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Hi and thanks for the help. Its a john deere d110 with 230 hours. I change the oil filter once a year and change the oil 2-3 times per year. I change the air filter every year, change the plug, sharpen the blades. Seemed to be running fine at the end of the season last year but when I went to change the plug, I noticed the old one had black charcoal all over it, it looked like I dropped it inside my bbq grill. I now remember adding a considerable amount of oil 8+ ounces late last fall. I changed the oil and started it up. It was blowing a bit of blue smoke but tends to do that when I fill the oil too high. I ran it at 1/2 speed for a 1/2 hour while dethatching. It started running awful so I took the plug out and it was pretty nasty. I wire brushed it, threw it back in and it ran great. This time I kept the throttle on full. It ran fine for an hour and I checked the plug. It was starting to get nasty but didn't get nasty as fast. I checked the oil and it looked a little low but I didn't want to add any yet as I figured she'd just start burning the extra again. Attached is a pic of the plug after about an hour of running on my last trip today. Should a bs 19.5 mower be at end of life at 230 hours? Should it have more motor life - everything else is fine on the tractor. I was thinking maybe it had the wrong plug in it and it wasn't burning the oil fast enough to keep it clean. I do use seafoam in the gas often and also stabilized the fuel really well from last year. I figured blowing some blue smoke was burning some oil but figured I could just keep topping it off rather than needing to have the engine rebuilt or new rings put in. Should I expect the motor to give me some more life than 230 hours, what do you think? Thanks a ton!!!!!!

My bet is you have a blown head gasket on that cylinder. Not an uncommon problem and a rather easy fix.

I just want to caution against running it at 1/2 throttle. It can cause the hydros to overheat. Also are you screwing the dipstick in to check your oil level. You should be on a Briggs.

Yes I agree with Rivets......

A blown head gasket is a very common thing on those engines....... Watch for gas in the oil also....

Like Rivets and Bert always say and me too, Warm up your engine for a while and kill it. Take the dip stick out and watch for smoke or pressure coming out..... Sure sign of a blown gasket...

Easily changed .................

Let us know Mon Ami ~!~!

I did a video on one like that not long ago ~!~!

Boudreaux In Eunice La. said:

Yes I agree with Rivets......

A blown head gasket is a very common thing on those engines....... Watch for gas in the oil also....

Like Rivets and Bert always say and me too, Warm up your engine for a while and kill it. Take the dip stick out and watch for smoke or pressure coming out..... Sure sign of a blown gasket...

Easily changed .................

Let us know Mon Ami ~!~!

I did a video on one like that not long ago ~!~!

Click to expand...

Thanks guys. I don't have 2K for a new tractor so I'll give it a shot. I'm not a mechanic but maintain motocross bikes and atvs so I can follow a manual and criss cross torque a pattern to spec if needed. I used to do 2 stroke rebuilds a million years ago and remember changing head gaskets as part of that process. Bad head gasket just sounds bad but ill take your word for it that its not too hard. I can say that when I checked the oil, smoke was coming out of the oil filler tube - like a cigarette was at the bottom burning out. I did not screw the cap in when checking the oil, just placed it on top so maybe I have been running the oil a little high. Should I grab a model # of my motor .... google the part # and try to find micro fiche for it .... and then look for a youtube video on how to change a head gasket on a briggs motor? The motor is air cooled so am I literally taking a plastic cover off, then finding the cylinder head, pulling the old gasket out, putting a new one in and torqing it back up or is there more to it than that? Am I doing any damage running it now? And... is there anything else I can look for to further confirm that it is a bad gasket.... or take a pic of something? Thanks!!

Well we are helping a guy out right now with a similar issue........ His issue is with a cam though......

Like you said you got fumes/pressure coming out of your dip stick tube..... Sure sign of a head gasket that's blown.....

Let me find a video that's funny and informative for you ....... Or I'll make my own and post it for you ~!~!

