If the smoking became worse over time, my guess is worn rings. If the smoking occurred without warning, my guess is head gasket.

All of the problems that you mentioned can cause smoke.

-Deerslayer

At risk of being told by others on this site that i don't know anything, try using SAE 30 oil in it for a time. Won't hurt it, might do some good, may even solve yer problem!
Oil gets thin when it gets hot, but 10w/30 gets lots thinner than SAE30. And, most of the books say to only use 10W/30 in winter, if snow plowing, etc.
A few hard-heads swear by the light weight oil, but i never use it in anything, except in winter, for a snow blower.
Rustyj

B&S oil recommendations for modern engines include Mobil 1 10W-30 year round. I agree with Rusty that SAE 30 won't hurt. If SAE 30 makes a difference, my bet is worn rings.

-Deerslayer

I agree with rustyj14 about the oil. Might check the crankcase breather, you said prior maintance was little to none. If the breather gets plugged up pressure will biuld in the crankcase pushing too much oil by the valve guides/rings. I use 15w-50 Syn-tec in all my air cooled motors,Mobil 1 is good too. I do wonder when I hear guys complaining about the expense of synthetic oil, we're talking a couple of quarts here, not 11-15qt for a desiel pickup.

Thanks for the respones.

I agree that a heavier oil may help but I'm a bit of a lunatic so I'd like to solve the problem itself.

I'll try to check the breather if that doesn't solve the problem I'll go a little deeper. As to the breather do I clean it or change it? Does anyone know where I can get information how to change the head gaskets or rings ect. I've read that the B&S repair manual is awful. I'm somewhat mechanically inclinded but I need some step by step instructions along with torque specs. I assume if I rebuild this engine and maintain it, it should last for many years. Or am I wrong? Is this engine a poor design?

What should I look to do if I do a complete rebuild? Is 231 hours usually too soon for the engine to need a complete rebuild? Or should I just do the head gasket and forget doing anything else?

Thanks again.

Jim

Never, ever use 10w40, as it will break down and destroy an
engine.

But anyway, just replace the head gasket.

FISH

Extra care must be taken when installing a new air filter or when returning a cleaned one to service. The neighbor's 3 month old Intek 20hp exhibited the same sypmtoms you described. It turned out the cover was misaligned on the air cleaner and allowed debris to bypass around the filter. His only remedy now would be at least new rings, but likely an overbore.
I have not overhauled a Briggs engine in 20 years but they used to offer "chrome ring sets" for smoking engines. I tried a set on a 3hp engine powering a generator back then and sure enough, it cured the mosquito fogger smoking problem.

"I've read that the B&S repair manual is awful."

I do not agree, I have several, for different engines, and think they are great. About $15 for your engine.

"Does anyone know where I can get information how to change the head gaskets"

I have copies of my previous posts on torque pattern for head and another one for setting the valve clearance.

Your engine has about the right number of hours for head gasket to go. To check, remove the valve cover, start engine, look into push rod gallery for leak blowing into push rod gallery from cylinder, beware it may blow oil at you if leaking.

Post your address IF you would like copies of the instructions I mentioned.

By the way, as for the light weight oil, I think B&S does recommend the 10w-30 in Sympthetic but I see no reason to use it since they recommend the same change interval for symthetic as with regular motor oil which would be SAE30.

Walt Conner

Hi Walt,

I'd appreciate your sending the info:
Jimf350@msn.com

I'm glad to hear that you like the manuals. I just came back from Tractor Supply as I figured they would sell them. But no luck so I'll order the manual on line. As I said in an earlier post I'm an OK amatuer mechanic but I'll need all the help I can get.

I'm surprised that the life expectancy of the head gasket is only a couple hundred hours. Seems by now B&S would have found a way to have it last longer.

While I'm in there what else should I do besides the head gasket? What's the life expectency of the other parts of the engine?

Thanks

Jim

My post to you should pretty well cover your questions.

