By the time you purchase an impact tool you should look for a replacement engine. Two years ago I picked up a Honda mower for $20 that had an issue with the valves. I was going to break it down and repair it until I came across a new Honda engine on eBay that I purchased for $104USD delivered. Way cheaper than buying tools and an easy fix.
Honda Mower Seized Piston
- Thread starter NJDan
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I know it was a bonehead oversight. I think checking the oil every time I mow the lawn is a bit much, though. Sometimes you have to learn by making a mistake. My only defense is that 2021 has been a very challenging year for me and checking my lawn mower's oil wasn't on my radar. It will be from now on, though. I should have taken note of the oil collecting on the front deck of the mower and the dirty oil on the valve cover nuts.
Hope I get that lucky! Either way I have to take it off the mower deck so I might as well pull it apart and see what happened.
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I have a customer that I think finally learned to check the engine oil level anytime he fills up the tank on his mowers but it took loosing five $1000 + engines to do it. Heck on one it was obivious that was a major oil leak as the whole rear of the ZTR was covered in dirty oil.
Even keeping the oil check it is important to notice if the oil level is changing a lot between checks and to find out why.
Even keeping the oil check it is important to notice if the oil level is changing a lot between checks and to find out why.
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Connecting rod is definitely a goner....
crankshaft journal appears to have a few deep gouges in it... but it may be holes in transferred aluminum from the rod.
crankshaft journal appears to have a few deep gouges in it... but it may be holes in transferred aluminum from the rod.
The gouge in the crankshaft is raised above the surface kind of like a crater. I assume the piston is stuck, which is what caused the problem. Question is whether this is salvageable or if I should be looking for a new engine.
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If you want to, try and clean up the crank journal with muriatic acid. But it must be used with extreme caution, and preferably, outdoors.
bertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
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You can also boil it in Lye
Aluminum id dissolved by both acids & alkalis but it has to come out & get scrubbed every now & then
I have used both methods but lye is now scheduled so it is hard to get down here
Cranks generally clean up good enough to reuse
The top bush is what generally prevents the engine being rebuilt
After that is is damage to the bore either by the rings or by the short end of the con rod flailing around inside .
Aluminum id dissolved by both acids & alkalis but it has to come out & get scrubbed every now & then
I have used both methods but lye is now scheduled so it is hard to get down here
Cranks generally clean up good enough to reuse
The top bush is what generally prevents the engine being rebuilt
After that is is damage to the bore either by the rings or by the short end of the con rod flailing around inside .