Ok Jamie I got you a funny video with a skit in it for the first part..... Watch the whole video for your info... It's so easy to do and you already said that you work on stuff so it will come natural to you .......


Ok this is for all the other guys on here that watch Taryl .... If you will notice Taryl doesn't have his fake teeth in from 3;24 to 5;05 and he sounds different in his talking ............

Ok nuff a dat here's the video link

https://youtu.be/NM28FSoUGLQ

Thanks for the input. Should I just look for a model # on the engine and then google the model # with the words ‘heat gasket’ to find the part online? Also, if fuel is getting into the oil, I should change the oil again even though it’s brand new. Am I doing anymore damage running it? It fouls plugs and uses oil but if that’s all that is being lost by continuing to run it, maybe I’ll mow the lawn once more before I talk it apart. Thanks for the help!!!!!!

BEfore you change the oil you need to stop the fuel getting into there in the first place, so that is a carb clean .
You will be a busy boy.
Nice photo instructions here http://outdoorpowerinfo.com/
After acarb clean & rebuild. I like to connect a fuel line to it without the float bowl so I can move the float and confirm the fuel is really stopping before the float hits the carb.

With a fuel contaminated sump you will need to do a couple of oil changes and a filter change.
I use cheap oil as it is only going to be in there for a very short time.

Do you know if I can use the tractor as-is one more time? Maybe clean the spark plug a few times during the mow and keep checking the oil?

jamiema@hotmail.com said:

Do you know if I can use the tractor as-is one more time? Maybe clean the spark plug a few times during the mow and keep checking the oil?

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Jamie if you have a blown head gasket, then NO do not run it at all.... Gas will keep going into the oil and you will be spending 2 K on you mower.........

Drain the oil and see what is going on..... If your oil is real thin and smells like gas you got a blown head gasket.......

You already said that you have smoke coming from the dip stick..... Like a cigar in a ashtray....

Did you watch the video that I sent you ??? If you keep running that engine you will be cutting grass with a new mower......

Let us know Mon Ami ~!~!

Thanks. The only thing holding me back from doing the gasket is just finding the right parts. Is it something I should get a model # off the motor and then just ebay head gasket and the model #? Is there a tractor website you like for parts? I imagine this is a common part that can be mail ordered almost anywhere but if it is also something Lowes or Home Depot would have, that will make it easier and quicker for me to get and easier to return if I have the wrong parts. Thanks.

Yes give us the model number it will be on top of the valve cover..... Then we can tell you what number to buy... If you have a lawnmower shop in your town they will have it.... They keep a lot of those in stock... It's a common problem........

Let us know .......

Thank you folks. Attached is a pic of the valve cover. Says Model: 31P677 Type: 0236G1 Code: 100622ZA

Head gasket number 796584

Valve cover gasket 272475 S

Order from Pro Part's direct 800-305-9255 Ask for Ed and tell em Hollis from Eunice, La. sent you........

Will do, thanks!!!!

Thank you. Ordered the parts and took my tractor apart. Here is what I found and just want to make sure it is normal. I think the head gasket is blown. And I'm hoping I can just put the head gasket and valve cover gasket on and put it back together. If I have to remove the valves to have someone clean them, I'll be in over my skis. Here are some pics. Last questions, what is the best way to get the old gaskets off without damaging the head, cylinder or valve cover? Then should I use carb cleaner on everything to clean it up. Should I do something with the black on the top of the piston? Thank you thank you thank you....

I just did Taryl's thumb spin test on the valves and they didnt budge at all. Hopefully I can just clean them without taking them apart.

Ok your gasket was blown for sure and bad too..... If you turn the gasket over you will see the lil spot where it failed.....

I caan see it on your block real good in between the piston and push rod chamber... Just get a brass wire wheel on a drill and it will do a fine job of cleaning all that stuff off...

Turn the piston all the way to the top and wire wheel the top of that too...........

