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

[oldlawnguy]

2009 Craftsman model 917.289250 with 24HP B&S 445677-1188-B1 OHV Twin engine.

180 hrs on it and the past few seasons was beginning to hard start (8-10 secs) before turnover.

When measuring 1/4" backoff from TDC on compression stroke-- a 1/4" wooden dowel sliver (~1/2") split diagonally and broke off.

Will the wooden piece incinerate and exit via exhaust? (pictures attached)

After doing this I pulled the blower housing and noticed that both ignition coils have ~1/8 gap and the magnet has rust build up (needs a good wire brushing).

Can you please confirm both coils should have traditional credit card gap height?

I think this may be the bigger contributor to the hard cold start as the 1st valve set was between .006/007 and spec is .004/.006. I suspect the other valve set may be a little more out of spec, but very surprised both coils had such a large gap and it would turn over eventually.

Next time I will use a screwdriver to measure (lesson learned). Was going to use wood dowel that I would mark with 1/4' markings after I tested it.

Thanks

 

[StarTech]

Ignition gapping I use a standard business card or a repair tag stock.

What you just had to happen is why I don't use that method of adjusting the valves I just use the old method of adjusting each individual valve when they are closed and the opposite valve is fully open. THe first it happen I had to pull the head and get the broken dowel out of the cylinder.

 

[bertsmobile1]

NO
So it is off with the head
One of those bore-O-scopes with a grabber on the end might be able to retrieve it but a head gasket would be cheaper .

 

[oldlawnguy]

Ignition gapping I use a standard business card or a repair tag stock.

What you just had to happen is why I don't use that method of adjusting the valves I just use the old method of adjusting each individual valve when they are closed and the opposite valve is fully open. THe first it happen I had to pull the head and get the broken dowel out of the cylinder.

Thanks Star, wish I had pulled the blower housing 1st instead of being a bonehead!

 

[oldlawnguy]

NO
So it is off with the head
One of those bore-O-scopes with a grabber on the end might be able to retrieve it but a head gasket would be cheaper .

Thanks Bertsmobile1, you have helped me out in the past! You think flooding the cylinder with gas might get it to float to grab? Trying to think of some clever way to grab it, while I have the engine head horizontal.

If I go the head gasket route, will I need any special tools to compress the piston rings of can I shimmy back on? (Never mind I answered my own question by looking at the exploded engine diagram)

After 2nd look I guess my question stands - do I need any special tools to shimmy head back onto cylinder? Gasket is about $24.
What are the torque specs for head bolts?

Thanks

 

[Tinkerer200]

"When measuring 1/4" backoff from TDC on compression stroke-- a 1/4" wooden dowel sliver (~1/2") split diagonally and broke off."

Well either you are using a drastically wrong method or not explaining correctly. From reading your post, I suggest you take it to someone with some experience. I can not understand two of you breaking a 1/4" wooden dowel trying to find TDC then the piston 1/4" down PAST TDC of compression stroke.

I can send you a Service Manual for the engine IF you like, address below, put in proper format and remind me what you want.

Walt Conner
wconner5 at frontier dot com

 

[oldlawnguy]

Thanks Bertsmobile1, you have helped me out in the past! You think flooding the cylinder with gas might get it to float to grab? Trying to think of some clever way to grab it, while I have the engine head horizontal.

If I go the head gasket route, will I need any special tools to compress the piston rings of can I shimmy back on? (Never mind I answered my own question by looking at the exploded engine diagram)

"When measuring 1/4" backoff from TDC on compression stroke-- a 1/4" wooden dowel sliver (~1/2") split diagonally and broke off."

Well either you are using a drastically wrong method or not explaining correctly. From reading your post, I suggest you take it to someone with some experience. I can not understand two of you breaking a 1/4" wooden dowel trying to find TDC then the piston 1/4" down PAST TDC of compression stroke.

I can send you a Service Manual for the engine IF you like, address below, put in proper format and remind me what you want.

Walt Conner
wconner5 at frontier dot com

 

[oldlawnguy]

@Tinkerer200

Attached is what if found on the B&S Website, maybe I did not explain well. I'll send you email as well. Thanks

 

[oldlawnguy]

@Tinkerer200

Attached is what if found on the B&S Website, maybe I did not explain well. I'll send you email as well. Thanks

@Tinker200

BTW your email address bounced, checked it twice. Thanks

 

[oldlawnguy]

Thanks Bertsmobile1, you have helped me out in the past! You think flooding the cylinder with gas might get it to float to grab? Trying to think of some clever way to grab it, while I have the engine head horizontal.

If I go the head gasket route, will I need any special tools to compress the piston rings of can I shimmy back on? (Never mind I answered my own question by looking at the exploded engine diagram)

Thanks Bertsmobile1, you have helped me out in the past! You think flooding the cylinder with gas might get it to float to grab? Trying to think of some clever way to grab it, while I have the engine head horizontal.

If I go the head gasket route, will I need any special tools to compress the piston rings of can I shimmy back on? (Never mind I answered my own question by looking at the exploded engine diagram)

After 2nd look I guess my question stands - do I need any special tools to shimmy head back onto cylinder? Gasket is about $24.
What are the torque specs for head bolts?

Tha

Ignition gapping I use a standard business card or a repair tag stock.

What you just had to happen is why I don't use that method of adjusting the valves I just use the old method of adjusting each individual valve when they are closed and the opposite valve is fully open. THe first it happen I had to pull the head and get the broken dowel out of the cylinder.

Thanks Star gave both coils a good wire brushing including blower magnet (very rusty & gap way off) set gap to business card.

Are you suggesting that the most foolproof way for a DIYer to adjust valves is to just do TDC of each valve independently regardless of the stroke: compression, power, exhaust, intake? I've done a lot of online reading, heck even the B&S website states 1/4" past TDC