Walt Conner

By the way, as for the light weight oil, I think B&S does recommend the 10w-30 in Sympthetic but I see no reason to use it since they recommend the same change interval for symthetic as with regular motor oil which would be SAE30.

The main reason that I use multi-weight synthetic is because I use my tractor year round. SAE 30 is not recommended when temperatures are below 40F. B&S states that excessive oil consumption will result from use of nonsynthetic multi-weight oil.

-Deerslayer

Correction to last post:

B&S states that excessive oil consumption will result from use of nonsynthetic multi-weight oil when temperatures are over 40F.

-Deerslayer

Well, if ya got yer heart dead set on tearing into the engine, why, i guess nobody can talk sense to ya!
A few quarts of 30 SAE oil might save ya a lot of head aches later.
If you don't have ANY experience with engine work, or anything related to it, i'd suggest taking the engine to somebody with experience, and have them do the work! nothing worse than doing all that work, installing the engine, and having it go "BLOOIE"!
but, since i'm an old F--T, everybody thinks i've lost my marbles, and pooh-poos some ideas i put forth! Ahh, but the experience is what counts!
On another scene, an old friend, when i talked to her about her tractor, was amazed that i used the internet to gather information about tractors! "You're on the Internet?" she asked! I said:"Isn't everybody?" "But you're old!" I said a person is only as old as they feel! but that didn't seem to impress her any! (I'll be 82 in September!) and, that ain't old! At least not in my book!
Cheers: Rustyj

If B&S recommends using multi-grade oil that is only very recently, as in the last year or two. B&S engines with any age on have cautions against doing so. Even the B&S branded containers of oil they sell for lawn tractors are always 30 weight.

My 10-hp Craftsman LT10 lived for 23 years on 30 weight and never put out a puff of smoke, but it always told me it was happiest when I found it a container of B&S labeled 30-weight oil sized exactly correctly for its crankcase.

Now the newer Kohler Commands require 10W30 but that is a different story entirely.

I would replace with 30 weight and see if that cures the problem before doing anything else.

David

Here is a link to the current B&S Intek V-Twin manual.

Intek V-Twin Manual

Oil recommendations are on page 7. I agree that in 2001, B&S may have had a different recommendation.

-Deerslayer

Order yourself the B&S carb rebuild kit, flywheel puller and the magneto air gapper too to make life easy.. cheap stuff.

Or you could just replace the head gasket.......

Fish

Hi,
Funny, but I also have a 2001 YHT 1542 Briggs & Stratton 311777 same as yours with about the same amount of hours on it.
It just started doing the same thing. I have noticed that it will only do this when under load.(blades engaged)
I took the air filter off and engaged the blades and can see oil being pumped out of the crankcase breather into the carb.
I removed the breather to make sure the hole behind it wasn't blocked and cleaned the breather with carb cleaner.
No change, still does this.
I checked my compression and it has 145 #'s, so the rings are in goos shape.
Has anyone ever had a breather go bad and cause this??
Also, like you this all started with the crankcase being over filled by a small amount.

Thanks,

Ron

"Also, like you this all started with the crankcase being over filled by a small amount."

This happened to me last year. Overfilling the oil causes the engine to overheat. Overheating causes the head gasket to fail. Gasket cost $10.

If anybody wants or needs a Briggs & STratton magneto air-gapper tool, send me yer address, and i'll mail ya one!
Rustyj

A follow up.

I changed the head gasket and the smoking problem went away. I'm guilty of overfilling the oil on this engine so maybe it contributed to the problem.

As part of changing the head gasket I adjusted the valves and the engine sounds great. Before the engine sounded like a bucket of rocks.

Thanks to everyone for your help especially Walt and Bruce.

Jim

Or you could just replace the head gasket.............

Who is Bruce?

Slightly overfilling with oil did not cause the problem.

Fish

Yep!!
I pulled the head off and sure enough the head gasket was blown.
I'm getting a new gasket tomorrow and will put it back together.

Can anyone here post the torque sequence,torque values, and valve clearance's for me.
I don't have a manual handy and would appreciate it!!