Let us know Mon Ami ~!~!

Thanks. This is going to be embarrassing but.......... the brass wire wheel.... is that something that I put into a drill to use? I dont have a dremel or any type of motor wheel aside from a standard plug-in hand drill. Thanks and sorry for all the questions, I owe you one

Sorry, I was reading this on my mobile. I see the word drill right there. I'll get the wire bit and clean up the head, cylinder and valve cover. Should I do the valves in the head too? Or do I run the risk of changing the shape of the head and damaging it? Thanks!

Yes by all means clean the combustion chamber in the head.. You will need a smaller wheel brush made differently than a regular wheel..

Everything seemed to go well. I put the piston at TDC, then installed the head and adjusted the top valve to 4/1000. At this point, you cannot see the piston any more to line it up for the bottom valve. Since TDC for the top valve was with the long rod as far into the motor as possible, and the valve lifter at its highest point, I did the same for the bottom valve. I moved the motor from the top until the bottom valve seemed like the lifter was at its highest point and the long rod was as pushed into the motor as possible. It's running well but when I engage the blades, the RPM's fluctuate a little. To make up #'s, I'd say it fluctuates from 5000 to 5500 RPM every few seconds. This is only when cold or with the blades engaged. Not sure if that is normal but I used some ultra black with the valve cover gasket so I can't just easily remove the valve cover to check it again. If I do have to, I'll need to order another gasket, no big deal, or can I run it as-is? Attached is a pic of the spark plugs. The first one had been pretty fouled from when the gasket was bad but I cleaned it up and put it back in. Since it wasnt running perfect, I put a new plug in it, but it ran the same. Attached is a pic of both plugs, the new one had about 2 minutes of run time on it. Finally, checked the oil filler neck and there was no smoke so that's a good sign. I see a little carbon puff out of the muffler once in a while but she in not blowing blue or white smoke. Here is the pic.

trying to post video of tractor running....View attachment IMG_1252.zipView attachment IMG_1252.zip

ok, the video will not load, too big probably. I should say that this was the way it was running before. Also, the top valve needed a little tightening to get to 4/1000 and the bottom needed a little loosening - if I remember correctly.

I doubt this is the key to it but I found this gasket when cleaning up. It may have come out of my tool box but maybe not.

Just spoke to Boudreaux and I think I'm good to go. I dont think the extra gasket was something from the engine but here's a pic of both sides. The choppy running only seems to happen when its cold or when the blades are engaged. I'll run some seafoam through it to see if it improves but its fine now for the most part. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE FOR HELPING ME AND SAVING MY FAMILY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS THANK YOU !!!!!!

You are very welcome... That's why we are here...........

Thanks for the reply on your solved issue.... That means a lot to everyone on the forum........

Plus Tard Mon Ami ~!~!

Curious, I have smoking issue on Briggs 19.5 hp and it is blue white color, runs, but barely at full throttle, dies if you lower to idle. I changed head gasket originally, and it ran great for one cutting. Put it away indoors for winter, used gas stabilizer, started it up this spring, and problem was same as before. So I replaced head gasket again even though it looked fine, same issue. I changed oil and filter, It is not overfilled, so what else can cause this situation. I looked at valves when head was off, they were clean mostly, but cleaned it even better, so I am stumped.

First of all it would be better for you to start a new thread than reviving a 3 year old one. Will get very confusing. Did you check the oil level. Sounds like you may have gas in the crankcase.

Rivets said:

First of all it would be better for you to start a new thread than reviving a 3 year old one. Will get very confusing. Did you check the oil level. Sounds like you may have gas in the crankcase.

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Sorry, didn't want to be accused of starting another thread on same issue, so as to your response, thanks, I am new here, so will start a new thread from now on. As to your response, thank you, I did change oil, and no gas smell, was not overfilled, seemed OK, the only thing I was going to try next is dumping the old gas which there was some left in tank with stabilizer.