Customer Thinks Engine Is Blown On Cub Cadet Snowblower - Let's Find Out!

[@donyboy73]

🔻WATCH NEXT🔻 Watch a Teardown video of a Briggs & Stratton engine here; ➡kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5fGZKV3Z76tmMU

[@breannaoliver6316]

@donyboy73. Feliz 2024. Gusto nuevamente ver Tus videos!!! Gracias por TU entrega y por compartir Tus conocimientos.

[@bobbychaussard5575]

Love watching you.

[@philliphall5198]

Reason I watch your videos is because you waste no time getting to the point and no bs talking Thank You and Wife 😊❤

[@01mustang05]

No, he does do some "BS talking"; you, he, & the rest of the majority are just too harmed & corrupted to notice it and/or stop doing it.

[@nelsonthekkath4830]

It's the rotating counter weight to reduce the vibration.

[@jjyemg2397]

I'm surprised he didn't know that was the counter weight

[@patrickpoulard24]

​@@jjyemg2397He knows exactly what that is, trust me. He is just making conversation. 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤷🏿‍♂️

[@doncook3584]

Harmonic balancer

[@deanwilliams2353]

Also known as a balance shaft.

[@bcad4066]

He just said that to generate comments. See, it worked.@@jjyemg2397

[@MrRunner]

Nicely done Donny. What a shame, all because someone didn't maintain it correctly. I had a call once, brand new B & S. Visited, and I couldn't pull it over at all. Checked the oil level and it was THREE INCHES above the max mark on the dipstick. It was hydrolocked. There was a one foot wide black streak of oil on the garage wall. Customer demanded to know what I was going to do and wasn't happy with my response. All you have to do is read the book

[@gordsmith7708]

The part that you removed looks like a counter balance shaft . Smooths out the pulse ( vibration) of the engine.

[@doncook3584]

Informative no stutter no “um’s” means he’s well prepared and editing pro. Just a wealth of knowledge

[@archierockey]

I always check the oil in all my lawnmowers and snowblower engine's before starting them

[@brucedale4465]

Great job Donny. I really enjoy your videos 👍

[@Pinebaron2011]

Excellent video. It puts me on track to remove and clean the carb which for the first time ever is probably clogged due to me not emptying the fuel tank and not runnig it dry last season.

[@dennisjoiner3717]

I noticed how dark the oil was in the sump and in your drain container. However the oil on the DipStick was New clean. Yes, someone added oil to the engine after the Rod broke or it would have mixed with the rest of the old oil. Too bad, like you said I too feel like they are good engines.

[@wansolve289]

Someone a long time ago said, “... an Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure.” That sure applies here! Thanks! Great autopsy video.

[@donvoll2580]

Good day Yes totally true. I remember many yrs ago my dad keep oil in it. Too bad Thanks

[@Tollbooth]

Thanks for all the great videos, Don. I have a Cub Cadet 28" snow blower with that same engine. I bought it in November 2016 and it's been great. That 357cc engine can easily handle the heaviest wet snow. I do all the regular maintenance on it in September, like changing the spark plug, oil, lubricating everything and give it a coat of ceramic wax to get it ready for the season. It starts up on the first pull every time and looks brand new.

[@edsyphan3425]

I was just going to say the same thing, mine runs like a champ too.

[@paulmysliborski4832]

I have the same engine (357cc) on my Troy-Bilt, and I agree about its power. Mine doesn't even bog down with the end of the drive snowplow pile.

[@cuffy69]

I've got 2 of them they start every time first pull. I do 6 driveways and 5 businesses. Customers are always happy

[@donyboy73]

You would be the type of customer that I like!

[@paulchinn5981]

Great job Dony. I didn't know the club cadet was that good. I also always found the Briggs & Stratton engines had a great name.

[@georgebenevides]

Thanks Don. A tear down to show what the cause is. This is a Cub Cadet so a nice thorough and explanation was nice. You pulled the cord to listen for the sound of the engine. The spark plug trick to check if piston is moving. I love watching these tear down videos, keep em coming. We are all curious what the cause may be.

