B&S Valve Adjustment Hiccup (Murphy's law & not a pro)

[oldlawnguy]

If you have one of those that you have to crank the handle to set the torque value, remember to set it back to 0 when you are done. If you leave it on say 50 ft lbs for example, it will throw your wrench out of calibration.

Best to get one of those old school beam style.

View attachment 61312

Thanks slomo, I have the the crank ones (must always return to 0) before next setting. Wished I had the old tools, made right just like old lawn equipment.

 

[oldlawnguy]

Do the head torque in three steps per torquing pattern. 1/3, 2/3, and final torque to prevent head warpage.

Star this engine head has 5 bolts (4 outside and 1 bolt inside rocker cover) I assume by pattern you mean top left, bottom right, top right, bottom left)

Should I do the 5th bolt after doing the 1st 4 in a criss cross pattern?

 

[slomo]

Left right up and down. Turn around a bit. Do it all over again.

 

[StarTech]

 

[oldlawnguy]

View attachment 61314

Thanks Star!

 

[oldlawnguy]

Update:

Looks like the wooden dowel bonehead move was a disguised debug tool.

Gasket looks wet on the right and it explains why plug was a little wet. Engine burns very little oil, but the visual explains what I could not see. At TDC compression valves were at .005 so they are within spec (.004-.006)

What are your proven methods for removing carbon build up from head and piston without damaging valves & piston? On reassembly should should I lubricate rods ends and head springs & rockers?

I have some work to do to clean up the top of head and valve cover as engine shipped from factory with gasket sealant (rather than gaskets on all but the head gasket). Also you can see metal on flywheel magnet after good wire brushing and resetting air gap.

Thanks

 

[slomo]

Plastic scraper or scotchbrite pad and some acetone, Diesel or naptha.

For the carbon, try C-4 or T-N-T LOL. That stuff is tenacious. Seafoam, naptha and acetone.....

 

[oldlawnguy]

Plastic scraper or scotchbrite pad and some acetone, Diesel or naptha.

For the carbon, try C-4 or T-N-T LOL. That stuff is tenacious. Seafoam, naptha and acetone.....

Thanks slomo on it!

Also The B&S 690971 gasket had note stating that if engine was not originally equipped with gaskets, to use silicone gasket sealant. Is this religion? as why would pros take all the labor time of cleaning up both the valve cover & head .vs using gaskets? Also if you are checking valves every few years, gaskets make more sense.

Same with the intake gasket, original was a red orange type, but I got the B&S gasket with the tradition 2 hole. Big deal or not?

 

[slomo]

I prefer paper gaskets and some spray tack sealant. Good beam style torque wrench is your friend.

I tend to shy away from amateur hour RTV. Seen a ton of it inside engines where guys have used an excessive amount. Gets into oil pump pick screens and such.

 

[StarTech]

I know some think a 1/16 bead is too small but they realized much that stuff spreads. But using it on head gasket is one I wish I didn't see, what a mess to clean up..But it take all kinds like the fellow that duct tape on his mower blade.