Briggs and Stratton Intek 1450

[Kurtis D. Davis]

I have a B&S Intek 1450 which was purchased new, and given meticulous care. After only 12 hours of operation, there was catastrophic failure. An authorized service dealer has discovered bent pushrods and a ruined valve. The engine warranty is currently at issue, and I'm wondering if this ruined engine is even worth fixing, and also, is the Intek 1450 a good engine to start with? The engine ran perfectly well until the last day. After about one hour of operation, I shut down to rest up---after about 30 minutes, I went back and discovered the new engine would only backfire through the carburetor, and was subject to overcompression. I also noticed the rubber spark plug boot had melted due to excessive heat, and the outer plug wire insulation also had a crack in it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I should find out soon if the engine warranty will be honored.

 

[Rivets]

If your dealer is any good and everything say is the truth (remember I can't see it) I don't see why it would not be covered under the warranty. Question I have is what is causing that type of overheating.

 

[Kurtis D. Davis]

If your dealer is any good and everything say is the truth (remember I can't see it) I don't see why it would not be covered under the warranty. Question I have is what is causing that type of overheating.

With regards to the authorized service dealer, warranty requires doing business with the one closest to my home, so that is what I have done. Warranty further indicates my type of problem is normally resolved as a matter of routine, but I've been waiting for just more than a month to find out if warranty applies or not---should get some firm indication this day. I can only theorize about the overheating---I am quite sure it did not happen as result of clogged cooling fins, because I always begin by cleaning with compressed air (among other basic maintenance chores). I estimate the overheating caused the catastrophic failure, and came about due to improper valve adjustment (but that is only an estimate). Valves could also have been affected by a pressed in valve guide which popped up out of the block, and on and on. I used the new Intek 1450 on the exact same machine I've been using for 20 years, in the same place and exact same conditions. I ran my old engine for twenty years, and the only problem I ever had was a defective recoil starter rope, which I easily replaced. The new Intek ran perfectly for about 12 hours, and then failed. I also think the authorized service dealer is trying to ignore the melted rubber spark plug boot, which is actually key evidence---we'll see what happens today. Thank you for helping me to consider the engine problem.

 

[motoman]

Sorry Kurtis, but welcome to the Intek surprise club. My original misery goes back a couple years. Overheat? Yep, but haven't proved it yet. Look at the thread above, "Intek head tempertures."

 

[Kurtis D. Davis]

Sorry Kurtis, but welcome to the Intek surprise club. My original misery goes back a couple years. Overheat? Yep, but haven't proved it yet. Look at the thread above, "Intek head tempertures."

Thanks for an opportunity to share ideas. I just talked to the authorized service dealer about an hour ago, and there is still no decision as to whether or not the warranty will apply (they have now had my machine for 31 days). I was unable to find the thread "Intek head temperatures". I used my new engine six times, and it failed on the last usage. It started right up and ran perfectly for about an hour. Then I shut down to rest up, and went back after about 30 minutes---at that time, all the engine would do was backfire through the carb, so I began to troubleshoot. The first thing I discovered was the melted spark plug boot. On the 1450, the plug is recessed, and positioned right beside the muffler, so I figured it was just a cheap rubber boot. I taped up cracked plug wire insulation and discarded the boot, and still had the backfire. I realize now the engine overheated during the last hour of use, but there was no indication of overheating---no loss of power, smoking, heat rising up of the block, or anything---everything seemed quite normal when I stopped to rest. This is really perplexing, because the engine is mounted on a walk behind mower, essentially about three feet in front of the operator. Therefore, an experienced operator should be able to notice overheating, but even with all my experience, I had no clue that the problem had developed. That may be because the exhaust is directed directly behind the engine, into the operator's face.

