the problem is the compression release. First... start the engine via whatever procedure works for you. Run it at about half throttle and then shut it off. If the compression release is working the engine will make a very distinctive PUFF-PUFF-PUFF sound as it winds down those last 2-3 revolutions and comes to a stop. That is the sound of the compression release activating as the engine slows to less than 300 RPM. Once you hear the sound it becomes very obviously the sound is missing when the compression release is broken.
 
 
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