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I'm new to most aspects of small engine repair. I have a Briggs 093j02-0006-f1 on a push mower. The person who last used it said it suddenly stopped working. The air filter was saturated with oil at the bottom and was dripping on to the deck. I pulled the air filter off and attempted to start it. It ran for a few seconds and put out a lot of black smoke before dying. I tried squirting some carb cleaner into the carb, but it would not restart. Person who last used it said they added oil. I checked the oil and it appeared to be dark grey and slightly overfilled. I pulled the spark plug it was completely black, I assume from oil. Is the engine a goner, or is there something else I should try?

Lets start with a new spark plug and air filter. If still getting the black smoke after a couple minutes then most likely a carb issue and will need cleaned.

Check oil level on flat ground. Should be EXACTLY on the FULL MARK, not over nor under at all times.
Make sure the deck height adjusters are the same on all 4 corners.
Check oil prior to EVERY MOWING.
NEVER over fill with oil.
Use SAE30 oil only. No 5w-30 or 10w-30 oils.
Slightly over filled to me is probably way over filled.
Check the level several times to make sure you have a correct level check.


Now pull the oil dipstick and smell for fuel on it. If you smell gas on the stick, you have a carburetor issue.

Plug is probably oil fouled now. As ILEngine said, try a new sparky plug.

slomo

Only 4 reasons why oil ends up in the filter
1) mower tipped on it's side
2) oil over filled
3) blown head gasket
4) failed breather valve

Thanks for the replies--now we are getting somewhere!

Replaced spark plug with properly gapped new spark plug. Drained oil and refilled with fresh oil. It ran well, but puts out some blue smoke when first started. Time to clean the carb? Leave it on the mower or take it off and disassemble it for that?

How long have you let it run after getting it started. May still be some residual oil that still hasn't burned out yet.

2-3 minutes. Then let it sit a few minutes and restarted it. Smoke was not as bad on a warm start. Should I try to mow with it (20-30 minutes)?

Run it and see what happens. It will either clear up, or will start using oil and soaking the air filter with oil. But at this stage in the game you have nothing to loose by running it.

Ran it and mowed my back yard. Oil still clean, new air filter still looks new. Thanks for all the help, everyone, it has a new lease on life!

do606 said:

Ran it and mowed my back yard. Oil still clean, new air filter still looks new. Thanks for all the help, everyone, it has a new lease on life!

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Oil is cheap. Keep it on the FULL mark.

Probably too late but you need to remove the head and decarbonize the piston face and cylinder head areas. Small pieces of carbon will get between the piston and rings. Those will make gouges in the cylinder bore causing excessive oil use and smoke.

Agree, run her till she grenades.

While you are at it.......

Have you ever pulled the metal engine shroud and cleaned the top of the block and cooling fins? This is a yearly maintenance item in ALL engine manuals. Neglect this and you are looking at engine damage.

bertsmobile1 said:

Only 4 reasons why oil ends up in the filter
1) mower tipped on it's side
2) oil over filled
3) blown head gasket
4) failed breather valve

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Most common reason is crankcase blowby. On flathead engines, a blown head gasket won't cause any oil inhalation.

Here's another weird reason: people deliberately oiling the filter. I've actually seen this recommended in an old (~1980 vintage) book. I just cleaned up a filter that was soaked with oil from the top; i.e., it could not have been introduced by any flaw other than ignorance. Several days ago when I was a young man, I actually tried this myself. Much amusement was had by everyone but me.

Richard Milhous said:

Most common reason is crankcase blowby. On flathead engines, a blown head gasket won't cause any oil inhalation.

Here's another weird reason: people deliberately oiling the filter. I've actually seen this recommended in an old (~1980 vintage) book. I just cleaned up a filter that was soaked with oil from the top; i.e., it could not have been introduced by any flaw other than ignorance. Several days ago when I was a young man, I actually tried this myself. Much amusement was had by everyone but me.

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Not meaning to be arguementative but on a 90000 series engine people tipping the mower carb side down or back wheels up would account for better than 90% of oil in the filter.
Blowby is far less common because it will either be caused by excessive wear in the bore or excessive oil in the sump.
However most 90000 series will have a tank mounted carb which precludes fuel draining into the sump over filling it and causing eith blow by but most usually oil pumping out the breather tube into the filter.

bertsmobile1 said:

Not meaning to be arguementative but on a 90000 series engine people tipping the mower carb side down or back wheels up would account for better than 90% of oil in the filter.
Blowby is far less common because it will either be caused by excessive wear in the bore or excessive oil in the sump.
However most 90000 series will have a tank mounted carb which precludes fuel draining into the sump over filling it and causing eith blow by but most usually oil pumping out the breather tube into the filter.

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Sir, I have never attended a motor which did not already have excessive wear in the bore. I count myself lucky if the crankshaft is not bent.

bertsmobile1 said:

Not meaning to be arguementative but on a 90000 series engine people tipping the mower carb side down or back wheels up would account for better than 90% of oil in the filter.
Blowby is far less common because it will either be caused by excessive wear in the bore or excessive oil in the sump.
However most 90000 series will have a tank mounted carb which precludes fuel draining into the sump over filling it and causing eith blow by but most usually oil pumping out the breather tube into the filter.

Click to expand...

I am also seeing that issue with the new Briggs plastic carb engines, the Honda GCV engines, and the MTD made in China engines that are being used on push mowers and pressure washers. Tipping any of them carb side down will almost guarantee oil in the air filter, and two if not all three of the engine series requires replacement of the cartridge style air filter.