# help for a craftsman snowblower model 536881951



## suepic (Nov 15, 2018)

Hi everyone,
I have a snowblower that doesn't start and I heard a puffing when pulling the cord (first had to get new spring and pull cord...done) I am trying to learn about sm engines and have attempted to do my first head gasket and valve adjustments on a briggs engine 15a1140342 E1 050811 FD. I think things have gone pretty well with a little help from you tube. Finally I have put things back together and now the machine starts on first pull but it revs sooo fast so I shut it off immediately. Im reading it might be the governor so now I'm learning about it. I have attempted to adjust it but any help with adjusting the thing would be wonderful, it backfired once. I will be buying a tachometer. There is no throttle just choke and run on carb. thanks in advance for any ideas on this!


----------



## suepic (Nov 15, 2018)

Hi everyone, 
I am trying to learn about small engines looking for help.... I have a 15a114-0342 e1 engine on a craftsman lawnmower. figured out it was a blown head gasket( among other things) which I replaced , put it all back together. Now trying to learn about a small tachometer I bought on amazon. It has like 10 different modes to set not sure on all the lingo, the question on tach is how many strokes and how many cylinders......I think this snowblower is a 4 stroke 1 cylinder (the settings on tachometer. . .is the 4 stroke the intake, compression, power and exhaust, and the cylinders would be the pistons? I set the tach at 4 stroke 1 cylinder but it says its running at 6700 rpms so I shut off immediately .....thanks


----------



## schneetag (Jan 3, 2021)

Yes, your Briggs&Stratton engine is a 4 stroke single (1) cylinder. Your engine running at anything near 6700 rpm would likely grenade itself in short order. Good thing you shut it right down. Did it sound like it was running that high (screaming)? If so, then at least you know that your tach. is working properly. Is this happening with your carburetor set at idle? If so, my first guess is that your governor is way out of adjustment. If you had to remove it's linkage while working on your engine, check to see that you didn't forget to re-install it by chance.


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to SBF suepic











suepic said:


> I have a 15a114-0342 e1 engine on a craftsman lawnmower.


This looks like a horizontal shaft snowblower engine.

Intake, compression, power, exhaust . . . 4 stroke
Number of cylinders, number of cylinders OR number of pistons.

Yup, no throttle just an ON OFF switch like a lot of generators.
I was going to suggest you might have the governor rod in the wrong hole but it doesn't look like that engine gives you any option on where to hook it up. - - >Shaft-Throttle [690024] for Lawn Equipments | eReplacement Parts
Any chance you're missing a spring ? - - > Spring-Governor [692571] for Lawn Equipments | eReplacement Parts


.


----------



## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

You need to set up your tach as a 2 stroke because the spark fires every revolution like a two stroke. If you are not sure pull off the blower housing and look at the magnet on the fly wheel. Every time the magnet passes the magneto the spark fires. That would be once per revolution. That will cut the tach reading in half. You are running at about 3350rpm. Which is about right, +/- or minus a bit.


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> You need to set up your tach as a 2 stroke because the spark fires every revolution like a two stroke.


Yup, forgot all about it firing every revolution.










.


----------



## suepic (Nov 15, 2018)

Thanks everyone....getting a lot of great info and learning lots still unclear before I take everything apart to look at governor again...here is the picture of my choices for the tach setup. I have it on 1pr2r which is 4 stroke 1 cylinder. should I try another setting before potentially blowing the thing up? thx


----------



## toromike (Aug 20, 2018)

try 1p1r, it should then read about 3,350 rpm


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

toromike said:


> try 1p1r, it should then read about 3,350 rpm


What he said.


.


----------



## suepic (Nov 15, 2018)

schneetag said:


> Yes, your Briggs&Stratton engine is a 4 stroke single (1) cylinder. Your engine running at anything near 6700 rpm would likely grenade itself in short order. Good thing you shut it right down. Did it sound like it was running that high (screaming)? If so, then at least you know that your tach. is working properly. Is this happening with your carburetor set at idle? If so, my first guess is that your governor is way out of adjustment. If you had to remove it's linkage while working on your engine, check to see that you didn't forget to re-install it by chance.





