intek 20HP 31p977 0575 E1

[bertsmobile1]

Take a couple of photos using a camers, not a phone.
Open the images in what ever photo manipulating programe you have on your computer
ON A COPY of the image play with contrast and generally you can get a number, or enough to work it out.
Don't know if Briggs dealers can work backwards from the serial number.
Some times on the tin covers the numbers make marks on the inside so you can read enough of them to get a model
Most likely a 31????

 

[Richie F]

You could use penetrating oil like Blaster and a scotchbrite pad to remove the surface rust also.
Numbers are deeper in the metal so they'll show up.

 

[keakar]

Do people sell used engines? I cant find any?

I'm pretty handy, and an engine switch should be doable for me, even a rebuild if that is cost effective.

check facebook marketplace and buy a used mower with a bad deck or bad tranny and good running engine you can see and hear run, then take the engine off of it. you can find quite a few of them for $100-$150 and they can often have extra spare parts you need like tires and seats

hardest part on engine swap is getting the crank pulley off, it needs an impact to remove it since it rotates and you cant hold it to unscrew it

as for fixing yours, its possible if nothing broke through the block but often when a rod breaks it beats the hell out of the crank journals so unless im bored and very curious if its the 1 in 10 that can be saved, i dont even waste my time opening them up when a rod has become disconnected, its cheaper to buy a parts mower and have a working engine for $100 average vs spending hundreds repairing a motor and maybe have it fail again

 

[2ball]

check facebook marketplace and buy a used mower with a bad deck or bad tranny and good running engine you can see and hear run, then take the engine off of it. you can find quite a few of them for $100-$150 and they can often have extra spare parts you need like tires and seats

hardest part on engine swap is getting the crank pulley off, it needs an impact to remove it since it rotates and you cant hold it to unscrew it

as for fixing yours, its possible if nothing broke through the block but often when a rod breaks it beats the hell out of the crank journals so unless im bored and very curious if its the 1 in 10 that can be saved, i dont even waste my time opening them up when a rod has become disconnected, its cheaper to buy a parts mower and have a working engine for $100 average vs spending hundreds repairing a motor and maybe have it fail again

That is almost exactly what I did. But I bought a working engine from a mower with a trans issue. I got the engine and 2 wheels for $150.
now I have an engine that I can't tell the model of, because the valve cover is rusted and a Waldro carb that need some rehab. New needle and seat and new vent tube.
I did have the engine running and cut the grass twice.

I assume when I take the carb all the way off I will be able to find the exact model number of the carb to get a rebuild kit, or a new needle and seat.

 

[2ball]

what do people think about the cheap Chinese carbs? I see tons of good reviews

 

[Richie F]

what do people think about the cheap Chinese carbs? I see tons of good reviews

As long as there is free shipping and free returns try one if you like.
I've been lucky with them.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

As long as there is free shipping and free returns try one if you like.
I've been lucky with them.

Ditto, I only buy the cheapo's if the owner wants to.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Because doing warranty repairs cost me money and and makes me look bad I never ever fit pot luck carbs from ebay or amazon.
I do get a few people coming in with unsolvable problems having replaced every item that bolts on to fin the "new" carb was a reject carb and the old carb was fixable with $ 5 worth of parts .

As for @ball, take the carb off
Go to a real mower repair shop and ask them for a rebuild kit for it.
Most will recognise it in a flash and there are not many rebuild kits and most of them do a dozen different size carbs.
This is why they charge more than the 12 year olds on evilpay who have no idea about what they are selling to you .
I think there are 2 kits for LM's ( big & small ) but I don't keep either as I buy the individual parts in bulk , no use filling my draws with plastic floats that almost never need replacing .

 

[2ball]

took the carb off, cleaned it up. The needle was completely dislodged from the seat. I put it back in the right place, put it all back together and it started and ran good.

The oil is very watery, I guess that is from the gas going into the oil.

Ill do an oil change and see how it does.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

Yessir, get that oil drained out and filter changed.