Right now, I own a Briggs branded mower that is about 20 years old. My mother purchased it, gave it away, and then it went through several owners before coming back to me. I have owned it for about 6 years, and I gave it the first oil change it had ever had. It was inoperable for a few years, but it saw a good amount of use, and it didn't blow up. It still runs great. My thought on this one is the someone screwed up and didn't torque the bolts to spec.
I’m sure that’s one of those mowers that say “no oil change ever needed” Tom you’re going to be busy for many years to come 😂 Great vid and great information 👍
I do the same thing you do. Whenever I am out in my shop, I always leave the keys in the door so I will remember to lock it when I am done for the day.
If you have never dealt with one of these before, the Vortex system is notorious for getting clogged with grass like this one was. It's a good idea to check it when someone brings one into your shop that's having issues. Grass collects under that top cover.
Well that's a shame! Being that a lot of briggs engines nowadays the rod bolts are only torqued to 100in pounds (8 ft pounds ) it makes you wonder if that toque value is sufficient. Great video Tom , keep them coming sir. Take care and catch you on your next one.
LOL That's something everyone in this business learns real quick. Even a blown up engine has parts that are worth salvaging. I don't throw anything away that I can reuse. I even strip junk carburetors for parts. It's gotten me out of jam and saved some money more than once.
You got a knack for doing videos on the various mowers that I own, lol. I guess I just have too many. I picked up on of these a few weeks ago out of someone's trash. I can't figure out what happened to it. The right front wheel is missing, and the height selector is bent. The right rear wheel and height selector are bent, but beyond a few scrapes, the deck isn't damaged. It runs great. I haven't decided whether I am going to fix it or use it as an engine donor. It's worth enough money in my area to justify fixing it. I don't know.
Hello Tom, Personally I don’t think that the stance taken by Briggs & Stratton regarding never changing the engine oil was a very good idea. The Toro Recycler that my sister has which has the same identical engine has always been serviced with new oil and air filters as needed and I have to say that the used oil looks almost as good as the new oil when the oil is changed. That has to be one of the easiest starting engines that I have ever seen in which you can just slightly tug on the pull rope and the engine is running. The original spark plug is still in the engine as well as the carburetor. I swap out the mower blade with a spare blade from time to time in which I resharpen the blade that was removed. There’s no downtime by doing this approach.
I doubt those bolts were tightened enough at the factory. One started to come loose, and it started the rest of the failure. It probably ran for quite some time before it finally broke the rod cap. We will never know.
My opinion is that the old oil didn't provide enough lubrication. In turn the engine overheated, expanded just enough to loosen the crank bolts. Over time they backed enough to cause the failure.
I am working on exactly the same engine, exactly the same problem. Nrw rod is $20. I am fixing mine. Started to disassemble for parts, found absolutely nothing damaged except the rod. One rod bolt was actually completely unscrewed from the rod, the other was very loose. Gonna use loctite on teassembly, LOTS of loctite! Factory defect or worker error? Mine is a 2022 model.
@@TomDobyMowerRepair I will. I think all I need is the rod and sump gasket. Got em on order. The mower shop I do business with gives me customer abandoned equipment. Our deal is any parts I need I get from them. He gives me 10% discount. It works out well. I get small parts from Amazon, air cleaners, etc. Nice hobby. Most people spend money on their hobby, my hobby makes money!
Right now, I own a Briggs branded mower that is about 20 years old. My mother purchased it, gave it away, and then it went through several owners before coming back to me. I have owned it for about 6 years, and I gave it the first oil change it had ever had. It was inoperable for a few years, but it saw a good amount of use, and it didn't blow up. It still runs great. My thought on this one is the someone screwed up and didn't torque the bolts to spec.
Thanks for the evening video.That mower doesn’t look that old. After I watched the rest of the video and heard what you said. Check & change your oil.
Great video Tom thanks
I’m sure that’s one of those mowers that say “no oil change ever needed” Tom you’re going to be busy for many years to come 😂
Great vid and great information 👍
Got to wear a Santa Hat now Tommy
You got the Beard already
I do the same thing you do. Whenever I am out in my shop, I always leave the keys in the door so I will remember to lock it when I am done for the day.
If you have never dealt with one of these before, the Vortex system is notorious for getting clogged with grass like this one was. It's a good idea to check it when someone brings one into your shop that's having issues. Grass collects under that top cover.
