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head gasket


buckdan

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My DA1920 Kohler M20 is experiencing loss of power/hp after blowing some heavy snow. I am thinking it might be the head gasket? Oil is up to full mark and seems to run smoothly until it heats up. Anybody know the symptoms of a blown head gasket or failing head gasket? Or, am i blowing heavier snow than I should be? My model # is 1691020.

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Hmm...I'm not familiar with the Kohler's, but on my Briggs' with head gasket issues, they would lose power upon warmup to operating temp. I noticed weak, stumbling performance, and oil seeping from the gasket.

On a recent non-runner I purchased, the head gasket was so bad the engine wouldn't start...no compression. I snugged the bolts and it fired and ran fine until hot. Then the seeping oil would burn off on the exterior, creating smoke. A new gasket made all that go away and it ran like new.

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Almost sounds lean, if you can hear the exhaust note change. I've had gasket issues causing lean conditions on the intake side in the past that act very much like a head leak. They rear their head after everything warms up and you get right in the middle of your chore with the machine. I had a 16 Briggs that was so bad it would not restart until it cooled off.

I like the starting fluid test...when she's hot and starts to get lean (if that's what's happening), spray a mist of starting fluid around the various carb/intake gaskets. The engine will rev or smooth out if it sucks the stuff in.

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Sometimes is hard to almost impossible to feel a exhaust leak if the engine is running as air is circulated around the shroud and fins by the flywheel. If you can turn it over by hand and feel air around head gasket, then you have a bad gasket

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Excuse my "newbie" questions but who is Spring Green SunStar?

I live north of Oregon, WI and own SunSars....are you from Spring Green, WI and are you a SunStar owner?

Regards,

DennyBehr@aol.com

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quote:Originally posted by MasterChief

Excuse my "newbie" questions but who is Spring Green SunStar?I live north of Oregon, WI and own SunSars....are you from Spring Green, WI and are you a SunStar owner?Regards,DennyBehr@aol.com


id="quote">
id="quote">If you click on Buckdan's name you will see his profile that will tell you he is a resident of Manitoba, Canada. Just a bit north of Madison.;)
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IMHO the first thing to do is a compression test. To do a compression test warm the engine up first. If the compression is low, squirt in some light engine oil and try again. If the compression improves it is possible your rings are bad.

A leak down test is even better. If you have a compressor, rotate the engine to where the cylinder you are testing is close enough to top dead center to where both valves should be closed. Pressurize the head with air. If you hear air escaping out the exhaust the exhaust valve needs attention. If you hear air hissing out the carb the intake valve needs work. If air hisses out the head gasket that's it. If air is hissing into the crankcase it is your rings.

The 20 Magnum is a flat head engine as opposed to, say a CH 1800s which is overhead valve. It is much easier to change a head gasket on your engine. Presuming that is the problem.

Effective trouble shooting is the most important repair skill. I have attended mechanic school and they just beat it into you over and over again to start with a compression test. Rule out possible internal engine damage before moving on to fuel and ignition.

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Thanks rsnik for your valuable info, I have some work ahead of me.

Masterchief, as BLT mentioned I do reside in Manitoba. My signature, spring green is the color of my Deutz Allis which is the exact same machine as the Simplicity Sunstar, so I just called it springgreen sunstar.

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