Boxxer engine woes.....

Blue Monarch

Supportive Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
2,935
Location
Lincoln, NE
Name
Dirk Wingrove
So, my boxxer has a 21HP Briggs Vanguard engine. Here's the deal....

Engine was spraying a fine mist of oil all over the place so I took it in. Turns out the rear seal was bad. Had small engine shop fix it.

When I got it back, the damn thing would barely run when under load until it really warmed up. Even then, it had to be run with the choke pulled out somewhat. Was backfiring on shutdown about half the time. Also noticed fuel is getting into the oil also. :frown:.

I don't know squat about repairing a rear main seal on a small engine. Could something during that repair have caused this? None of this was happening until I got the machine back.

On the plus side, it no longer spews oil!
 

Shawn Abbey

Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
115
Location
Salem, OR
Name
Shawn Abbey
1. Is may be possible that the repair technician may have reassembled the engine without matching the timing?. Some of your symptoms point to a possible timing issue.

2. Fuel in your oil shows fuel is leaking into the combustion chamber, past the piston rings, and into the crankcase while the engine is not in use (overnight). Usually, this is caused by a stuck needle valve in the float bowl of the carburetor, causing fuel to continually flow. A simple cleaning of the needle valve in your float bowl will likely be the repair that's needed. After this repair, you need to check and/or replace your fuel filter, and perhaps install a fuel shutoff valve to prevent this in the future, should the needle valve fail again.
 

John Olson

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
6,281
Location
Orem UT
Name
John Olson
Time to upgrade. Drive it to utah and ill give you our push pull or drag in trade in of $2500 and or more on select machines only. :)
 

Blue Monarch

Supportive Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
2,935
Location
Lincoln, NE
Name
Dirk Wingrove
not enough hours Beck!

Gonna do a carb rebuild. If that doesn't work, I'll have em check out the timing.
 
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Messages
790
Location
Colorado Springs
Name
Brad Gouveia
Take to the shop and have them fix it.

Just like if you cleaned a carpet and a spot came back you would have to fix. They need to fix it. You took it to them with a seal problem now there is another problem, why did they not see/spot it when working on it?
 

dealtimeman

Everyday is Saturday.
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
10,878
Location
Fort Worth , Texas
Name
Michael
Yes, you are on the right track, I think you have a Nikki' carburator. Have them completely tear it down and leave in a carb cleaner solution or better yet have them put in in a carb cleaner in an ulstrasonic cleaner over night. Replace all gaskets and check intake screen. Replace fuel float and seal and pin. Jet all fuel routes and passages by hand with carb cleaner to insure all passages are clean and clear.

I just replaced a boxer 421 motor and the owner quite liked the upgrade as the 21 hp b&s engine is no longer available and replaced it with a 23 hp b&s for 1750 and the new engine does not miss a beat and is very strong. It takes slight modification and some patience but engine fits with a little tweaking.

If you need the carb off the old engine that I just replaced ( engine had no compression on one cylinder, carb is fine) let me know.
 

Blue Monarch

Supportive Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
2,935
Location
Lincoln, NE
Name
Dirk Wingrove
I was wondering what engine I would replace it with. If it comes to that.....I hope the tweaking isn't an issue. Worries me because of the coupler. I would think a belt driven blower would be much more forgiving.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 

rwcarpet

Supportive Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2009
Messages
3,084
Location
Youngstown, Ohio
Name
Robert Hodge
So, my boxxer has a 21HP Briggs Vanguard engine. Here's the deal....

Engine was spraying a fine mist of oil all over the place so I took it in. Turns out the rear seal was bad. Had small engine shop fix it.

When I got it back, the damn thing would barely run when under load until it really warmed up. Even then, it had to be run with the choke pulled out somewhat. Was backfiring on shutdown about half the time. Also noticed fuel is getting into the oil also. :frown:.

I don't know squat about repairing a rear main seal on a small engine. Could something during that repair have caused this? None of this was happening until I got the machine back.

On the plus side, it no longer spews oil!

Just a thought.....did you check for any vacuum leaks? Any intake gasket leaks? You're describing the same symtems I had with the Genesis Ford engine 2 weeks ago. Mine would only run if the choke was fully out. Found an unplugged hole in the intake manifold. It was sucking air. Plugged it up and good as new. As for the gas in the oil, if you're running with the choke set, you are dumping lots of fuel into the manifold. Just start it up and check for intake vac leaks, before you do any other repairs.
 

Becker

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2006
Messages
7,359
Location
Snohomish, WA
Name
Becker
Much appreciated. Hopefully, I wont have to go that route!

When you do, you'll be rocked.

over the years you may not notice the decreased power of a engine, or remember the fast starting, or smooth running.

If all else on the machine is good a new engine will almost like a new TM..
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom