B&S Intek V-Twin blowing blue smoke

[RichardHiggins]

Hello all,

New member here looking for some advice on my Craftsman mower. It recently started smoking real bad, and using up oil at an alarming rate. I know you're going to hate me for this, but I kept adding oil and kept mowing. Hey, the grass was REAL long! I knew I had a problem, but figured I'd address it once the forest was cleared. It took two refills to finish my 1 acre lot. After a while it sounded like it was running on one cylinder. I pulled the plugs and sure enough, the right side plug was gunked up real bad. I put in new plugs and some stop leak and kept going. This was meant as just a band aid until I could finish the lawn. Thing was, stop leak didn't help.

I purchased a B&S Repair Manual yesterday. The guy at the store said he suspected the Breather Tube. Once I figured out what a Breather Tube was, I found that it had come loose from the Air Horn! I cleaned everything up real good and reconnected that tube. Fresh oil, new filter, and gave it a whirl. No luck, still blue smoke real heavy.

So, given my limited knowledge here's my thoughts. I am suspecting either a blown head gasket or bad rings. My problem now is that the book calls for a Flywheel Holder at $65 and a Flywheel Puller at $15. I am afraid of investing in these tools only to find I can't fix it. Quite frankly, funds are limited.

So here are the main questions:
1 - Is there another way to get the flywheel off safely without those tools, or at least can I make my own Flywheel Holder?
2 - What are your thoughts as to what the problem could be?

Important Details
Mower:
Craftsman DYS4500
Briggs and Stratton Intek V-Twin 24HP OHV, Model 445677-0827-e1

Me:
Electronics Technician
Pretty handy with tools
Know little to nothing about motors. However, changed my own timing belt, drive belts, and alternator on my Honda Civic two weeks ago. (Love those Hanes manuals!)

 

[talley2191]

I recently had a head gasket repaired after blowing oil out of the fuel pump. Deciding factor for me was exhaust coming from the dipstick when pulled signaled head gasket and not breather issue. Good luck.

 

[taxidermist]

You can see how to do it with out a puller on youtube. I never pull the FW when i do a head gasket.


Rob

 

[Rivets]

By what you are saying it sounds like a blown head gasket. Don't have to pull the flywheel to replace the head gasket and that is where I would start if this is a overhead valve engine. If you decide to do this on your own, make sure that you read the section in your manual on how to adjust the valves. This will have to be done and if you do not feel comfortable adjusting valves take it to a repair shop. If done wrong, it can get very $$$$. A check to indicate blown head gasket on an overhead valve engine is to start the engine, run at 3/4 throttle, pull the dipstick and rest it on top of the tube. If it bounces up and down, 90% of the time it is the gasket.

 

[RichardHiggins]

Rob, thanks for the advice, but limited bandwidth out here in the country makes youtube a difficult option. If I watch more than two videos I use up my bandwidth allowance for the day.

Talley and Rivets, great information. I will check the dipstick tube this morning. When I went to refill the oil, smoke was coming out of the tube. I assumed it to be from burning oil, but maybe it was exhaust. I will probably pull the head regardless of the results just to see what痴 going on. Will a blown gasket be readily obvious? I thought I read on another forum that some guy replaced his head gasket with positive results, but it only showed minor discoloration. Will I be able to check my rings visually at this point, or does that require feeler gauges and disassembly?

I guess I forgot to mention, I thought I should be checking out the Breather Assembly. Only way I see to do this is remove the Flywheel. So, do you think I need to check out this assembly? And is there anyway to do that without the Flywheel Holder tool?

Rivets, I feel fairly comfortable adjusting the valves. I am a total nerd when it comes to reading, always read my new car owner痴 manual cover to cover. I follow instructions very well and feel like with the right literature I can accomplish anything. I致e read the repair manual, and may come back here for a few pointers before diving in.

Thanks for the help everyone!
-RH

 

[Rivets]

When and if you pull the head, look in the area between the cylinder and valve chamber. That is the most common plase to blow. Have a new gasket, don't reuse if you think it looks good. New valve cover gasket may help also. Head gaskets go out more often that breathers. Will not be able to check rings.

 

[RichardHiggins]

Ok, the head is off. Here are some pictures, and it doesn't look good. I didn't try to get any of the gunk off. Dinner was waiting, and quite frankly I was afraid of doing damage. I did notice while working that the left side of the engine block was a lot dirtier than the right side (see pictures). Is that any indicator, or just coincidence?

My work week starts tomorrow, and I work 12 hour days, so I'm putting this aside for a few days. I am going to pick up the new gaskets on Thursday. In the meantime, I'll be checking this thread each evening, and I'm looking for advice on how to move forward. Can this junk be cleaned off, and how? Or do I need new valves and piston?

It's kind of hard to tell in the picture, but the cylinder walls look real nice to me. Smooth and shiny. Don't see any visible defects in the gasket.

Rivets, I looked at the push rods and rockers and got to thinking. I didn't loosen the nuts that contact the push rods. I marked both the rods and rockers "top" and "bottom." If I put everthing back as was, seems to me I shouldn't have to make any adjustments. True?

Thanks all for the help!
-Richard

 

[WISCOPROUD]

cylinder wall shouldn't be shiny. dull and visible cross hatching is good. looks like the dirt sucked into the cylinder when breather tube wasn't attached wore down the cylinder and rings. if the head gasket is good on both sides after removal your outta luck:frown:

 

[Rivets]

I'll get back to you tonight, have to make a 75 miles service call, father in laws tractor. I would always adjust the valves when pulling the head, no matter how careful I think I am.

 

[WISCOPROUD]

Rivets is correct, you always adj valve lash when reinstalling cylinder head. FYI valves should be adj every 50hrs of use