QuestionQUESTION: Has sat idle for 2+ years. I have changed the plug, fuel, fuel filter and charged the battery and can turn the engine by hand. However, when I try to start the engine - it seems to rotate to the compression cycle then stop. A few more turns of the key it will slowly turn the engine about 1/8th of a turn. Then using the key again, the engine will rotate a couple of times (without starting) then stop turning. The whole process will then repeat. Suggestions?
ANSWER: What's the engine make, model and type or spec number? When it was put up 2 years ago, was it running or was there a problem then too?
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QUESTION: Briggs & Stratton 15.5 hp OHV. Model: 28N707 Type:1135E1
Code: 980223ZD.
My father replaced the battery 2 years ago thinking that that was why it was cranking slo. It has not been started since the batt replace. Nor did it start after the batt replace. It has been in kept in a garage. (Been using a lawn service and haven't needed it till now.
AnswerYou probably just need to adjust the valves. Briggs has a tiny bump machined on the exhaust lobe of the cam that opens the exhaust valve at low speed and releases the compression. This bump wears down and the valves also lose their adjustment over time so you have to reset them.
It's fairly simple to do, but it may take a few tries. You remove the valve cover and bring the piston to top dead center, (or TDC). Remove the spark plug and turn the flywheel clockwise by hand until the intake valve starts to open. Keep turning the flywheel until the intake valve starts to close and stick a wooden dowel into the plug hole. As the piston rises, the dowel will be pushed out. You'll be using the dowel to mark the piston travel. Once the piston reaches the top of it's travel, and both valves are closed, you have TDC. Mark your dowel so you know where that is. Then mark the dowel 1/4" above that mark. Then turn the flywheel so that the piston travels downwards and stop when your 1/4" mark is reached.
Loosen the lock screw and retaining nut on the rocker arms and insert a feeler gauge into the gap between the top of the valve and the rocker. Use a .005" on the intake and a .009" on the exhaust. Tighten the retaining nut down with your fingers so that the feeler gauge just barely slips out. Then tighten the lockscrew down.
You may have to repeat this process a few times and in the shop we pull the rockers off and the pushrods out and check them all out.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, PK.
