I was given a "junk" riding mower that had been dumped off at someone's property. It didn't look that bad although the deck was shot. I added some gas, checked the oil, and turned the key. It fired right up and seemed to be running OK. The oil looked fresh and was up at a normal level before starting. I stopped the forward motion and then started again. There was a metal crunching sound like when an engine throws a rod but it continued to run and I limped it back to the house, seemingly running OK. Then it just quit running and the oil fill cap/dipstick launched from the engine and blew a mist of hot oil all over me and the surrounding landscape.
I put the dipstick/cap back on and tried to restart. It blew it right back off and began spraying the oil mist once again. It acted like it had no compression but whatever compression it did have was going right into the crankcase and blowing the dipstick out.
I had one of these Courage engines in the past and said "NEVER AGAIN" but this one was free. What happened?
#2
zman111666
Maybe a valve push rod slipped off, and the rings were pretty much shot, letting all that pressure past into the crankcase?
Either that, or allergies. Really bad allergies.
I don't know. It was still running which I don't see how that would have been possible if a pushrod let loose. It wasn't smoking or burning any oil until it quit running, then the mist blew everywhere. I think the compression took a shortcut right into the crankcase somehow. Remember this seemed to be running ok, then I had it under power. I was starting and stopping and the transmission seemed fine. Then the engine began to make a crunching and banging noise until it stopped running and blew the dipstick out.
I had one of these engines before and had nothing but trouble. At least this one didn't linger long and suffer. I should say cause ME suffering.... The last one went on for months with one problem after another. This one just let loose and that was it. It looks like the Courage is nothing but trouble pretty much everywhere so would expect nothing less than a failure like this. The failure mode was rather interesting though. It launched the dipstick sky high and blasted a cloud of atomized oil out the hole like a smokescreen as it spun to a stop.
I wonder if the crankshaft counterweight came loose as this seems to be a common problem. I saw some videos of carnage because of this with holes through the block, etc. There is no obvious external distress from what I can see on my unit.
I have a couple Kohler Commands and they are about as good as they come. I run them hard time after time and they just keep putting up with it. These had obviously been neglected before I got them but I gave them some TLC and they now run great. The crankcases were filled with oil that looked like black tar. At least the crankcase in this one was filled with pretty clean oil.
#4
zman111666
Or maybe at that moment it stopped and blew is when a valve stuck open and punched a hole through the piston?
I've never heard of a counterweight coming loose, as the crankshafts are cast as a single unit, then ground down to specs.
Never mind. I see now. And i can see how one of those coming off would be rather violent.
I am wondering if the counterbalance weight support has broken loose and then some component of it is hitting the dipstick and shoving it out causing the oil spray. Normally when it breaks it just punches a hole in the back of the block.
I don't know. The dipstick blowing out seems to be something along the lines of compression in the crankcase blowing it out. I wonder if a valve punched a hole in the piston or something as someone suggested. There was a sudden loud crunching and banging noise for a few minutes before this happened.
I could always take it apart but I don't care enough. These Courage engines are a joke from what I have seen personally and read from others. The Command is excellent! The cheaped out with the Courage.
I know i am not the sharpest knife in the drawer but the compression is not in the crrankcase , should be between the piston and the head :confused2:??Aeyyyyyyyyyyyyy??
I don't know. The dipstick blowing out seems to be something along the lines of compression in the crankcase blowing it out. I wonder if a valve punched a hole in the piston or something as someone suggested. There was a sudden loud crunching and banging noise for a few minutes before this happened.
I could always take it apart but I don't care enough. These Courage engines are a joke from what I have seen personally and read from others. The Command is excellent! The cheaped out with the Courage.
Now you can pontificate , procrastinate and speculate all you want but it will not make a tinkers cures of a difference, the engine has to be pulled down.
You can shove an inspection camera down the plug hole, down the dip stick hole & up the drain hole, if you have a really good one with a very small head, but it is generally easier & quicker to pull the head .
A head gasket will be some where between $ 10 & $ 20 and if that is beyond the budget , with all due respect, offer astigment for some sheep.
I am not going to spend any money on this thing but was curious why this might happen. I have several other good running mowers and this one was given to me and blew up in short order. The deck is also full of holes like Swiss cheese although the tractor itself is solid. My past experience with a Kohler Courage was that they were junk. This experience tells me they are junk. Yes, compression is definitely getting into the crankcase and I am well aware this is not normal.
I have some "parts mowers" or parts that have been stripped off others that fit my running mowers as well. This one is an oddball with no common parts that I can see so it is going to go bye bye.
I was just curious as to what would cause this. I might pull the head and see what carnage is there. I doubt it was just a head gasket letting go based on the sounds I heard. It sounded like metal breaking and lots of clunking.
I can sometimes see into the plug hole with a flashlight on these engines and may do that. It has 4 good tires and a working transmission so figure I might just put it up on Craigslist of similar for $100 or so for parts. People seem to be more willing to buy a "project" mower if it isn't all ripped apart so might or might not pull the head. It actually doesn't seem all that molested right now.
I had a Briggs Intek where it ate a valve seat once (I understand some were known for this). This caused the valve to break off in the cylinder and the piston pushed it through the cylinder head, pressurizing the crankcase. I found a used head and it worked fine for another season or so until the same thing happened and it put a hole in the piston that time. I was done with it at that point. The commercial grade engines are a better bet for me with how hard I use stuff. Consumer grade riding mowers were never intended to cut acres of hay field.
I own a M-Spector and it has saved me tons.Most cameras won't fit down a spark plug hole, but the Milwakee will.