# B&S 7.75 HP Engine Problem



## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

On my Craftsman snow blower. Used the machine and heard a clunk and machine stopped. Gas looked empty. Filled tank and tried to pull rope starter and moves a few inches and then jammed.

Tried electric start and no go. Took rope starter off and it works good. Removing hood to access plug is my next step. I'll see if I can turn engine over with plug removed.

It seems that something is seized.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

when was the last time you checked the oil??????


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Sounds like maybe a broken rod. Not sounding good. Look on both sides of the engine and see if it is cracked or has a hole in it. With the belt cover or recoil off see if the crank will turn backwards. If it turns like half a turn in each direction and stops something in the engine is probably broken.


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## Motor City (Jan 6, 2014)

It would happen to be one of this model?


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

Motor City said:


> It would happen to be one of this model?


No an older model, think I bought in 2002. Just before they came with removal tools mounted on the machine, which I wish I had.
My machine mdl #536.887750 mfg date 01225 26inch

I'll check it out more than post results.


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> when was the last time you checked the oil??????


October. Greased the machine and silicone the chutes and checked the oil which is 5/30 synthetic. First time I used it this year. I'm in Buffalo, hit with the massive snow fall. Cutting thru 4 feet of snow when it happened. Got an extra 2 feet to top the 4 feet.

Haven't heard but one other snow blower the last few days. It's almost worthless using them.


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> when was the last time you checked the oil??????


Bingo! 
It was filled with oil. Per your post checked the dipstick and no oil?

Found that the bottom, oil fill plastic cap?, had come off and all the oil blew out. With feet of snow had no indication it was blowing out.

If I buy a replacement I will safety wire the cap in place.

Think I got the right replacement engine here. Will remove old and buy the attached.
link: Briggs and Stratton Engines 12c3140131e1CO 7.75 HP Intek Snow Series Horizontal Engine


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## scipper77 (Dec 4, 2013)

Lakota said:


> October. Greased the machine and silicone the chutes and checked the oil which is 5/30 synthetic. First time I used it this year. I'm in Buffalo, hit with the massive snow fall. Cutting thru 4 feet of snow when it happened. Got an extra 2 feet to top the 4 feet.
> 
> Haven't heard but one other snow blower the last few days. It's almost worthless using them.


I'm in Rochester, I'm pretty sure you guys are going to win the annual snowfall competition this year. I was thinking about how with the kind of snow you guys got you would have to repeatedly clear the snow as it fell or the blower would be useless. 

P.S. $10 an hour is not nearly worth it to shovel 6 feet of snow even if they throw in a free ticket to a game that might be moved anyways.


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

scipper77 said:


> I'm in Rochester, I'm pretty sure you guys are going to win the annual snowfall competition this year. I was thinking about how with the kind of snow you guys got you would have to repeatedly clear the snow as it fell or the blower would be useless.
> 
> P.S. $10 an hour is not nearly worth it to shovel 6 feet of snow even if they throw in a free ticket to a game that might be moved anyways.


There was a slight coating of ice/slush under the snow, with a delightful 4 feet of snow on top the first day. Topped with 2 more feet the next day. Wind was gusting also.

Buffalo avg is 93 inches of snow a season, Syracuse 117 inches, Rochester 92 inches. Think my area got 65 inches in two days.

Snow plows are worthless. The government has to use pay loaders and trucks to remove the snow. At least 4 feet of packed snow on the streets.

Highly doubtful the Bills game will be played in Orchard Park this week.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Good time to try a Harbor Freight Predator engine.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

I guess you are going to have to get a new engine. I trust it will be a BRIGGS. check out brandnewengines.com


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

nt40lanman said:


> Good time to try a Harbor Freight Predator engine.


Yea, those are only $100 and you can pick them up locally assuming the stores are open and you can get there. Make sure to take a 25% off coupon with you. Might want to check the shaft on your engine first and see if they will be the same.