Thanks in advance!!

Ron

I have detailed messages on torquing the head bolts and adjusting the valves IF you want to post your email address. Too long to post here.

Walt Conner

UPDATE:
I got the information and gasket from the dealer this morning and installed the head gasket.

Cut an acre of grass with no problems whatsoever.

A common thing with blown head gaskets on this engine seems to be overfilling the crankcase.

I'll sure be more careful from now on.

Thanks to all of you for the help and information provided.
I hope I can return the favor someday!!

Ron

Good - - did you reverse the aluminum push rod? This would have been included in my detailed instructions.

Walt Conner

So who is Bruce?

Fish

Hey Fish thanks to you also. Yesterday when I was typing my previous post I wanted to thank that guy who kept saying--Or you could just replace the head gasket. Unfortunatley I couldn't remember your name off the top of my head. Of course the thing to do was to take a few seconds to look for your post. But that didn't happen only because I'm a volunteer fireman and the tones went off so I had to leave right away. If I take an extra few seconds getting out of here I may miss getting on a truck. It's a very small town and when the first few people show up the truck goes. No kidding. So now that I have the time thanks Fish.

Bruce is a fellow who runs a small engine forum website and I bought the head gasket and a few other parts from him.

Jim

I knew I would miss something!!G

No, I didn't know to reverse the push rod.
But, never fear, it is easy to get to and I will do it.

Thanks for the tip!!
I even looked at it and thought to myself that it had alot of wear on it.

Never thought about reversing it, what a concept!! lol

Thanks again!!

Ron

Yes, I remember that website, PER or something like that.

I got into a spat with someone there, and I decided
to bow out from there.

It is unusual for me to get into any unfortunate
"scrapes"...........................................

..............................................

.... ....

It was a miracle, actually, that Spike never banned me.

Fish

""I got into a spat with someone there"

Probably Dan Swami, I've been in a bunch of them with him.

Walt Conner

Walt,

I have read this post and would really like to see your instructions on replacing the headgasket. I have a 24 HP B&S engine that is blowing smoke with less than 80 hours. I have checked everything else and believe it is the head gasket. My email is robert.ling@us.army.mil
thanks

I had a similar problem with an 18 HP B&S last year. Came here to this forum and had it quickly diagnosed as a stuck breather. One hour and $10 later I was back in the driver's seat. The engine is still going strong.

Glad to see that the problem is fixed, just wanted to let other readers know that not all engines belching white smoke have bad head gaskets.

odo53,
How did you know it was a stuck breather? I pulled the breather assemble out last night and the screen looked good and the tube was not plugged. The assembley was not full of oil. I assume that it was functioning.
thanks

robnva,
Someone here in the forum suggested it. I took out the breather and it was soaked in oil. Dripped out every which way. The little flapper check valve didn't move too well. I don't know if they all fail like this but mine was obviously bad. Yours sounds fine if it doesn't have oil in it.

"Came here to this forum and had it quickly diagnosed as a stuck breather. "

"I pulled the breather assemble out last night and the screen looked good and the tube was not plugged"

Screen? What Screen?

While anything is possible, a B&S Crankcase Breather very, very seldom "sticks" or "gets plugged". There is really nothing there to stick. They do occasionally fail almost always from a would be mechanic pressing on the fiber disc out of curiosity or "to be sure it isn't stuck". It doesn't take much to distort the light metal finger behind the fiber disc that acts as a stop. The max clearance between this fiber disc and its' seat is .035" measured with a wire gage. Failure is usually due to excess clearance.

To check the breather operation, wipe the rubber vent tube clean, alternately blow and suck on this tube and see if you can feel/hear the fiber disk shift position and change resistance. There should be very short span between partially sealed and open. NOTE - There will be some leakage when blowing due to the oil return drain hole and a little leakage past the valve.

Walt Conner

Hey Rustyj - Are ya sure you got enough old Briggs parts boxes for all those requests? LOL! Ed

walt2002,

My daughter has a murray with a briggs 14.5 hp single in it. It about 1997 vintage.

