Broken Con Rod 44N677

[Tiger Small Engine]

Even if you could get parts, I would be very careful about fixing it, unless it is not major. As stated you need to tear into it and find and verify the cause. If you need to replace one piston, rod, head, etc. it is best to replace both on a twin. This is major. Second, most techs only warranty repair work for 90 days and as an inexperienced small engine tech, what do you tell your friend if something goes wrong. If you find out it’s major, short blocking or new engine may be the way to go, still would be expensive, but cheaper than a new unit, depending on the direction he wants to go. All of the experienced tech would advise not to spend a lot of time on it, realize that just removing the engine and tearing into it will probably be at least 2 hours labor. That’s why the experienced guys tell customers it’s going to be expensive, either direction you want to go. You may not charge much to do an investigation, but what do you do with your results?

Normally connecting rods break from lack of lubrication. Because engine has never “run dry” doesn’t mean it was not run low on oil amount. Good probability that pistons, rings, cylinders, crankshaft and cam have some scoring due to being run with low oil. Also, low oil causes overheating and further problems result.

You can do a compression test on good cylinder, and look down spark plug hole with endoscope. However, a real engine condition assessment would take removing and cracking the case open.

 

[sgkent]

Whilst I am a mechanic I have no experience on small engines. The repair is half a favour so I asked in the local mower store and their mechanic said he had zero success with this kind of repair. Lots of parts thrown at it but never ran again properly. Therefore not wanting to waste my time or their money if it's kaput!
Thanks for the advice.

My two cents is that when an engine breaks a rod, parts fly around and break other things. To know what is broken you must take it apart. Then if you hand a basket of parts back to the owner they say but I gave it to you assembled. Sometimes you are lucky and maybe only $300 or $400 in parts are needed. If you have other core engines around you of the same kind, sometimes you can frankenstein a motor back together. Generally however, it is cheaper to put a whole new motor on it. And, you better build in a cushion if the guy runs it low on oil again.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

My two cents is that when an engine breaks a rod, parts fly around and break other things. To know what is broken you must take it apart. Then if you hand a basket of parts back to the owner they say but I gave it to you assembled. Sometimes you are lucky and maybe only $300 or $400 in parts are needed. If you have other core engines around you of the same kind, sometimes you can frankenstein a motor back together. Generally however, it is cheaper to put a whole new motor on it. And, you better build in a cushion if the guy runs it low on oil again.

If a person has the time, tools, inclination, and experience, then doing an engine autopsy is really cool and interesting. On the other hand, if you are busy and doing it for a living, it doesn’t pay usually. I am a one person shop and do not offer rebuilds on engines and hydraulic pumps. You cannot sweep the floor, everything in between, and rebuild engines, and keep good service for your customers. Most shops will only remove and replace these days, and they have multiple employees.