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## greatwhitebuffalo (Feb 11, 2014)

scipper77 said:


> I'm in Rochester, I'm pretty sure you guys are going to win the annual snowfall competition this year. I was thinking about how with the kind of snow you guys got you would have to repeatedly clear the snow as it fell or the blower would be useless.
> 
> P.S. $10 an hour is not nearly worth it to shovel 6 feet of snow even if they throw in a free ticket to a game that might be moved anyways.


 yeh $10 an hour is a joke. $20 is more like it.
with snow like that you need a big asz snowblower and have to run it every 1/2 hour to keep it clear. once it gets up over the chute, forgettaboutit,....


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

I would put a predator engine on it. Its 1/3 the cost and they have proven to be reliable so far. carl


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

If you have to go Briggs, check out this place. I've had very good luck with them. Fast shipping, email follow ups for tracking.
Engines


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

greatwhitebuffalo said:


> yeh $10 an hour is a joke. $20 is more like it.


Well, to be fair, it was $10 an hour, *plus* free tickets to the game.
(I dont know if it was one or two tickets per person)
So when you factor in the ticket price, they would have been "paid" more than $10 an hour..

its a moot point now anyway..the game has been moved to Detroit! 

Scot


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

this is cheap for a gx390

GX200QX-B


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

GX390QA-R


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

I appreciate all the helpful replies.

UPDATE: I was told to pull plug , add MMO and let soak for a few days , then use a breaker bar to break the engine seize. Did the MMO yesterday and will give the breaker bar a try in the next few days. Plus I was thinking of using an impact gun, if breaker bar doesn't work.

As for replacement engines, the one I linked, looks like a "direct replacement", so I don't have to re-engineer anything in my small packed garage in this cold weather. Also the old one could be a parts engine, which I'll probably never need.

The linked B&S has "electric start" which I want, plus an alternator for the machine headlight as does the seized engine. I would hope it's NOS and "Made in the USA".

link: http://www.jackssmallengines.com/Product...1e1CO/2647421/s


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

Good News, Bad News

Engine turned over after 2 oz of MMO,overnight soak. Today tipped engine to check something some MMO came out , had spark plug lose in hole, tick off, put wrench on crankshaft nut and engine turned over. Drained engine of little oil and added 20 oz that was required. Overfill on dipstick about 1/8" ? 

Went with it, started engine and it ran. Starting using it and after a while notice dripping oil. Turned off opened dipstick and positive pressure, went poof, like opening a soda bottle. Ran back to garage and notice power was very weak on return.

Thinking rings are gone? Imaging if I replace , will have to get a ring compressor tool to get piston into block? 

I see some people advertise doing barn jobs on small engines around Buffalo.

Probably will try to do myself but might wait till spring.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

if there was still positive pressure in the crankcase after you shut the engine off then your breather is not working properly. Other causes of crankcase pressure besides rings could be a blown head gasket, but there should not be any pressure in the crankcase after the engine is stopped if the breather is working properly.


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

UPDATE

Check oil level, OK, between 1/2 way between full/empty. Started OK, idle awhile, open dipstick, proof, had blow by. a positive pressure. When increased speed, then noticed oil drip.

No surprised after running with, no oil, engine toast. Just rings are $30.

Will wait for better days, to work outside garage to remove engine and check to see if the 6.5 HF Predator will fit.

my machine, engine B&S 7.75HP,
mdl# 12C414-0131-E1, think shaft 3/4"X2.56", HF engine 3/4''X2.43, have the HF mounting 
hole diagram, will check mine out.

Thanks for everyone's help, I'll post results as it happens.


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

Ordered the B&S 7.75HP engine and installed yesterday. Job went fairly easy , since engine is the same. Noticed the electric start is to the side an improvement to the original where it was in the back. 

The engine was well packed with foam surrounding it. Notice the shaft was rusty? (assuming from storage, sitting on shelf} so wiped down with Kroil.
Weird that ground bolt on original was 3/8" head and replacement had to use a 10mm to get bolt off. Used the SAE stuff from original on replacement with no problem.