As an interfereing parent, I checked oil in it several weeks ago and it was barely on the stick. I criticised her for not checking the oil. Really, her boy (my grandson) mows her lawn and checks/changes the oil.

They have a very small lawn (they just moved) and the engine is useing a cup or two every time the lawn is mowed.

Maybe the head gasket.

So if you forward your instructions to me, I will send them to my offspring.

My email is: alyceo@rconnect.com

Thanks much!!!

BTW, can the head gasket be fixed by just retorqueing the head bolts? I ask as I have had a couple of cars that were fixable by retorqueing the head bolts.

JerryO

Well, my daughter and grandson tried to replace their head gasket. What a comedy of errors.

Friday morning, My daughter called and asked how you find the head. I tried to help, but didn't even remember that her engine has eight headbolts. My overhead valve engines only have 4 headbolts per cylinder, or so I thought. Anyway, friday is the day my wife and I often go and visit them, so I told her if she would get off the phone I would come up.

When I got there, she showed me the repair manual and headgasket she had bought (per walts instructions) for her mower. Also, the torque wrench (inch pounds) she had bought.

Shakeing my head, I asked why she bought an "L" head manual and head gasket. Her reply was that she copied the engine numbers and showed tham to the guy in the shop. He gave her "L" head stuff. I even looked at the numbers she wrote down, and she was right.

So I showed her the seam where the head met the block. I found the head bolts sort of loose and asked about them. She said that they had loosened a lot of bolts. The tractor hood, engine shrouds and carb were off. The muffler was still in place and it hides (blocks) one head bolt.

I took the rocker arm cover off (with a large puddle of oil on the floor) and found their aren't any headbolts here. With no headgasket (that fits) on hand, I torqued the head bolts (except the one hidden by the exhaust) to 220 inch pounds plus 10 percent (ie 250 ft-lbs). Then adjusted the valves. But without any feeler gauges, I tried useing 2 thicknesses of paper. Problem is I didn't know how thick the paper was. I switched to coke cans material for my feeler gauges. 1 thickness for intake (but barely snug) and 2 thicknesses for exhaust (tight on the 2). Then put the valve cover back on.

Today she called me and said it wouldn't start.
So I tried to get her to give me the symptoms.
- she didn't know if it clicked, but the engine wouldn't turn.
- Jumper cable from battery to starter did turn it.
- I asked for the jumper cable to be touched to the small solenoid terminal.
- Grandson took the solenoid out so he could buy a new one.
- I convinced my daughter to hold the solenoid against the battery ground and touch the jumper cable to the tab on the side. She observed the click.
- Grandson got mad.
- I offered to give her the places to check.
-- as I had a schmetic for wifes tractor.
- Daughter mad, said lawn could go to hel!.
- I said I got my own mower to fix.

Tonight, I got a call and my daughter said she put the solenoid back while she remembered where the bolts were. As she did this, she saw a fuse. Checked the fuse and it was bad. A new fuse and it started.

She checked oil and it was low, so her husband mowed the lawn.

I asked how much the oil went down when mowing and she said she had no idea, to which I told her to go check it for me. She checked and said she thought it was the same as before they mowed.

I told her to fill it exactly to the top of the hash marks. and to check and fill every time they mow.

Maybe she (they) will. Or maybe they won't.

JerryO

Thanks for the smiles this morning. IF the head gasket was the trouble, torquing the head bolts are very unlikey to help any as a "passage" will have been burned between the cylinder and the push rod gallery.

As for the guy giving your daughter the wrong gasket, the engine will be a 28 Series and this contains both L Head and OHV engines. The numbers should have told which however, sounds to me like someone has substitued the wrong cooling shroud with L head numbers on it.

Walt Conner

Walt, thanks for all the info you have provided. It has been a great help.

I think it was you that said my adjusting the valve on the briggs engine in my wifes gilson was the worst case of shade tree mechanicing you had ever heard of. Probably.

