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Mice in my engine or - I hate those mieces to pieces

#1

D

donb

I have a 20 year old DR brush mower with a B&S 10.5 hp I/O engine. I started it and in less than a minute it smoked from the exhaust and stalled. I looked it over a could see stuff sticking out from the engine housing. I found it full of mouse nest material, a recently dead mouse ( cooked?) and a couple of others jumped off. I cleaned it and got it started but it still smokes and stalls and had a few drops of black liquid leak from the exhaust after running a minute or so.

Ideas?

Mice got into the cylinder perhaps?

Any help please


#2

ILENGINE

ILENGINE

I doubt they got into the cylinder. And the black stuff could just be water mixed with the exhaust that is dripping out. After 20 years I would also suspect that it could be floating the valves a little bit due to seat and valve face wear. The stalling could also be carb related and could need a cleaning.


#3

D

donb

Thanks for the thoughts!
I wasn't clear though, it is 20+ years old but I do run it every year. Last run was this spring. I'll clean the carb.
Thanks Again

Don


#4

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

www.lawnmowerforum.com

Hey New Members

from one member to another, welcome to Lawn World! Want to help us help you? Post your equipment's model numbers in your help thread. Saves us time, and gets you answers quicker. Don't know where to find your equipment Model & Type numbers? Here are links as well as pictures to guide you. Honda...
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#5

D

donb

OK: B&S 10.5 Hp I/O
Mod.28B702
Type 1133-E1
Code 92013021


#6

O

ohiocowboy

donb said:
I have a 20 year old DR brush mower with a B&S 10.5 hp I/O engine. I started it and in less than a minute it smoked from the exhaust and stalled. I looked it over a could see stuff sticking out from the engine housing. I found it full of mouse nest material, a recently dead mouse ( cooked?) and a couple of others jumped off. I cleaned it and got it started but it still smokes and stalls and had a few drops of black liquid leak from the exhaust after running a minute or so.

Ideas?

Mice got into the cylinder perhaps?

Any help please
Click to expand...
Run a good quality engine/fuel system cleaner through it for a few tank of fresh fuel. Probably the ethynol has finally done it's dreaded deed to the fuel system. I spray the engine and surrounding components with diluted peppermint spray (They hate it) and soak a few cotton balls with the peppermint oil and leave them around the areas you want to keep the mice and chipmunks away from. That plus I leave a few baited traps laying on and around the machine during the off season. They will usually mess up the electrical wiring and air intake areas. The mice like to fill the cooling fin areas with nesting material. Blow that out with air compressor, if available, each Spring and occasionally during mowing season. ????❌❌❌❌


#7

D

donb

ohiocowboy said:
Run a good quality engine/fuel system cleaner through it for a few tank of fresh fuel. Probably the ethynol has finally done it's dreaded deed to the fuel system. I spray the engine and surrounding components with diluted peppermint spray (They hate it) and soak a few cotton balls with the peppermint oil and leave them around the areas you want to keep the mice and chipmunks away from. That plus I leave a few baited traps laying on and around the machine during the off season. They will usually mess up the electrical wiring and air intake areas. The mice like to fill the cooling fin areas with nesting material. Blow that out with air compressor, if available, each Spring and occasionally during mowing season. ????❌❌❌❌
Click to expand...
Good advice!
Thanks


#8

D

donb

Well. I drained the gas and added fresh gas with Stabil Engine Fix added ( thinking it could clean the carb), replaced the spark plug and air filter. I got it to start after perhaps a dozen pulls on the rope. It had some white smoke for 30 seconds or so and cleared up. I let it run for about 5 minutes with the throttle set 3/4 from idle and then moved it to full throttle and it began sputtering, smoking heavily and spitting black liquid from the exhaust before stalling. I'm sure these symptoms are telling me something, but I don't know what! Take the carb off to clean?


#9

R

Richard Milhous

Was there enough rat nest on the cooling fins to cause an overheat?


#10

D

donb

Yes


#11

O

ohiocowboy

Pick up a replacement carb online for $15-$20 (I replaced the carbs on my chainsaws for $15 and they worked great-cost same as a rebuld kit) and it will probably run better than it has for the last few years.


#12

7394

7394

And get a cat.....


