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Lost another Briggs engine


jlasater

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Yeah...so this is about an IH Cub tractor (I do own an AC 716H) but I'm just stumped. Are the aluminum block (Cool-Bore) twin cylinder horizontal Briggs engines garbage? I went to start up the Cub I have in preperation to sell it to my dad, when it really didn't want to start. Coughed and sneezed a lot which brought back some bad memories. Fast forward: Did a compression test. 50psi in one cylinder, 25 in the other. Ouch. Pull the heads, and I see this lovely mess:
[img]http://images.ttyr2.com/albums/Tractors/cylinder-damage.jpg[/img]
And:
[img]http://images.ttyr2.com/albums/Tractors/cylinder-damage2.jpg[/img]
The engine was never run low on oil, clean air filter, fins all clean so no overheating. I bought the engine used last spring and it ran great over the summer, though if this damaged happened slowly during that time, I didn't know it as there was no outward indication of problems. Anyone have a Briggs flat twin with iron liners for sale? I don't think I ever want to touch another aluminum-bore small engine again.
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Those look like surface scratches from you picture and they are consistent with both pictures which majkes me think ingestion of dirt. Engine can be rebuilt. It might be able to be honed out and still keep the standard ring end gap. Anyways you have options.
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It's always had the paper filter and foam filter installed (new from NAPA). Maybe it ate some dirt before I got it. I'll talk to a shop and see what they think about a hone job on it.
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If those cylinders had been like that, it very likely would have been an oil burner, and hard to start. From the sounds of it, it happened quickly - in terms of starting hard etc.. Without seeing it firsthand, and having the pistons out and rods off, the choices are intake leak allowing dirt in the top end, dirt in the oil, or low or no oil, or last but not least - it overheated. Those scratches look deep enough that you need it bored the next size up, not just honed out - piston to wall clearance is going to end up pretty big if you try to use another stock piston. The rod journals and crank journals will tell the ultimate truth about the oil. Just what I think. Tim
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I guess part of what I'm looking for is input on whether overhauling this engine will return an engine that will live a long life with proper maintenance. The aluminum bores sure seem fragile to me.
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Thats at LEAST an over .020 bore job there.Either low oil/dirt or a rats nest[overheating] are to blame imo.So true the newer twin engs dont hold a candle to the old stuff.it's the old ''lets make it cheaper'' routine at work here,,
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I have a similar issue with a 12.5 HP Briggs Twin II all aluminum job. I heard that Briggs in that series went to an IC model (used cast iron liners) due to issues of the aluminum bore degrading too quickly usually in cases of over heating. It needs to be rebuilt but I think I am just going to replace it with a 16HP IC (Insert Cast Iron Sleeves) if I can find a decent used one.
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