[@robcole332]

Counter balance shaft for smoother operation. Great video

[@roncaron-l1r]

Nice review donyboy love you expert on it ( ty Ron Happy Near Year @ you family to )

[@donyboy73]

Thanks Ron!

[@HARRUMPH-SAL]

Great video, Dony. However, Tecumseh always got my vote back in the day.

[@Davidjb37721]

Thank for your help

[@garyhockensmith2471]

It’s a counter balance shaft to stop a lot of vibration, they use those in a lot of vehicle engines.

[@jerryrash1775]

Counter weight,looked good,helps balance the engine from viberation

[@davewebb5737]

The piece you were not sure of is the harmonic balancer hope that helps

[@gregdavis2344]

I have a Yardworks 30", with the same engine for the past 15 years. I have a 1000 foot driveway out in the country. Never have had an issue and never used the electric start.

[@royevans7793]

As far as Briggs engines are concerned, I had a John Deere riding mower with a Briggs. It lasted a little over 300 hrs, before I started having issues with it. I serviced it religiously, changed oil & filter, along with the air filter, and lubed it every spring. I'd also check the oil before I used it. It got to the point that every time I'd use it, I'd have to add a quart of oil, and about every 3rd time, I'd have to clean the spark plug. It smoked like I was spraying for mosquitos! Fortunately at about the time all of this happened, we moved & I needed a bigger mower, so I bought a ZT mower with a Kohler mower. Love your videos, very informative.

[@Bigtwin88]

I have that same motor on my cadet. and I love it...also I put a fuel shut off on mine....not sure why they dont put one on all snow blowers.... thank you great Video...

[@The_Warrior526]

Counter-balance shaft. I have one in the Yamaha golf cart I did a fix-storation in.

[@tommagiera4784]

Hi Don. I have done a bit of work on the small Powermore engine and found it about 3 times as difficult to work on compared to Briggs or Tecumseh. I have not seen one blow up like this one but a customer's Tecumseh had the carb bolts fall out while the cover held it in place with the result of engine over rev from to much oxygen and it broke the connecting rod as well.

[@TOWNCARBUBBA87]

very informative. good job brother 👍

[@1hjehje]

I had a snowblower and a lawnmower both with Powermore engines. Both of them worked really well. They started easily, had plenty of power, and ran smoothly. I now only have a small yard and front drive, so I use an electric lawnmower and I just shovel my snow. Thank you for the video!

[@hermanchow1405]

great explanation , it’s a stripe search and great job 👍

[@Wyn61]

Very interesting! As usual Donny, I learn lots here! Enjoyable, easy presentation. Btw .....got tix to see BTO in Mahnomen, MN at the Casino on Jan. 19th! Looking forward to hearing "Sledgehammer"!!!!

[@mikespain8655]

I had three engines in 2023 from customers that ran it out of oil and the engine connecting rod broke. It happens, so always check your oil periodically.

[@blackenedmagic888]

It sort of makes me wonder if there's a flaw in the engine's design that causes it to somehow use/leak excessive oil. I have a snowblower with a Tecumseh 10hp Snow King engine from around 2005 and it very rarely needs even a bit of an oil top-up between oil changes

[@garyalford9394]

Why were they using that much oil ?

[@rverro8478]

I hope you had a Merry Christmas and, I wish you a Happy New Year to you, and your wife. 🎄 Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année. 🥂

[@liljoeii6091]

It's a shame for a good motor to be shot because you didn't check oil. I check every time i start tractor or the lawnmower very good video thank you and a HAPPY NEW YEAR'S

[@chuckuu9294]

Great video Big D. Just bought a CUB. I will make sure the maintenance on mine. Thanks

[@onemechca]

Maintenance is key for longevity for any engine be it in a car or small engine..The proof is exactly what you just shown in the video Don. Well done sir..Happy New Year.

[@scootosan]

That was catastrophic when it went so no "thinking" about it. I like your editing (sped up) during the mundane sequences. Happy New Year DB73

[@rf005]

You could Tig weld that hole in the Block, but that metal impregnated puddy would work well also.