Toro-8-2-4 said:


> You need to set up your tach as a 2 stroke because the spark fires every revolution like a two stroke. If you are not sure pull off the blower housing and look at the magnet on the fly wheel. Every time the magnet passes the magneto the spark fires. That would be once per revolution. That will cut the tach reading in half. You are running at about 3350rpm. Which is about right, +/- or minus a bit.


Sooo toro mike, I will try this new setting in the morning.....but I thought if I have a 4 stroke 1 cylinder that it only fires once on two revolutions of the pistons which is the last pick on my diagram ....just trying to understand thanks for your patience....cant wait to try the other setting.


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

The flywheel which has the magnet to fire the coil rotates once, half the revolution is intake, the other half is compression, fire, second revolution, first half is power, second half is exhaust, fire again, intake starts.
It fires every revolution like a 2 cycle would it's just that the second firing is right between exhaust and intake and there isn't anything to actually set on fire. The magnet is coming around and it has to.
I forgot about that and now that I think about it I've made this same mistake adding tachs to my equipment.

.


----------



## toromike (Aug 20, 2018)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> The flywheel which has the magnet to fire the coil rotates once, half the revolution is intake, the other half is compression, fire, second revolution, first half is power, second half is exhaust, fire again, intake starts.
> It fires every revolution like a 2 cycle would it's just that the second firing is right between exhaust and intake and there isn't anything to actually set on fire. The magnet is coming around and it has to.


What he said.

The instructions for these tachs are never clear, some are worse than others.


----------



## suepic (Nov 15, 2018)

okkkk went back changed tach to 1pr1 and adjusted the governor again to what I think is the right way, attached tach and this is what I see and hear in video, .... is 3410 too low? Seems to be surging ...is it the idle screw now? I couldn't really get to it so crowded. Everyone is soooo helpful thank you

Link to video here: <Video>


----------



## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

It did not look or sound like it was surging. If it is a OHV engine you may want to speed it up to 3600 RPM.


----------



## toromike (Aug 20, 2018)

3,410 rpm is fine, maximum would be 3,600. There is a mechanism to adjust the maximum speed. It didn't sound like it was surging to me. It did sound like the mixture was not correct and it was missing. Try adjusting the idle mixture and see if it smooths out. You mentioned you adjusted the governor. The governor on a small engine rarely needs to be adjusted. If you take the governor linkages apart it is important to get it all back exactly like it was originally. All the pieces must be in the same orientation and the rods and springs in the original holes. Tip: take pictures before you take it apart. If you moved the governor arm on the governor shaft that comes out of the engine block, then there is a specific procedure to reset the arm on the shaft, getting this adjustment right is important.


----------



## suepic (Nov 15, 2018)

Okkk I have the carb in the ultrasound , how would I know if this is original or eBay knockoff there are a few numbers on it, so that I can replace parts? Looks like there are no adjustments to it. Should I just replace it? Getting closer!


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Personally, I like to use the adjustable ones if available.


----------



## suepic (Nov 15, 2018)

Hi everyone, ok I finally have it running sounding pretty good , rpms 3540. Now I drained the oil and it looks light gray, so I put in new oil waited overnight started it in the morning and I still have light grey oil. any ideas? Could it just be the leftovers mixing in ? do I have a leak from something else? Unfortunately we have a nor'easter coming tomorrow, should I NOT use it tomorrow? Any advice would be fantastic....thx in advanced


----------



## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

You probaly did not drain out all of the old oil. It is nearly impossible to get 100% of it out but if you change the oil while it is hot and tip it back and forth when you think it is done draining, it will help you get out as much as practical. You are probably ok but if you are uncomfortable with it change it again. When I have an engine with very dirty oil I put in a few ounces of Marvel Mystery oil in the crank case and run it for 10 minutes or even longer. It will help drain more junk out. There are a bunch of other products out there that will do the same.


----------

