Briggs & Stratton Help

RDrancher · Jul 16, 2012

This happened a few months ago but I've been too busy to mess with it. Now I'd like to get it running again.

The Briggs & Stratton Vanguard 14 hp on my concrete saw has always fired right up, even after sitting for months, but that's not the case now. The saw was purchased new in 1995 and was used quite a bit for five years, then only a couple of times a year since.

At home the engine started fine with new gas and very little choke after sitting for probably a year or more. I ran it at full throttle for a few minutes and everything seemed fine. Took it out to the job the next day and it fired up with only a couple of pulls like always. Warmed it up a bit then it started smoking BAD when I gave it throttle...then quit. Oil coming out of the exhaust. I had checked the oil before start up and it was fine, but after I got it home I noticed that there was gasoline in the oil. Pulled the plugs and one was soaked. I changed the oil, cleaned off the plug and it fired up but did it again. It won't stay running for more than 30 seconds or so.

Where do I start?

RandyT · Jul 16, 2012

I would bet that something is holding the needle valve open in the carb, and the fuel pump is overfilling the carb causing the flooding situation. Need to remove the carb and clean, install carb kit. Make sure to also get the intake manifold gaskets since they don't come with the repair kit, and you have to remove the intake to remove the carb from the intake.

RDrancher · Jul 16, 2012

Thanks. It looks like you may just know what you're talking about so I'll give that a try.

Just ordered the parts. Thanks for the tip on the gaskets.

bjr · Jul 16, 2012

The Last B&S I had blew a head gasket and it started smoking BAD. I was the 14.5 OHV engine. bjr

crazyal · Jul 16, 2012

I would check the compression to see if the head gasket is good. Was the oil level higher than normal after this happened (if the needle valve on the float isn't working correctly it could have dumped lots of gas into the crank, not sure if it would be smoking though)? It's also possible that a valve seal failed. That's where I would start.