#13

B

Bigyard

I save the net type bags/tubes that oranges and other fruits come in. Cut them into smaller pieces, put a few moth balls in them, cinch into a bag with old baler plastic twine.
I tie a small bag near/to the wiring in the dash, engine air cleaner housings and other places mice like to build nests and chew wiring. It only takes 2-3 bags per vehicle/tractor. By spring the mothballs have pretty much dissolved but meanwhile the mice leave the equipment and wiring alone, if your lucky.


#14

D

donb

I looked up B&S replacement carb 499158 and it is out off stock at B&S, but Jacks Small Engines has it for $162.47! Yipes! Overhaulkit $125.99. Double Yipes!!
Amazon and ebay have knockoffs for about $22 for the carb, but are they any good?


#15

7394

7394

Ya git what you pay for.. $22. I'm thinking is a chinese knock-off


#16

C

catman606

donb said:
I looked up B&S replacement carb 499158 and it is out off stock at B&S, but Jacks Small Engines has it for $162.47! Yipes! Overhaulkit $125.99. Double Yipes!!
Amazon and ebay have knockoffs for about $22 for the carb, but are they any good?
Click to expand...
I've bought several of the Chinese knockoffs from Amazon and Ebay for chainsaws and weedeaters and go karts, they've all ran great. The two cycle carbs they even sent the tool to adjust the air screws. Just be careful to get the correct one, get the number off your carb and then compare the pictures that it's the same as yours.


#17

S

slomo

Richard Milhous said:
Was there enough rat nest on the cooling fins to cause an overheat?
Click to expand...
donb said:
Yes
Click to expand...
Better clean those fins and all around the block. This is a YEARLY or more often maintenance item in your engine manual. Neglect this and you are asking for engine damage. These are air cooled engines. Several videos on youtube.


#18

peteco

peteco

No problem with rat and mice, the problem are the 20 years.


#19

S

slomo

peteco said:
No problem with rat and mice, the problem are the 20 years.
Click to expand...
So you think clogged cooling fins,,,, is,,, no issue? She's just old?


#20

R

Rivets

Donb, if the engine started smoking and liquid coming out of the muffler, this is a symptom of a rich running condition. No need to replace the carb, just a need to give it a little TLC, a good cleaning and rebuilding. Don’t waste your money on a clone carb for a thirty year old engine. You won’t be happy. You don’t really need a full overhaul kit, just needle/seat and float bowl gasket. Disassemble the carb and find a local repair shop which has an ultrasound cleaner. I used to run them through the shop for free if they bought the parts from me,


#21

D

donb

Rivets said:
Donb, if the engine started smoking and liquid coming out of the muffler, this is a symptom of a rich running condition. No need to replace the carb, just a need to give it a little TLC, a good cleaning and rebuilding. Don’t waste your money on a clone carb for a thirty year old engine. You won’t be happy. You don’t really need a full overhaul kit, just needle/seat and float bowl gasket. Disassemble the carb and find a local repair shop which has an ultrasound cleaner. I used to run them through the shop for free if they bought the parts from me,
Click to expand...
Thanks!


#22

D

donb

slomo said:
So you think clogged cooling fins,,,, is,,, no issue? She's just old?
Click to expand...
I cleaned them AFTER the problem. They were packed with nest material under the shroud.
I'd say I only have 100 hours or less on it. It's used for brush in my field.


#23

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

7394 said:
And get a cat.....
Click to expand...
Just don't name it Tom.... we see how that went........


#24

R

Richard Milhous

Cats ain't worth ¢ for killing mice. Get some snakes. And some poison.

Twenty years old? My main pusher is thirty. Hours/miles matter; age only a little. Abuse matters; so does maintenance. And original quality.

Since my wife isn't reading over my shoulder, I'll say this plain: Age don't matter until it's over thirty.


#25

7394

7394

100% gas, & a dose of Seafoam as well,


#26

B

Bhyte8bit

Oh, dealing with mice in your engine can be such a headache! I had a similar experience with my old mower last year. One suggestion was to use peppermint oil, as mice supposedly hate the smell. So, I soaked some cotton balls in peppermint oil and placed them around the engine compartment. I also made sure to seal any openings where mice could get in.
Since then, I haven't had any more issues with mice in my engine. If you're still having problems, it might be a good idea to have a professional mechanic take a look.
I found a helpful resource for pest control services. If you need professional help, you can find it at https://pestcontrolcompanies.net/. They were quick to schedule an appointment and provided effective solutions for my pest problems.


#27

7394

7394

(y)


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