Small engine trouble

[dstig1]

I got a new carb for this old tiller I am fixing up (that thread is in the Rototiller subforum) and started it up to see if it was worth saving. Well it runs. But Hoooo-wheee does it smoke like crazy. Must be burning oil real bad. The spark plug was quite black but it appeared dry not oily. I've never torn into the guts of a small engine before. What am I looking for? It's a Tecumseh H30. I'm guessing piston rings? With the valves below (flat head, not overhead)it seems like the only way it would be burning oil would be piston rings. Never dealt with those before either. I put fresh oil in it and filled it to the correct level (bottom of the oil fill hole).

Just looking for some advice on what to look for and how to deal with it. And maybe decide if it is worth it...
Thanks,
Dave

 

[RandyT]

I would start by removing the head and taking a look at the cylinder walls looking for a ridge at the top of the cylinder to indicate amount of cylinder wear. then with the piston toward the top try to move the piston side to side to see how much slop is present Some movement is normal but rocking the piston back and forth would indicate a fair amount of wear. in the rings as the cylinder

 

[Diggin It]

Anything I've read about fixing an old Tecumseh was don't bother. Story as I recall it was that when Briggs bought the rights, they destroyed everything, parts, assembly and manufacturing tools and dies and anything that could be used to make parts. What can still be found was stock in warehouses and shops that were beyond their control.

If you want to tinker just for the sake of tinkering and can manage to find comparable parts, so be it.


But for the potential headaches, there are 5-6HP replacement engines for a couple of hundred bucks or less.

That said, you could try oil additives. There might be something gummed up somewhere, or some minor wear/scoring that some additives claim to fill and seal.

 

[RandyT]

Anything I've read about fixing an old Tecumseh was don't bother. Story as I recall it was that when Briggs bought the rights, they destroyed everything, parts, assembly and manufacturing tools and dies and anything that could be used to make parts. What can still be found was stock in warehouses and shops that were beyond their control.

If you want to tinker just for the sake of tinkering and can manage to find comparable parts, so be it.


But for the potential headaches, there are 5-6HP replacement engines for a couple of hundred bucks or less.

That said, you could try oil additives. There might be something gummed up somewhere, or some minor wear/scoring that some additives claim to fill and seal.

Briggs has no connection with Tecumseh. Never had and never will. Tecumseh went bankrupt and was purchased by an investment group called CPC which also owns LCT and combined formed Lauson Engine which produced snow engines for a period but seemed to fall apart within a short period of time. LCT engines are marketed under the Toro or Husqvarna names if used on their equipment. The Peerless transmission division was purchased by Husqvarna. A fair of the original Tecumseh parts are still produced and available.

 

[ruffdog]

They are sorta still going....I think. You never can tell with Jim......

CPC Home

 

[tomplum]

Likely a tiller that has eaten some dirt and the cylinder is worn. Should be able to tell by popping the head as Randy noted. It just may need a donor...

 

[5030]

Most of the old Tecumseh engines are oil burners. Easier to replace than repair. Had one on a Troy Bilt. Only thing it was really good at was keeping the skeeters from biting me.

Replaced it with a 99 buck Pred. That was 4 years ago. Still going strong and no oil smoke.

Landfill it.

 

[KennyG]

Before you go too far make sure it has 30w oil not multi grade and isn't overfull. These engines smoke like crazy if they are overfull or foam the oil. If that's not the issue you will have to look at the cylinder and see how bad it is.

 

[rangerfredbob]

I've had and worked on a lot of small engines, never had good luck getting Tecumseh engines running, so you are already ahead of me for the most part... I've had much better luck with Briggs, but that's neither here nor there... kinda like my "love" of Homelite mini chainsaws...

That said, depending on the tiller it's attached to, is it worth throwing $60+ in parts (likely, at least head gasket, gasket set and rings) plus labor, or $140 for a Predator engine from Harbor Freight? On some Troy built tillers apparently they work but you gotta unplug the oil level switch. It's kinda odd that I'm saying this as I do that junk all the time, I just put $1k into my '97 F350, will likely put another $2k in it next year getting it going for the long haul...

