Oil in air filter

[hogjowl]

I assume this is what is called "blow-by." My machine starts running rough, I got out and take out the air filter, and it, and the filter housing is filled with oil. I've put a new breather assembly unit in it, and it's still doing it. I'm told that next I need to replace the gaskets on my oil fill cap and around the oil check rod. If that doesn't stop the problem, I'm told to try changing the gaskets on both valve covers.

Anything else that might be causing this problem?

 

[Kelly]

what kind of engine is it

 

[floorguy]

do you have an exhaust leak??? that is allowing the motor to suck it back into the airfilter?

that happened to me and caused alllll kinds of issues...

 

[Gary T]

Sure you can keep changing gaskets, but I don't think that will cure your problem. Blow by is oil getting up into the combustion chamber and usually by an intake valve. The running rough surely isn't caused by a bad gasket, but possibly a dropped or broken intake valve.

 

[SRI Cleaning]

Is it an automotive type engine? PCV valve if so

 

[Jeff M]

Check the air filter and keep it clean, when it gets restricted it will draw oil from the crankcase. If you have an exhaust leak it may get stuff in the filter to restrict it even if it doesn't look dirty.

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

Most CC TM engines utilize a PCV valve that empties into the air cleaner housing. When it fails, oil is pushed into the housing, soiling the filter and covers. Some engines incorporate the valve into one of the valve covers, others into a separate cover that is used to seal the acces to the valve lifters.

 

[hogjowl]

This is on my TM. It's a Brigg's 18hp. The "PCV" valve Shawn is talking about sounds a lot like the breather assembly unit that I first changed out.

 

[hogjowl]

Is that anywhere near the muffler bearing?

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

Marty,

Anywhere you have a leak into the crankcase, i.e. the seals and gaskets you have mentioned, then crankcase is not going to develop negative pressure tha the PCV valve is designed to create.

The dispstick cap gasket is the first suspect.

 

[MerCrewser]

This is a great site to ask these types of questions.

http://www.perr.com/forum/

You'll know for sure if it's blow by if you perform a compression test and the numbers are lacking.

 

[Kelly]

Uhhhh what engine is it again we are talkin about ...?? I think i asked that before

 

[hogjowl]

BRIGG'S 18hp

 

[Kelly]

sorry to hear about your compression ring problem

 

[hogjowl]

OK ... what is a compression ring, where's it at, and how hard is it to replace?

 

[Jay D]

Hopefully not the rings, Dumb ? but how many hrs. on the briggs?

 

[Kelly]

my professional opinion is that you seek a second opinion as always..lol..but it has been my experience in the past that small briggs engines only have a crankcase breather tube and not a pcv valve. the fact that you are blowing oil into the air filter is probably because you have a compression or an oil ring which is no longer functioning correctly and even perhaps a burned valve. I personally would do a compression check to eliminate the burned valve theory of course. And any authorized briggs dealer can tell you the symptoms of oil in the filter..if you want me to i can call our authorized briggs supplier tomorrow....and find out what you should do next, or you can just stay winging it (compression check first with both plugs removed) im betting something like a broken ring

 

[Dolly Llama]

OK ... what is a compression ring, where's it at, and how hard is it to replace?

Whether it is or isn't the ring,
It's out of your league to replace it, PorkPrick

a compression ring is on the piston on the INSIDE of the motor


..L.T.A.

 

[steve g]

I had some issues with my briggs a while back, it would plug air filters really fast, like every 25 hours. it has always had a small amount of oil in the air cleaner housing, not much makes it onto the filter, my machine got to where it was really souting the oil and running like crap, one day I took a spring that I picked up from the hardware store and put it on the choke linkage so when the choke is not pulled the spring holds it totally off, this has been the best thing I have ever done for my machine, it runs so much better, doesn't plug the filters and my oil stays clean. I guess the choke was working itself closed slightly and causing the machine to run rich which caused all sorts of issues, plugged filter, souty oil, fouled plugs, rough running, etc. can't a plugged air filter cause oil to be pulled into the air cleaner area??

 

[Kelly]

youre right steve check all the stupid little stuff first

 

[Kelly]

including the compression with both plugs removed

 

[hogjowl]

There's 2079 hours on the motor.

I sure hate to have to take this thing to my local Brigg's mech. He hates his life.

He's already replaced both head gaskets on this unit and one valve cover gasket. Could either of these repairs be responsible (possibly) for my current problem?

 

[MerCrewser]

The head gasket, yes. A bad head gasket could cause this. DO a compression test and post the numbers!! Stop guessing. Comp tester is sold at Sears, get a nice one. Running a truckmount with that engine you'll need it again anyway.

 

[bob vawter]

Would you care to fill out a pre-qualifing buyers application for my Steam Genie, cuz yor lawn mower motor is toast......

 

[Dolly Llama]

You can buy a brand new B&S 18hp for $1200


http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/ ... 70_409_409


..L.T.A.

 

[XTREME1]

you have too much oil in it

 

[Jay D]

Martin,

Smallenginewarehouse.com, briggs 356447-0178 at $1025+shipping should work. Throttle and choke right on the engine, keyed shaft. A friend ordered one and got it for a little over 1100 to a commercial address. 2000+ hrs on a briggs is'nt bad. It could go a little longer but how much money do you want to put into a motor with those hours on it.
A compression test will tell you a lot and a estimate by your briggs dude. :shock:

 

[Jimmy L]

That's all the hours you can expect out of one of those Briggs?

 

[tom mcfadden]

It probably is a blown head gasket. When engine is idling remove oil filler cap there should be very slight positive ventilation. If you hold the cap on the hole you should feel it move back and forth slightly. If there is excessive positive ventilation oil spray and blue smoke will billow out the oil filler cap. This is what causes your air filter to fill with oil, there is a hose connected to the rocker arm cover and your air filter. A blown head gasket between cylinder and crankcase does not show up with a compression test on this engine.

 

[The Magician]

Do a compression test. Both cylinders must be within 10-20 % of the compression. If compression is up your lucky easy fix.