Well that's a shame! Being that a lot of briggs engines nowadays the rod bolts are only torqued to 100in pounds (8 ft pounds ) it makes you wonder if that toque value is sufficient. Great video Tom , keep them coming sir. Take care and catch you on your next one.
LOL That's something everyone in this business learns real quick. Even a blown up engine has parts that are worth salvaging. I don't throw anything away that I can reuse. I even strip junk carburetors for parts. It's gotten me out of jam and saved some money more than once.
You got a knack for doing videos on the various mowers that I own, lol. I guess I just have too many. I picked up on of these a few weeks ago out of someone's trash. I can't figure out what happened to it. The right front wheel is missing, and the height selector is bent. The right rear wheel and height selector are bent, but beyond a few scrapes, the deck isn't damaged. It runs great. I haven't decided whether I am going to fix it or use it as an engine donor. It's worth enough money in my area to justify fixing it. I don't know.
Great video 👍👍👍
Thanks for the video Tom. I like these diagnostic ones.
I wish I had found this one, lol. Mine is a 2021 model, and the engine would fit this deck perfectly.
Definitely hold on to this and wait for an engine. This mower would bring $200 easy in my neck of the woods.
Great video I think your pretty funny when you ramble on lol
Yep, I ran into 4 of that kind of failure on the new briggs engines.
All 4 I was able to clean up the journal, and install a new rod, all are still running.
I’ve got an old Briggs engine that’s from 1984 and it never had a oil change till I did it yesterday they don’t make them like they use to
Hello Tom, Personally I don’t think that the stance taken by Briggs & Stratton regarding never changing the engine oil was a very good idea. The Toro Recycler that my sister has which has the same identical engine has always been serviced with new oil and air filters as needed and I have to say that the used oil looks almost as good as the new oil when the oil is changed.
That has to be one of the easiest starting engines that I have ever seen in which you can just slightly tug on the pull rope and the engine is running. The original spark plug is still in the engine as well as the carburetor. I swap out the mower blade with a spare blade from time to time in which I resharpen the blade that was removed. There’s no downtime by doing this approach.
I got one of them mowers, they advertise that you never have to change the oil, just add oil as needed.
That's the Vortex baffle.... Really doesn't do a thing just a gimmick, not like the older Toro super Recycler baffles use to do.
How is the little air impack working out for you, I like the size of it 😊
great!
I doubt those bolts were tightened enough at the factory. One started to come loose, and it started the rest of the failure. It probably ran for quite some time before it finally broke the rod cap.
We will never know.
99% of engine failure are from low or no oil, people please check your oil levels often, just because it’s New don’t mean anything now 😢😢😢
Where do I get that poster at that you were referencing at the end of the video?
i got all those from the briggs school i went to 30 years ago, i'll look into it for ya cause they may have part numbers on them
Really if you look at it, it's just a nice way to cover up the front, or all wheel drive belt hole.
My opinion is that the old oil didn't provide enough lubrication. In turn the engine overheated, expanded just enough to loosen the crank bolts. Over time they backed enough to cause the failure.
AGREE 100%
What..... We.... Have.... Here is a.... failure..... To lubricate.... LMAO
I am working on exactly the same engine, exactly the same problem. Nrw rod is $20. I am fixing mine. Started to disassemble for parts, found absolutely nothing damaged except the rod. One rod bolt was actually completely unscrewed from the rod, the other was very loose. Gonna use loctite on teassembly, LOTS of loctite! Factory defect or worker error? Mine is a 2022 model.
@@dalestanley506 lemme know if ya need any parts
@@TomDobyMowerRepair I will. I think all I need is the rod and sump gasket. Got em on order. The mower shop I do business with gives me customer abandoned equipment. Our deal is any parts I need I get from them. He gives me 10% discount. It works out well. I get small parts from Amazon, air cleaners, etc. Nice hobby. Most people spend money on their hobby, my hobby makes money!
You ought to fix that engine if possible, good content....
too far gone, dirty oil has the cylinder walls scored
How common is it for the rod cap bolts to come loose?
@@Tj-ck4vv not very common but I think these engines had that problem
Most of the time it’s not worth the price of parts to fix them, unless it only needs gaskets 😢😢😢
Bad oil and maybe the tabs weren’t tapped down over the two bolts (had it ever been rebuilt), but I am going with bad oil and over rev….
It takes talent to blow up a Briggs 7.25. Those engines are practically indestructible if you even half ass take care of them.
Iam guessing oil was dirty run to high with old oil
First