[AT] Weird broken crank(not the 430!)

Thu Aug 3 16:47:33 PDT 2017

Spencer,
    I've found (back when I did a lot of small engine repair many moons
ago) if you need to go into the crankcase of a Briggs, you might find your
time/money better spent on a new engine. I think you've gone the smart
route. Hope this works out for the best.

Ken in AZ

On Thu, Aug 3, 2017 at 3:43 PM, Spencer Yost <yostsw at atis.net> wrote:

> After much googling, wailing, and gnashing of teeth I was finally able to
> find an engine with the right crankshaft and dimensions.  Harbor Freight
> and Northern tool didn't have it by the way.
>
> I found it at jackssmallengines.com, who I like and used before but they
> are ($$$).  The engine was not even on their website, but I called as a
> last resort. They were able to locate the engine in their internal
> database. It is a go-kart engine!   They don't stock it but the supplier
> they use for Briggs has them and will drop ship for them, so shipping
> should still be a reasonable amount of time.
>
> Anyways, this has been very frustrating. If you Google the model number
> nothing comes up. I am absolutely stunned, as I've never seen nothing come
> up on Google.  Briggs & Stratton website does not make one mention of it.
> Everyone I called insisted I must not have the right model number.  Jacks
> was the only one that found it right away.
>
> So a few green shims in the $100 thickness and the problem is solved.
>
> By the way, I did check into rebuilding the engine. The crankshaft and the
> rebuild kit would've been approximately $225 after shipping and I value my
> time enough to ignore the difference so I just bought it.  I'll have 3-4
> hours into this as it is.
>
> Thanks for all the help and advice!
>
> Spencer Yost
>
> > On Aug 3, 2017, at 10:38 AM, charlie hill <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > I'll keep that in mind Cecil.
> > My starting procedure for mine after they
> > sit up for the winter is to first run the carb
> > dry in the fall, then in the spring turn on the
> > fuel, put fresh non ethanol gas in the tank, open
> > the drain screw in the carb bowl and let a few ounces
> > flush through the system.  Put the drain screw back in,
> > set the choke, turn on the key and pull the cord.
> > The only time it has ever failed to fire on the first pull
> > was if I forgot to turn on the key or set the choke.
> >
> > Charlie
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Cecil Bearden
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2017 10:50 PM
> > To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> > Subject: Re: [AT] Weird broken crank(not the 430!)
> >
> > Charlie:
> > I would second that.   I replaced a briggs on my sprayer with one, and
> > when the fuel tank corroded up I jus t replaced the entire engine
> > again.  I keep 2 of then in the shed all the time for a quick repair.
> > Just a note, if you use 2 cycle gas in small engines, when they set,
> > they will not corrode so bad due to the ethanol that is always in the
> > gas even no ethanol gas.  The oil film stops the corrosion.
> >
> > Cecil
> >
> >
> >> On 8/2/2017 11:59 AM, charlie hill wrote:
> >> Go to Harbor Freight and buy a Chinese Honda knock off for $100.00 and
> >> forget you ever owned the Briggs.
> >>
> >> Charlie
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Spencer Yost
> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 9:25 PM
> >> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> >> Subject: Re: [AT] Weird broken crank(not the 430!)
> >>
> >> It's on a lawn vacuum, and it was running fine.  My wife was operating
> it
> >> so
> >> I didn't hear it.  She  said it just stopped, making a bunch of noise in
> >> the
> >> process.   The crack occurred right behind the bearing, inside the
> >> crankcase
> >> at the flywheel end, not the impeller end.
> >>
> >> There was a good level on the dipstick and an oil change in the winter
> so
> >> it
> >> was not oil related.
> >>
> >> Spencer Yost
> >>
> >>> On Aug 1, 2017, at 9:05 PM, vschwartz1 at comcast.net wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Spencer; I do not have any real knowledge about this kind of break but
> it
> >>> would appear to me that one side or the other would be smooth. I simply
> >>> have a case of nose trouble. What was the engine doing when the crank
> >>> broke? Was the break at the throw? For both pieces of the crank to be
> >>> like
> >>> that photo looks I would think there must have been some end play.
> Maybe
> >>> that is a normal thing, now define normal.
> >>> Just wondering,
> >>> Gil
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>
> >>> From: "Spencer Yost" <yostsw at atis.net>
> >>> To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
> >>> Sent: Tuesday, August 1, 2017 6:04:09 PM
> >>> Subject: [AT] Weird broken crank(not the 430!)
> >>>
> >>> I have a small Briggs that broke a crankshaft yesterday. The weirdest
> >>> thing I've ever seen. Have you ever seen a crank break and leave this
> >>> type
> >>> of a star pattern on both ends?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> [image/jpeg:image1.JPG]
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Spencer Yost
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> AT mailing list
> >>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> AT mailing list
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> >>
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