QuestionQUESTION: Dave: Had to ask a "new question" it said I had too many questions. Haha Here's where we left off.
I would encourage you to do a compression test on the engine first and then proceed with the removal of the cylinder head to check the gasket and the reed valve. Unless you have an actual leakdown tester you will not be able to do an accurate leakdown test.
Dave R aka "China Dave"
So I decided to just buy a compression checker from O'Reily's, $46 jobber.
Followed the instructions and ran the engine to warm it as the instructions said. I gotta tell you it did not smoke much at first this time. After running it a while and backing it out it did begin to smoke as usual. Thought I'd mention it cause I told you it smokes from the start and all the time. It did delay the start of smoking this time. Unusual to me. Heck I thought it was fixed! But alas.
So after the engine was warm I removed the plug and had all the right adapters to properly screw in the fitting for the compression check. Turn the engine over with the ignition key in short spurts. Built up 60 PSI immediately and the after letting it have some more spurts and longer ones, it built up to 105 PSI. Seems to have peaked out there,and it is still sitting on 102 PSI now. About 10 minutes. Just checked it after typing all this.
That's all I did. have not removed and engine covers yet.
Roger
ANSWER: That is really good compression.
When you said it smoked, how long has it smoked? Have you ran it for awhile to see if it clears itself up?
I forgot, did you say you changed the oil? IF not... Start the engine, warm it up and put SAE 30 oil in it, it should take between 3/4 to 1 qt of oil.
Id really be focusing on the reed valve and O ring gaskets at this point if you have previously changed the oil.
We'll get it figured out yet!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Smoke: The guy that gave it to me said "it smokes alot but runs good. You can have it" Dunno I'll have to ask him how long. I know it set idle for a year before I got it this month. Cause I work there.
Yes I have ran it riding around some and actually mowed with the whole bagging system on and all for an hour this weekend. grass is dead here in midland but it cleaned up the leaves that were left and shaved some off. 3 Trips to the dumpster to unload. Took a while. I have a fairly large back yard for an in town lot.
Yes I changed the oil a week or so ago. Used Pennzoil 10W30. The oil level is right. We have talked about that and I have rechecked it. Manual describes to check the level without screwing the oil dipstick cap on. So I am doing that right.
So the reed valve. This is the one under the valve cover you discussed earlier?
"IF you dare remove the Valve cover and look to the upper left hand side you will see a little reed valve, It is covered by a plate-held on with a single screw- make sure that this is not distorted, broken, warped etc... "
-O Ring gaskets must be the ones under the oil fill/check tube huh?
I'll have continue this tomorrow night. will await your answer and proceed.
Roger
Roger
AnswerHey Roger...
Yes the O ring gaskets will be under the fill check tube, and maybe even were the tube slides into the engine.
Yes the Reed Valve is the one I spoke of earlier.
Is there a breather tube that goes from the carburetor into the engine by chance? If there is, unhook it and run it to see if smoking subsides.
If you check the Reed Valve and it is not warped, broken, distorted, etc. then its time to remove the cylinder head and check the valves and head gasket.
After that i would be looking at Piston Rings.
Happy tinkering!
David R