[@tomkroon54]

I use a long #3 Phillips screwdriver when I test. Won't jamb between cylinder wall and piston

[@alfredocuomo1546]

The Nomenclature for that part is a Counter Balance shaft, it's propose is to reduce vibration. It is common in many 4 cylinder automotive engines.

[@donvoll2580]

Good day from Waterloo Happy new yr to u & yours Don. Thanks

[@cycleguy666]

The part you took out with the gear on it was the balancer shaft!

[@davidsmith6001]

Looks like it was ran low or dry and a person put fresh oil in that is why its so clear. Great video

[@jeffdayman8183]

Looks like somebody had fireworks a bit before New Year's Eve this year! 8^) I also suspect this was a result of low oil causing the rod breakage. The aluminum schmear on the rod journal is a dead giveaway. I used to see this about three times a month on the old B&S 3 1/2 hp mowers I serviced for clients. Great engines, lasted an incredibly long time - IF the oil was kept filled. I had a saying for the clients to memorize - "once low - she's gonna blow!"

[@jimboles967]

At 9:19, there is a bolt lying in the bottom of case is it a connecting rod bolt that came out?

[@stevesfascinations1516]

Loved the video. I have used your knowledge through KZbin to repair many snowblowers. This is the first time I have seen the inside of the engine - very interesting. Keep the videos coming! Steven from south of Orillia.

[@anthonymacneil2279]

I have a Cub Cadet 30 snowblower, knock on wood no issues with 420 cc Powermore, it's a beast in heavy snow, bought in 2016. I would never run it low on oil. Another great video Don. Happy New Year

[@garyalford9394]

Those motors don't run in a dirty environment, if the oil gets changed they should not be using much of any oil !

[@justkelly6992]

Good video. My dad taught me about mower engines and I guessed broken rod at the very first of the video. I watched all the way through just to find out if my memory is good from 55 years ago. It Was.

[@deanmoore420]

Great tips enjoy watching your videos as usual been there done that that’s for sure merry Christmas and a happy new year 👍

[@MrBailey-ng9kw]

HI Dony, Thank you for the your time in showing us the internals of these Powermore engines. Worked on a couple myself..I just think these are great engines but in some way taking from our economy, in that manufacturers are putting the motors on at a cheaper price but charging the same price for the whole unit. Briggs and tecumseh have been around for ever and some still going... thank again jp!

[@QuaabQueb]

I have only ever seen blown engines due to lack of oil, or a problem with the throttle/governor causing it to run wide open and over-rev. What causes the Briggs & Stratton engines to spontaneously blow up? I always considered them a pretty well made engine. Interesting that they put a harmonic balance or rotating counterweight (the part at 9:39) to reduce vibration. The old Tecumseh engines shake like a shitting dog and are always missing nuts and bolts, those too were indestructible and I only seem them blow up due to lack of oil.

[@mikefennema5561]

I have the same problem not beeing able to see the oil level on the dip stick. I pulled the dipstick and did a light sand plasting on the back of the cross hatched section. Now the oil level is much more visible. The oil stays in place rather than running off quickly.

[@neiltheplayer]

new viewer .. thank you for posting. Excellent video

[@ranckie5055]

Great video. Thanks.

[@RG-wy1ol]

Don thanks for the video can you do a walk through in the shop to show your top 10 or 5 favorite tools that snipper was an awesome tool super sharp.

[@jpmoffatt]

Please let me know your opinion on Tecumseh snow king engines. Reliability etc.

[@donyboy73]

Good but don't over-rev them!

[@jpmoffatt]

Thanks so much my 9hp has been runnung well for 24 years!@@donyboy73

[@kencurtis228]

TY for Sharing

[@MazichMusic]

I have a Powermore engine on my Cub Cadet caster wheel mower. 4 seasons without any issues and it almost always starts on the first pull!

[@ralphwatten2426]

Lots of nice spare parts there. Make sure there's oil in your engine.

[@tomfillmore9710]

Good video buddy thanks for sharing take care

[@ronaldkrause891]

Don it's a balance gears like some of the kohler k series engine

[@Tommyr]

Have a very happy new year Don!

[@ForfeMac]

I don't mind tearing down for educational purposes, but usually I just stick a screwdriver down the sparkplug hole to see if the piston moves or not. And it never ceases to amaze me that people will spend $1000 or more on a snowblower and then not do even the barest minimum of maintenance on them. Stabilizer in the fuel and check the oil before you run it and small engines will run damn near forever for the amount of time most people use them.

[@stevesmith6058]

I think they’re pretty good engines to Donnie it’s just a shame how somebody can neglect an engine and how much they’re gonna cost to replace one I’ve seen the crack in it that made me sad nice job

[@smallenginerepairs3772]

How goes it ? I totally agree with Briggs as junk I have the same engine but 277cc and runs mint. Like your vids

[@BearE9090]

Great tip with the screwdriver. Thanks

[@mrclaus859]

Thanks Dony

[@watermanone7567]

That piece is a counter weight. Thanks for the video.

[@PatHiggins-Mayo]

Happy New Year,Dony and family

[@danielcote4888]

Merci Don et bonne année à toi ainsi que ta famille 🎉🎉

[@facereader99]

1. Unknown part is the counterweight. Reduces vibrations. 2. Very good engine. Never seen fail except with low oil. However, valves do need adjustment to restore compression to full in most PowerMore engines. Valves gap 8000 and 10,000. To me, that is poor metallurgy - deliberate? I can't say for sure. This could also be due to the fact that most owners do not change oil for years. Oil keeps thinning out (from unburnt gases passing in larger amounts than lawnmower engines that do not face load like snow blower engines) therefore, oil level will appear mostly normal or close to normal in snow blower engines brought in for repair, but not lawnmower engines. You will find the same in generator engines used near full load. 3. The only bad thing in this engine (and all PowerMore engines) is that a fuel cut was omitted, in my perception, deliberately. A fuel cut off valve can be installed on this engine too (possible in all but one PowerMore engine). A hole needs to be made above the recoil starter plastic cover (in this 357cc engine), and a straight Briggs and Stratton design fuel cut off valve can be installed. Before you drill the 1-1.25" hole, check where the recoil starter handle will rest. The hole will start from just ahead of that so that the protruding red knob of the cut off valve stays clear. We install this valve on all (but one) PowerMore engines. 3. Less than 1% of PowerMore engines at my shop are of the 357cc type. So, thank you very much for sharing this video. 4. Your observations about the Briggs engines are entirely correct. 5. Every single North American small engines equipment manufacturer, including Honda, is hell bent upon early obsoletion in every engine and equipment. In Europe, there is a 40 million Euros fine on such tactics. Over here, even owners manuals are deliberately misleading to ensure the same objective.

[@josephrich6014]

Another excellent video. Thank you sir

[@paulmysliborski4832]

Stated in every manual that came with any 4-stroke engine ever: "CHECK OIL BEFORE EACH OPERATION". Lol Nice tear-down and video, Donny. And have a Happy New Year! :)

[@habana7638]

don't need to read, it's difficult..🤡

[@Paul1958R]

Don, Great video and explanation - thank you. Paul (in MA USA)

[@Just_D.I.Y.]

Just curious if this engine is a Loncin? I just bought a used Dirty Hand Tools Snowblower and it has a Loncin Engine, seems to work well, for a smallish engine has lots of power, and reviews seem good on the brand. I haven't had it long enough to really say more, waiting for some snow, were having a very unusually warm winter season so far this year.

[@randyrejer4219]

Always good to watch.

[@mikiwessel262]

Counter balance shaft.

[@briansadler5502]

Pretty familiar with rebuilding engines small and big but still love your videos Don.

[@GNX157]

I have an older Ariens SB with a Tecumseh engine and I check it before every use, and I can’t get it to burn any oil. Always Ned’s up reaching the change interval before adding is needed. Scary thing is this engine holds a bit less than a quart when full.

