Running on 1 cynlinder

ihatetn931

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I just recentley did a tune up of my briggs and stratton 24hp intek ohv Vtwin.

While doing that i decided that the valves needed to be adjusted to since somtimes i had to manually turn the engine to get the starter to turn the engine, It would take almost a whole battery to get it started.

I took the valve cover off on the right side (if you're sitting on mower and looking forward at the engine) Adjusted the valves to what they should be, i then took the left valve cover off and noticed that one of the push rods was not in the rocker arm, so i stuck back in place and adjusted the valves, i started the motor up and ran it for about 10 mins and i noticed the side that had the push rod off wasn't as warm as the other side, so i then started the engine and pulled the spark plug wire on the good side, engine died right away, i then tried to start it with the bad side spark plugged wire only hooked up while the good side was un hooked, it would not fire one bit, i took the spark plug off and put my finger over the hole and i was getting compression. The push rod were not bent but the one that was off the rocker arm i was able to pull out (not sure if this is suppose to happen or what) After replacing it the valves both seem to move fine. I noticed after putting the push rod back in place and adjusting the valves the lawn mower started a lot quicker.

I am sorta limited on money so buying any new parts are prolly a no go.

Before i adjusted the valves and put the push rod back in place, i noticed the compression stroke on the bad side was a little hard which is normal if valves our out of adjustment and the other side was much easier.

I have no compression checker so i can't check the compression in either cylinder unless someone has a different way i can check it without having to purchase one.

I would like to get this issue fixed before i have to mow my lawn again which is prolly somtime next week, i do not want to have to mow my lawn on 1 cylndiner, not sure if ti's bad for it but it can't be good for it either

Here is the engine info.
Model: 445677
Type: 0413 E1
Code: 050215YG

My question is, how can get get the non working cynlinder working, got brand new spark plugs.
 
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motoman

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After I repeat this story (again) I am sure the pros will respond. My intek 24 pushed a guide up which caused the cam to round off. When I finally realized what happened the lift on the exhaust was down to about 1/8" (.125") instead of ? .325." That cyl would not fire because it could not "breathe," but it still had normal compression. (full color story in "search")

So perhaps...go back and double check for a bent pushrod, and for lift compared with the good cylinder. A low end compression gauge will not set you back much-try Harbor Frt.
 

ihatetn931

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I've looked at both push rods on the non workin cylinder, none of them were bent, i did notice that upper piece behind the spring seem to look funny, i'll try and get a pic, What do i search for this story?

So if i was to push the piece back in to place my engine would be ok?

I just want to get this engine running good, i've already bought a new carb for it and put some money in to it, i just don't wana have to put anymore, i would buy a compression gauge but i don't see myself using it more then once. SO buying it would just somewhat be a waste

Here is the valves on the bad cylinder, not sure if you can make it out, i can do a new pic if needed, the push rod that was off was on the top spring. The exhaust come from the bottom, so i'm assuming the one that popped off was the intake since it's furthest from the exhaust.
IMG_20150411_121822_851.jpg

Here is both push rods, not one of them are bent
IMG_20150411_121804_069.jpg

When i turn the engine and it pushes the top push rod out, i can hear like a pressure relase, only does it when the top rod is being moved.

I can push both valves in by hand and they go in as far as i want to push them.

Nothing looks difrrent from the good side, everything matches up with the good side. as far as i know.
 
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Tinkerer200

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OK, do the "thumb" test on both cylinders with the spark plugs both removed. Does it seem to blow your thumb off with about the same force? It is possible that the valve is sticking on the one cylinder which is dropping the push rod out. IF you don't find any other reason, might try some top cylinder lube such as Marvel Mystery Oil per Instructions. I would check that the Rocker Arm Stud is tight and that the Rocker Arm is not cracked thru the pivot hole.

Now, for that thing you are talking about which does not look right, I don't know what you are talking about. Can you post a photo?

I can send you a Service Manual for your engine IF you like, address below, Put in proper format and remind me, engine model number and what you want.

Walt Conner
wconner5 at frontier dot com

Well you got another post in before I sent this . As said above, check that ALL valves move the same amount.
 

ihatetn931

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I did try the thumb thing, both seem to push my thumb off about the same, see when i put the push rod back and adjusted the valves, it has not poped off yet, so i'm assuming since it did pop off the valves where really out of adjustment.

I push the springs in on both cylinders and they push in all the way, doesen't seem to be have anything stopping them from going in.

I'm new with adjusting the valves so i may had done it wrong, i follwed some youtube videos where it says to adjust the exhaust bring the intake valve in all the way and vice versa with the intake.

The tdc thing, i'm not to sure to judge it. I put all the valves to 004 which i believe is correct, i may change it to 005 and see if that makes any diffrence, since i've read it's suppose to be 004 to 006. Since I adjusted the valves, it seems to be a lot easier to turn the engine by hand. It also started 10x quicker then it did before, instead of draning the whole battery just about to get her to start, it takes like 3 or 2 cranks and it fires but only with one cylinder. The way i tested was remove the spark plug wire off one cylinder, if you do that shouldn't the engine still run on one cylinder? it didn't.

The thing i said that looked a little funny, don't mind that, i forgot to edit that out, I looked on the good cylinder and it was the same.

I would like a service manual for this engine, that would be great since i've looked all over the net and couldn't find one.

What is the proper format? I don't wanna send you a message and it not be the proper format.

The 2 top valves move the same amount, i judged by the rocker arm, the edge of the rockerarm lined up with the spring below it on both cylinders.