 

[dstig1]

Yeah it's the right oil and I certainly didn't overfill it. Manual says 21 oz of SAE 30 and I don't think I put in more than 19 and it was just nearing the bottom of the fill port. Not even close to spilling out.

This is the problem with these things. I already spent $60 on the carb. Now how much more to get it working and then is that even worth it on a "disposable" engine? I probably would have been money ahead to just buy the cheapo HF engine... And furthermore that is the problem with this whole tiller. I don't want to sink a lot of money into something that I know is not that great to start with. Grrrr. It looks like HF has a 6.5 hp for $140 that fits, though I thought this Tecumseh H30 motor was more like 3hp not 6? Looking it up shows about 150cc displacement whereas the HF one is 212. Eh, a little more power won't hurt I guess... So yes, rangerfredbob, I know exactly what you mean...

 

[rangerfredbob]

Just because it has more power doesn't mean it's using it... the smaller engine from HFT isn't quite as robust in the reliability department from what I've read, and isn't much cheaper, depending on what tiller space might be an issue since they are the Honda style with the cylinder at an angle so they're wider...

 

[dstig1]

The design of this thing is quite open so as long as it bolts up and the shaft is in the same place, it should be fine. And by all accounts from what I can see from measurements it matches in all the important areas. Fixing up a "disposable" engine vs a new one is the question. I can spend a ton of time and nearly the same money fixing up the old one or drop in a new one. We don't have a large garden so this will not see heavy use either, so hopefully a new Chonda would do it. ...And nobody here is saying the Tecumseh already on it is anything reliable either...

 

[Popgadget]

The HF engines are actually less “disposable” than the Tecumseh, and quite reliable. That would be the way to go in my opinion.

 

[Clint S]

I actually just put a HF engine on that exact same tiller and it works great. Did have to disconnect oil switch as mentioned. Crank bolts are different so you will need a new one. Otherwise bolt in with no mods.

 

[ponytug]

I'm all for restoring engines when they are special,or when you want to learn, or because you think it is fun.

For just getting the work done, I would buy the HF engine, pull the carb off the old one to resell on eBay, and call it a day.

All the best,

Peter

 

[5030]

I actually just put a HF engine on that exact same tiller and it works great. Did have to disconnect oil switch as mentioned. Crank bolts are different so you will need a new one. Otherwise bolt in with no mods.

3 of us. I have one as well and the mosquito chaser Tecumseh went in the garbage can years ago. Have a Pred on that one as well. Been 5 years, zero issues. Tecumseh engines are basic....JUNK. Never disconnected the low oil switch on mine, I just overfill it a bit.

Lets see, I have a Pred on my pressure washer (outlasted 2 pumps on the original spark plug), one on my big Cub Cadet tiller (the Honda tossed a rod at4 hours and Honda wouldn't warranty it and then one on the little Troy Bilt I use to cultivate with.

Where else can you buy an overhead valve engine for 100 bucks?

I'm so done with Honda but then I like HF tools too. I have every Bauer 20 volt tool made, use the heck out of them and like the motors, no issues.

Don't need no stinking Milwaukee. Cannot afford them anyway, I'm cheap.

 

[dstig1]

I'm all for restoring engines when they are special,or when you want to learn, or because you think it is fun.

For just getting the work done, I would buy the HF engine, pull the carb off the old one to resell on eBay, and call it a day.

All the best,

Peter

...Annnnd that is pretty much where I am at here. Gonna get the HF sometime this week and I need to order oil seals for the tiller too, plus a couple other parts. And yes I caught that the PTO shaft thread was different. Easy fix.

Wish I had done this to start with. Thanks guys.

 

[Tinhack]

Well, I happen to like my old Tecumseh. It's an old cast iron HH100. They don't make them like that any more. I found it at a salvage yard and paid a couple of bucks for it, as I recall. Back then, I bought metal projects and drops there for 10 cents a pound. A lot of my Kenbota metal came from there.

 

[dstig1]

Well, I happen to like my old Tecumseh. It's an old cast iron HH100. They don't make them like that any more. I found it at a salvage yard and paid a couple of bucks for it, as I recall. Back then, I bought metal projects and drops there for 10 cents a pound. A lot of my Kenbota metal came from there.

Want another one? LOL! Somehow I don't think this on is the same quality as the old skool one...