Will start for first time today and see what happens.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Lakota said:


> Ordered the B&S 7.75HP engine and installed yesterday. Job went fairly easy , since engine is the same. Noticed the electric start is to the side an improvement to the original where it was in the back.
> 
> The engine was well packed with foam surrounding it. Notice the shaft was rusty? (assuming from storage, sitting on shelf} so wiped down with Kroil.
> Weird that ground bolt on original was 3/8" head and replacement had to use a 10mm to get bolt off. Used the SAE stuff from original on replacement with no problem.
> ...


 let us know the score on that one.


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

Don't forget to fill it with oil!!!


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## treedasher (Dec 1, 2014)

Lakota said:


> The engine was well packed with foam surrounding it.


Was there a color dot on the label with the engine#? And was the foam in a grey/silver wrap?

Just curious if it came from my warehouse.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

Lakota said:


> UPDATE
> 
> Check oil level, OK, between 1/2 way between full/empty. Started OK, idle awhile, open dipstick, proof, had blow by. a positive pressure. When increased speed, then noticed oil drip.
> 
> ...


 opening the oil fill cap with the engine running will almost certainly get you an oil bath. Did you remove the breather and check for proper operation of the breather? Even with a properly operating breather oil will shoot out of the oil fill hole with the cap/dipstick removed. The oil and air will take the path of least resistance. With the crankcase open to atmospheric pressure the piston will pull air into the crankcase as it moves towards TDC and will push that air and oil out as it moves to BTC. The breathers job is to not let outside air into the engine as the piston moves up in the bore but to allow any blowby to escape via the breather if blowby exists.


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

Yes, I installed the new engine, one day, filled with oil since it came empty. Also checked the one on each side oil fill plugs. They were both loose, esp the right hand side one that blew off on my original engine.

Then I put index marks on the oil fill plugs so I can check if they loosen.

Gave myself until the next day until I started engine, give my brain a chance to think things over.

Gas it up, primed three times and installed electric starter plug. One push of the button and it started. Ran it up/down the driveway and I'm good to go.

The engine total cost with shipping was $317.05, delivered to my door. The engine came from the Maryland warehouse, the main store of Jack's.

I needed a 3/4" , 2 9/16" shaft and this OEM original meet the requirement.

Now, I'll see if I can part out the good parts on the bad engine.


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

CarlB said:


> if there was still positive pressure in the crankcase after you shut the engine off then your breather is not working properly. Other causes of crankcase pressure besides rings could be a blown head gasket, but there should not be any pressure in the crankcase after the engine is stopped if the breather is working properly.


+1
I agree with Carl, there should be no pressure in the crankcase. The rings and other moving parts could certainly be worn if the engine was run with no oil, but I would look at a bad head gasket as Carl suggested since this is an OHV motor. Briggs head gasket part number-698210 around $5. This link will help if you decide to try the repair.


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## Lakota (Nov 19, 2014)

Grunt said:


> +1
> I agree with Carl, there should be no pressure in the crankcase. The rings and other moving parts could certainly be worn if the engine was run with no oil, but I would look at a bad head gasket as Carl suggested since this is an OHV motor. Briggs head gasket part number-698210 around $5. This link will help if you decide to try the repair.


On 11-23-14 I gave up on the engine. Didn't want to waste time or money on it. So I order a new engine to install while I can still get one. I would have a loss of confidence on the blown engine.

The new one is installed. On the blown engine, head gasket , rings?, don't have inside micrometer for the cylinder bore, to check that out. Would have to do a tear down to check engine out.

Got the old blown engine with "full disclosure, telling what happened" for parts, whole or will separate on local Craigs list. Will probably eventually list on e-bay. Worst case bases without any sale is I have a parts engine that I'll probably never need.


I understand there should be no positive crankcase pressure, it was blowing oil out on the bottom of engine , without opening the dip stick, which I did to check for pressure.

Thank you for your link.

B&S head gasket is about $9.00 from e-bay shipped ,B&S head gasket# 695166


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