I took a ruler and mesaured how far each valve went in, every single valve went in the same amount

Here the engine info.

Model: 445677
Type: 0413 E1
Code: 050215YG

Edit

I think i may have figured it out, i decided to do another spark test, on the good cylinder i'm getting a constant spark while on the bad cylinder i'm not getting a constant spark and the spark seems to be a little bigger then the good cylinder one. It does spark but it's not a constant spark like the good cylinder.

So, any ideas how to get the spark working as it should? I noticed my fly wheel is a little rusted where they meet to make the spark but that can't be the issue since the other one is sparking fine, it has 2 seprate spark plug wires. I looked over the wire i don't see any open wires so it must be in the, i'm not sure of the name the coil?

If i was to take the coil off and maybe clean it and see if that makes any diffrence, is there any gappage i need to know about between the coil and the fly wheel? Got any suggestion for what type of cleaning chemicals i should use to clean the coil?

I would still love to know how to adjust the valves correctly tho so i can do it in the future.

Well believe i got it figured out, I tested the other spark plug on the coil on the bad cylinder and i got a constant spark, so i looked over the spark plug i didn't get a constant spark on and come to find out the porcelin on that spark has some how gotten broken, i'm not to sure how that would happen and if it would have any effect.
 
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bertsmobile1

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The way you adjusted the valves is just fine.
There are a few ways to do it and each has devotees who decry any other method.
The briggs V twins use a diode arangement to do the earthing out of the ignition coils and apparntly these can give you some grief.
Undo both of the small wires coming from the coils and cover the ends.
Start the mower. If it now runs fine on both sides the cut out loom will need to be replaced.
NOTE in this condition you will not be able to stop the engine other than cutting off the fuel supply or earthing out both of the wires you disconnected but if you touch them together you can damage the coil itself so it is better to use fuel starvation.
Before you do anything else pull off the flywheel nut and have a look at the position of the flywheel key. Both 1/2's should line up to make a square.
If not you will need to replace the key
 

motoman

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Tenn, A cracked porcelin will short a plug to the cylinder head instead of the spark gap. Try another plug. Doesn't sound like you have a pushed guide, but for leisure reading in this forum hit "search" then type in key words "Intek" and "overheat." Bert's suggestion on the flywheel keyway is to be sure timing has not slipped (the magnets coming round must pass the coils at a precise time). The nut may be very tight (mine: 100 ft lbs). I have a later Intek manual and also found a 2 page Briggs instruction on line re valve adj: try google Briggs Service Account No. 729. Let us know.
 

ihatetn931

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Ok, i did try another spark plug and i got a good spark, just like the other side, so the spark plug was my issue, I have ran the battery dead cranking it over testing the spark, so right now i'm waiting on the jumper cables to get home so i can jump it.

Taking the fly wheel will have to wait since i do not have the required tools do to it correctly, When the jumper cables get home, i'm gonna try it with the old spark plug that i had removed from it while replaceing the spark plugs, I tested it, it got good spark on both sides.

I am gonna do a search on the stuff you had mentioned.

Right now i'm just waiting to test the current spark plugs i have and see if both cylinders fire. I will let you know the outcome of it.

I appericate all your guy's help, i wasn't planning on going to a forum and getting help with the issue but i couldn't figure it out myself and since town is a 45 min drive, couldn't really go to a lawn mower repair shop and ask.

I don't see how it could overheat, the cylinder heads are pretty clean, i mean they have some dirt on them but not enough to make it run hot.

I bought this mower from my cuzin for $300, he didn't like mowing so he didn't use it much, it did more sitting then anything, it prolly has 30 or so hours on the engine.

I decided to do a valve adjustment cause i got tired of manually turning the fly wheel when the starter could not crank it over, he said it done it since day one but i find that hard to believe.
 

Tinkerer200

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"There are a few ways to do it and each has devotees who decry any other method" (Adjust Valves)

Always amuses me when people think they know more about how to do an adjustment than the people who designed and built the engine. Sure, it may run but I recommend always use the Mfg.'s Instructions, do it right.

Walt Conner
 

ihatetn931

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So, i got the jumper cables, started it up. It smoked at first cause it was burning all the oil off the pipes from the valve covers, i ran it for about 20 mins to give the battery a good charge, i then shut it off checked both plugs, they were both dry, which means both cylinders were running, so i disconected one side and started it up (i did bad side first) it started right up, then i did the other side and that one started up as well, Now my only issue is i'm getting, not sure if it's a miss or a backfire but when i rev it up to what the throttle handle will go it either misses or backfires but both cylinders are running.

One seems to get hotter then the other, i dunno what could be the cause of that.

I can hear a big diffrence in the engine already, it is a lot louder then what it was, so no telling how long the engine has been running on 1 cylinder.

Gonna wait a day or two and test it out when the lawn needs to be mowed, see if i can notice a power diffrence then before.

When i got it from my cuz, he said it will not idle, well it idles now, i had to adjust the idle cause it was a little high.

I'm gonna take the valve covers off tomorrow and see if any of the push rods have came off or anything is different in them. Don't have the propper lighting outside to do it tonight.

Oh and it only seems to start with the choke, i haven't tested this througly yet, i will prolly do that on the day i gotta mow.

I'm prolly gonna go get a new sparkplug to replace this used spark plug i am using, could be why it's missin or backfiring but i'm not to worried about it atm, i just want to get it running great so i can relie on it when i need to use it.
 
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