andy
Super Member
Probably an unwise purchase, but for $40 it followed me home. The fact that it had the original manual with it pushed me over the edge. The engine has a 1965 date code on it. It's obviously very dirty, but it looks decent under the dirt. Based on the amount of dust on it, I think it's been sitting unused for a long time.
As found, it was full of very dirty oil, and the gas tank was bone dry. I drained the old oil and gave it a rinse with naphtha, then a rinse with some used engine oil to rinse out the naphtha, and finally filled it with fresh oil. I put some gas in it, but it wouldn't even try to run. It has a good spark, and it was sucking fuel into the cylinder. We worked on similar engines in 8th grade shop class, about 20 years ago, so I've decided to try to make it run. Even if this engine is beyond repair, it's a common Briggs & Stratton that won't be expensive to replace.
I removed the head, and found a ton of carbon. It was so thick it was coming off in large chunks, and you could hardly see the exhaust valve. The intake valve was so worn that you could easily turn it when it was closed. It also looks like the head gasket was leaking. The cylinder is still smooth, so I've ordered a new valve and head gasket on ebay for under $10 combined. We'll see if it runs soon. I may file down the old valve stem while I'm waiting for the parts to see if I can at least get it to start.
Here are some pictures in its current partially disassembled state.
As found, it was full of very dirty oil, and the gas tank was bone dry. I drained the old oil and gave it a rinse with naphtha, then a rinse with some used engine oil to rinse out the naphtha, and finally filled it with fresh oil. I put some gas in it, but it wouldn't even try to run. It has a good spark, and it was sucking fuel into the cylinder. We worked on similar engines in 8th grade shop class, about 20 years ago, so I've decided to try to make it run. Even if this engine is beyond repair, it's a common Briggs & Stratton that won't be expensive to replace.
I removed the head, and found a ton of carbon. It was so thick it was coming off in large chunks, and you could hardly see the exhaust valve. The intake valve was so worn that you could easily turn it when it was closed. It also looks like the head gasket was leaking. The cylinder is still smooth, so I've ordered a new valve and head gasket on ebay for under $10 combined. We'll see if it runs soon. I may file down the old valve stem while I'm waiting for the parts to see if I can at least get it to start.
Here are some pictures in its current partially disassembled state.