Except, I was repairing cars (and tractors) since I was 10. I didn't know service manuals existed. I had no feeler gauges or torque wrenches. My mentor was my dad who preferred to drive horses to tractors. He never worked on his cars, but always took them to a mechanic. I Put the wrong head on a 41 chev when I was 11 years old. It took me an hour to remove it and put a different one on and adjust the valves.

Anyway, you have told me several times that retorqueing the head won't work. And I have changed several headgaskets that were bad (just as you described).

However, I had a new experience with a '75 VW rabbit. It was running badly, so I did a compression check. I had given up on tuneing worn out engines, which is why I always did a compression check. Sure enough, the compression on the center two cylinders was low and the same. I screwed in my air hose adapter, and the air from one cylinder squirted out the other. Sure proof the the gasket was leaking between the two cylinders. On changeing the gasket, I found the egr pipe had rusted and fallen off leaveing a large hole in the intake manifold. Pluging this and the car ran much better, of course.

Now back to that head gasket. I inspected that rabbit gasket as well as I could and it was perfect. I concluded that it only leaked when cold and when hot, expansion sealed the leak. Therefore, retorqeing the head bolts would have fixed that one.

My grand daughter had a chevy cavailer which was running bad. When I checked compression, some readings were rather low. So I retorqued the head bolts. The compression came up and the engine ran much better.

Conclusion: If caught early, retorqeing can seal the headgasket and it is much easier than replaceing the gasket (If I replaced the gasket, I would also make sure the head was flat, probably by rubbing it on some emery paper). Also, new gaskets must be tougher than the old ones were.

And did you know that coke cans are .004 to .005 inch thick on the center of their sides? So I left the intake in that range. The exhaust is under .010, and probably .008 (it could have been as low as .007). I'm sure you have seen these gaps quite wide. Intake would have been .015 to .020 and exhaust in the .020 to .025 range before my adjusting.

As to her engine numbers, she used the numbers she had showed the guy to pull up a parts diagram of her engine on the briggs site (mod-287707, type-022501, code-970311ZD). She kept asking why the head gasket in the book (and in her hand) didn't look like the one on the briggs site. So I made up a story about 'L' being the cumbustion chamber shape of a valve-in block (What's a valve, what's a block). Girls!!!

If I was doing a repair for money, I would do a complete job. A customer wants a working repair. Not a maybe. And doesn't want to pay extra for a second try at fixing it. I would always replace a bad starter, not change the drive gear and/or brushes. Probably replace the short block on an engine that is smokeing or useing oil.

Kids are fun! But I try not to help. A little advice when they are stuck, usualy with a science lesson.

Oh, In your bolt numbering scheme, I didn't know which bolt was to be number one (I now think you meant top center). On the other hand, I kinda don't believe it matters if you go around several times and take each bolt up just a small amount. So I used the sequence in the 'L' head manual, skipping the bolt under the exhaust which was still hidden and of course the one that was removed for the push rod galley.

Oh, I was asking if they retorqued the flywheel nut. What a couple of stooges!!

JerryO

Well jerryo, a single 287707 is not a Rabbit or a Chevy. There is so many things in your post there is really no place to start and I can see, and should have some time ago, it is a waste of time anyway.

Over and Out,

Walt Conner

I have the smoking problem too with my 311777, I'm pretty sure that it is the head gasket. Is head gasket replacement covered in the repair manual?

Thanks!

"Is head gasket replacement covered in the repair manual?"

Yes.

Walt Conner

Might not be head gasket, no smoking, running fine, but I see oil on / near rocker cover? (says Ohv on it) That drips down in dirt clumps and burns on the mufflershield. Replace rocker cover gasket first i guess? Got the repair in the mail headed my way.

I need a wiring diagram for the husqvarna lt4140 lawn tractor. Can anybody help. Email me at intecea@madasafish.com

Are you still working on the 15HP Briggs smoking? I am a small engine mechanic. Been doing this for sbout 25 years. Rebuilding a engine just like yours on same tractor right now, same problem.