nearly overturned engine white smoke

[2manyrocks]

My trailer coupler came undone while I was backing my zero turn off the trailer and the mower nearly went vertical. Got it off the trailer, but now oil is pumping into the carb via the breather tube. The engine will run better at low speed, but give it any load, and the carb really loads up with engine oil and dies.

It's a 18.5 HP Briggs Intek OHV with a reed in the breather. Other than replacing this reed, any other ideas? I drained the carb bowl, but I could see new oil pumping into the carb throat when the engine was running when I pulled the air cleaner off.

To replace this reed, I have to pull the flywheel. Any way to do this without buying the Briggs flywheel puller?

 

[aczlan]

I would let it sit with the oil plug out overnight and then re-fill it in the morning. That may drain things down enough to get it back to normal.

Aaron Z

 

[2manyrocks]

The Briggs dealer suggested I drain the carb and try to run it out, but it's pulling more oil into the carb as it runs. Certainly won't hurt anything to try draining the oil. This engine only has 37 hours on it, too.

 

[5030]

I've never had the need for a flywheel puller, especially on a new engine. The flywheel locates on a keyed taper that's the end of the crank. Take off the nut and tap the flywheel with a hard faced (not metal) mallet and it will come loose. You'll have to whack it pretty hard but it will release.

The nut will most likely be left hand threaded, just opposite of normal.

i'd pull the drain plug and let it sit overnight first.

 

[90cummins]

The crankcase vent tube filled with oil, I would just start it and run it at 1/2 to full throttle and it will eventually purge the oil.
I have had this happen on occasion when i operated my mower at an extreme angles and it put out a smoke screen like those on a battle field.
If it dosen't stop after several minutes and continues to consume oil only then I would tear it down to check the vent.

Tim

 

[2manyrocks]

I pulled the engine shroud off and cleaned the breather tube. I left the shroud and air cleaner off so I can see down in the carb intake. It is pumping oil into the carb at higher rpms. So I'm thinking I will have to pull the flywheel and see if the reed in the breather is bent or broken.

I didn't get to work on it this weekend due to having to do everything else.

 

[Gator6x4]

I would do a compression check on the engine. Something is pressurizing the engine crankcase. The reed valve is just that, a reed valve that opens and closes. It is just a thin piece of metal that constantly lets pressure out and then closes. Excessive pressure in the crankcase is what is forcing the oil out of the breather tube. Slowly open the oil fill cap when the engine is running and see if you feel a lot of air escaping.

Another way to check for excessive crankcase pressure is to place a ballon on the dipstick tube and start the engine. A engine with excessive internal pressure will rapidly inflate the ballon.

 

[2manyrocks]

I pulled the flywheel with a HF puller I happened to have and opened up the crankcase breather. Flywheel bolt is a standard left to loosen thread.

There was a piece of aluminum that I guess floated up out of the crankcase up into the breather assembly that was causing the breather not to shut. It's that little piece to the right of the breather tube.

Put it back together, but now it's not starting at all. I'm getting some backfire from the muffler and the carb. Maybe flooded? Spark seems okay. It was getting dark and I quit working on it for the evening.

 

[2manyrocks]

Apparently, I either sheared the flywheel key when I tightened up the bolt or the backfire sheared it. Got to get another one tomorrow to see if that's the problem.

 

[Jim Thompson]

Apparently, I either sheared the flywheel key when I tightened up the bolt or the backfire sheared it. Got to get another one tomorrow to see if that's the problem.

When tightening the flywheel nut, the book usually says to not use an impact, although many of us do. The backfire could definitely cause the key to sheer, especially if the flywheel is cast iron. Be sure to torque the nut to proper specs while holding the shaft underneath if possible. :thumbsup:

Jim

 

[2manyrocks]

The no starting was caused by the flywheel key being sheared. Apparently, you've got to hold the flywheel in position with a strap wrench or other means while you torque the flywheel bolt to something like 100 ft lbs with a torque wrench. Otherwise, the engine will just shear the flywheel key. I didn't have a strap wrench so I improvised with a piece of metal held between two bolts on either side of the flywheel. Got it running, but it's still coughing up smoke so often.

I put the old breather reed back in--looks like I'm going to have to take it apart and put the new breather reed in and see if that stops the smoking.

 

[2manyrocks]

I need more help with this.

Put new reed valve in. Engine runs normally until it warms up and then it will pump oil into the carb, white smoke everywhere, and nearly die. Will run okay for a little more and then repeats same pattern.

At this point, I'm out of ideas.....

 

[2manyrocks]

Problem solved. Evidently, gas got in the crankcase and overfilled the crankcase with oil and gas. Changed the oil and problem solved.

In the case of any overturn or near overturn, I'd suggest the first thing is to change the oil. In my case, that loose piece of metal was probably keeping the breather reed from closing and it had to come out, but I think that's probably an unusual event.

 

[Jim Thompson]

Problem solved. Evidently, gas got in the crankcase and overfilled the crankcase with oil and gas. Changed the oil and problem solved.

In the case of any overturn or near overturn, I'd suggest the first thing is to change the oil. In my case, that loose piece of metal was probably keeping the breather reed from closing and it had to come out, but I think that's probably an unusual event.

Congratulations.
Good advice. One of the things to check any time you have an engine that is smoking is the oil level.:thumbsup:

Jim

 

[Linda Albert]

useful information.. am looking for tall trees plants.. where I can, will i get those?

 

[psj12]

I found that when reinstalling the fly wheel that if you tap (not beat) it down on the tapered shaft with a small plastic deadblow hammer before tightning the nut it should not move.