Export thread

I removed the valve seal on this mower I was trying to fix and tore it in the process. No problem, replacement seals are cheap. I looked up the numbers online and according to every source I can find, I need part number 590534.

But I've ordered that part from two different places now, and both of them sent me a seal in a sealed genuine B&S parts bag, with the right part number on it, but the wrong seal in it!

I really don't know what to do at this point. Its almost August already and this lawnmower is still in a million pieces in my basement all because its waiting on this one stupid seal. What makes this process extra annoying is that MOST places that sell this part (ebay, parts websites, etc) don't include a real picture of the part. They used a B&S logo instead. So I have no idea what I'm ordering. BUT this time I went with the one site that DID include a photo.

^ THAT is the seal I need. Thats what my old seal looks like, thats the right part number, thats it. But I ordered it and this is what they sent me:


Is it me? Is that a newer seal and I'm just an idiot for not knowing how to install it? I can't see how, the new one has no flange at the bottom, and its a very different diameter. Here's a photo of the bottom of both valves. Its not me right? They're sending me a valve that can't possibly work with my engine?

Assuming they are sending me the wrong valve (I now have two identical wrong valves from two different websites), how do I get the right one? I tried contacting B&S directly but their official parts website is just a 3rd party that didn't know anything and couldn't help me.

This mower was supposed to be a quick and easy fix and flip for my youtube channel. Now its been like a year and a half and this thing just won't GET fixed. I had the valve on order from JacksSmallEngines for the last two months and the ship date kept getting pushed back so I cancelled and bought from snapper parts.

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do here?

I had similar challenges on a briggs horizontal shaft engine quite a few years ago, the engine used a flat valve seal, about the size of a quarter. Ordered the new seal and it was one similar to what you got, but there were instructions in the box stating they updated the part and new instructions to install it.
I would contact briggs directly about this.

Does the wrong part, fit your head?

no it does not fit

I've got a few of those engines in the junk pile... i could look and see if i could get one for you if you'd be good with a used one

Well I'd prefer new but that doesn't seem to be an option until B&S figures out their wrong part number problem SOOO yeah if you have one in good shape I might be interested.

some of those seals are not supposed to sit on the valve guide. They sit on the valve stem, go up and down, and act like an umbrella. One clue is the area where the valve stem passes thru the seal. Is it smooth and designed to allow the valve stem to slip up and down thru it after being pressed on the valve guide, or not. Some valves just use an o-ring. Some use nothing. I can't tell you what Briggs intended for that engine but the style of seal you have, old and new, may be a clue. If the original has a metal jacket, it is designed to press on the guide.

l008com said:

Well I'd prefer new but that doesn't seem to be an option until B&S figures out their wrong part number problem SOOO yeah if you have one in good shape I might be interested.

Click to expand...

Yanked the head off real quick, rubber was bad. I thought i had more but i just had one

the parts fiche shows two part numbers for valve seals on that engine based on the date code. The other one is dated later than your engine code but who knows, maybe the change date is incorrect or someone already replaced the head once on that unit. Look at this photo and compare. It is the other number https://www.ebay.com/itm/355654663159 B&S 84001271 . Both images below come up of that part number in a google search.

The second set of seals are the ones you are getting now, 590034.