94' 616 with briggs engine got questions

[trialsguy]

running a compression check wouldn't tell me anything would it? I was chatting with my neighbor this evening and I was telling him what my problems were and he said If I needed another engine he had a 18hp vanguard and sure enough he did. It had a coil pack or something go out. I wonder if it would bolt on? I don't have the specs off of it as I am going to focus on the engine I have now. I will look at the valve stem ends to see if they have been ground on. I am still not getting why there was a different size push rod in there and it looks like to me that the tappet or what ever it is called that rides on the cam lobe is made for that size push rod if that makes sense

Thanks
Bob

 

[ILENGINE]

A compression test may tell you something. Most Vanguards run about 150 pounds if in good condition. I haven't seen any vanguards with aluminum push rods. The ones that I have worked on use the same push rod for both valves.

The Vanguard that your neighbor has should bolt up if they are about the same age. Briggs has changed the blower housing on the newer engines, which may require a different stub shaft to run the drive pumps.

 

[trialsguy]

Thanks so much for your knowledge. I did a compression check and found the left side to be right at 125psi and the right side at 130psi. I was kinda expecting the right to be lower. In the process of checking compression I managed to crack the porcelain on the left spark plug so I replaced them and I am thinking it may have smoothed it a bit, or I could be imagining things, still runs well enough to mow and If I can get the muffler quieted down with the loose baffle on the inside it would make me happier. I am going to pursue the neighbors 18hp in hopes that I can check it out to see if it will work and even maybe give it new gaskets.

Would my blower housing interchange with it? The 18 doesn't have the cut out for a drive connection to that side so I will have to change the fly wheel or something

 

[ILENGINE]

If both engines are the same ago then changing things around shouldn't be too bad. The newer vanquards use a deeper blower housing and taller fan than the previous versions, which may require the longer stub shaft kit.

 

[trialsguy]

Got some more questions.. Today I have been mowing and after about a hour or so of mowing the engine would die if I was turning too quick or something like that so my first thought was low on fuel. I went ahead and filled it up even though it had about 1/2 gallon. seemed to run fine for another 1/2 hr but then started doing the same thing so I let it set then checked the oil. Its was about down to the lowest mark so I though, maybe it was causing it to shut down because of a low oil switch or something. I filled the oil and still same thing, when it would start running bad it would sometimes, backfire and if it didn't die I would throttle down and let the engine catch up and it would run fine. Soooo.... I remembered that I unplugged the vent on top of the carb,, Thinking this may have something to do with it so I plugged it back.... Well now I can make a pass then once I start heading down hill, gradual decline it will die and come to a complete halt, then I have to throttle back let the starter crank a couple 3to 5 seconds and it will catch up then start, but sometimes when I hit the PTO for mower it might die....Here's what I have done lately,, changed the oil and filter (Sae30) uses about 1/4 qt a hour,.replaced both plugs and also bought new gas. I feel that it is gas related. I checked what remaining gas I had left in the can to see if it may have had water in it but I couldnt tell. What do you guys think. I am going out to the garage and take the top off the carb to see if there is dirt or something in it.

What should the only screw jet that I could find which is on the front of the carb centered down low be set out?

Thanks a ton
Bob

 

[trialsguy]

Couple other details worth mentioning I think, It happened to die in the shop so I pulled the carb top of and found that there wasnt any fuel in the carb, so now I am thinking fuel pump. I pulled the float and needle out and cranked the engine and it would spit a little fuel into the carb but I wonder how much flow should be present. I expect the fuel to really pump out of it but all I got was some spitting and small bubble. I am going to look for faulty fuel lines but they all look new.

What should the fuel level look like it the carb if the floats are set properly? Seemed a little low when I took the cover off to inspect it

Thanks