 

[motoman]

Kurtis, Hot is relative until you actually measure it. A hot skillet is just too hot to bare your hand on ,but about 350F. I have been trying to measure the exhaust valve guides heat on my Intek 24 for two years now, but it's not so easy. The sensor pick ups are hard to attach and I don't believe the infra red guns can be definitve enough. This measurement is not new as I have seen walk behinds with head temp gauges shown on ebay, aircraft people and Harley (parade) bikers have head temp gauges etc etc. The professionals on this site know a lot, but cannot really disclose it for obvious reasons. I would like to know (or have) the rubber boot that melted on your engine to heat and measure at melt point . That could add circumstantial data. My recent head measurement @ 80F ambient was 312F-hot , but not yet dangerous.

Meanwhile the pundits state the reason for overheat is unknown , just as the valve train problems are unknown ...you know, pushrods drop out , are bent, are swallowed (mine), guides push into head etc. Again I believe the saving of the factories is that (I'll guess) 75% of over heat and engine failure is due to misuse, bad maintenance, low oil, clogged fins and fan. That leaves 25% ? to consumer bad luck of draw. Since BS sent me a new head for the Intek 24 ( 7 years ago) no more problem, but I added an oil cooler with fan, and dash gauges. I think the sting is when careful owners are had. Familiar? motoman :tractor:

PS the "intek head tempertures" was done yesterday in this column. My ranting is large and goes back a couple years with picutres. If interested, try search.

 

[Kurtis D. Davis]

Thanks for the ideas concerning head temperature. As an individual, all I can do is pay very close attention to relevant considerations, especially heat. On many occasions I have been driving down the road and noticed an overheated engine, glanced at the dash guage, and sure enough---hot engine. I can do that because of paying very close attention. As per the 1450, that's what I was doing, and everything was as normal as the first 5 uses of the new engine, but it occurs to me the thing may have been overheating from day 1, and I thought it was normal. In any instance, the engine prematurely failed, and I don't think it's my fault. I have a thirty minute maintenance list I always go through, no matter what. That involves using compressed air to thoroughly clean the cooling fins and air filter. The authorized service dealer has suggested water came in contact with the valve and ruined it, but I say no way. I poured fresh fuel from a full 5 gallon container, and came nowhere close to the bottom where water would settle. The machine is always stored in a shop, out of the weather. It is possible condensation put some water in the tank, but very unlikely. The engine started immediately and ran fine for about one hour. It sat in dry weather under a shade tree for about 30 minutes, at such time as restart attempt revealed backfire through the carb---there's no way condensation would account for any water, after only thirty minutes. And there was not a single person besides me involved ( no sabotage or crap like that).

It could be the service dealer will call here in a while---he said he'd get back to me. It seems something is up, because otherwise my issue would probably be settled by now. I have the rubber boot in my possession, and appreciate the point you make about its melting point---that may very well become a priority as I settle up with Briggs and Stratton. I'm thinking in terms of getting my machine back, even without an engine---I can round up another engine, and at least that way I could be mowing. As it is, I have no mower, and 6 foot tall johnson grass. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Kurtis D. Davis]

Here's a couple of pictures showing the melted/burned plug boot. Please be advised there is a shadow to the right side of the boot, and a piece of white paper was rolled up and put inside the boot for emphasis. Not the best photos, but perhaps better than nothing. The plug wire has regular insulation, with a second layer of shiny black plastic. The outer plastic layer has a big crack in it, just at the point it entered into the top of the rubber boot. It's possible such observation will somehow make my case for warranty, so any conclusions about this information will be appreciated. Still no word from the service dealer, so I'm planning for the worst, and hoping for the best.

 

[Kurtis D. Davis]

Well guys, here's an update. The authorized service dealer has now had my engine and machine for over 40 days, and there is still no decision as per what is to be done---so I'm going in Monday, early, with one of the best mechanics who ever turned a wrench. Between the two of us, we mean to get the matter settled.

 

[TheCaffeinatedOne]

Since BS sent me a new head for the Intek 24 ( 7 years ago) no more problem, but I added an oil cooler with fan, and dash gauges. .

I'll look for the head temp thread, but I'm interested in learning how you installed the oil cooler and so forth. I recently repowered my garden tractor with an Intek 17 hp v-twin (have some album pics) and want to keep it running as cool as I can. Thanks!