[@dnrsmallenginerepair]

you are awesome donyboy73 at working on those Engines

[@fitch8363]

I have the same engine on my 12 year old snow blower. I did the donyboy73 anti surging fix on it. With reasonable routine maintainance it's been reliable as gravity. Starts the first or second pull every time. The odd looking part is a rotating balancer to minimize engine vibration.

[@gordmcdonald2807]

Merry Christmas Don another great vid. I have the same engine on my cub.. change the oil in the fall. Never have had an issue. Stats usually on the first pull. It's a really fine machine. About 10 yrs old

[@jimirvine763]

I have the same engine on my MTD machine. It's been great - very reliable, but I look after it. I've owned mine since 2013. Shame to see good equipment abused.

[@timwolfers7880]

It looks like the same engine I have in a Troy Bilt snow blower. This is a good reminder to do my pre season maintenance. Great video as always.

[@donyboy73]

Yes Troy-bilt and MTD have the same engines!

[@geraldguenard4095]

HI.that part is called the synchro balance shaft

[@richard40w70]

Great job

[@Matthew_Does_To_Many_Things]

I had one of these powermore engines just smaller at 179cc. It was on some small 2 stage snowblower that’s really light duty that only has one forward speed plastic transmission. It leaked oil which I didn’t like and I’m pretty sure it’s because of the main sump gasket incorrect from the factory. It’s currently sitting in my shed and rusty. Should probably scrap it lol

[@marathoner43]

Thanks Don. I have heard a lot of bad things about Briggs engines from the last few years. Have a great new year, and all the best to you and yours in 2024!

[@omereroglu9208]

Great to see a cub cadet video! I have a 420cc 3X 30” one that looks very similar to this one and this video was very helpful for reference. Please make more videos for cub cadet specifically.

[@donyboy73]

I had one in the shop last week!

[@dclawnmaintenanceandsnowre4099]

Happy New Year to you and your wife

[@jerryabell]

Dan the engine is a good brand,,,,but finding the model number for parts ,where is it at.thanks jerry

[@fadetounforgiven]

I don't know about this engines, but I do know the name Briggs & Stratton. Not that I've used them, just that know they exist. What surprises me a bit is you saying that B&S are kind of more prone to breaking down thant the ones I don't know about. I mean, whenever I've been "window shopping" for engine powered things for me, the B&S engine always costs a little extra and one would hope that, being a well known brand, it would be sort of a warranty. Maybe it's only with snowblowers as you repeat? Thank you for your videos, there's always something to learn.

[@gordsmith7708]

Hi Donny, great video man cheers 🍻

[@nebiertugrul5095]

Nice video,thanks

[@Jetpac74]

Great video Donny Always loads to be learned from your detailed videos. Thank you.

[@jimeckenrode1271]

I have had many B&S engines and never had one go bad.

[@kjell-richardlvdal373]

Briggs and Scrap them, but what do you think about predator engines

[@TecumsehRulesbcserk]

Those engines are huge, I recently got a 3 stage Troy Bilt in for a locked up shifter and it had one of these on it, only difference was it had a bunch of Troy Bilt stickers on it.

[@sneak6654]

I have a Troy Built 2410 Storm snowblower that I bought at Home Depot brand new in October of 2020 and I only run non ethanol TruFuel in it and haven’t had any issues with clogged Jets or water in the fuel so far. The PowerMore engine starts easily and runs well, but it surges at 1/2 throttle and surges less at full throttle and it has done this since the day I brought it home and started it for the first time. I have heard that surging is common with PowerMore engines and it won’t hurt the engine, but if the surging bugs me enough I can take it to a repair shop and have them fix it for $200 or more or I could buy a brand new carburetor from MTD and swap it out. I would really appreciate your advice on this and take care.

[@robertrpenny]

How about Tecumseh, you did not mention them Don? I have an early 90s B&S mower and it seems good but made in the US. Also have a craftsman with Tecumseh 5 hp mower given to me that has plugged up fuel system but engine seems ok. Prob also made in US. Noisier than hell but no smoke or knocks.

[@robertb7254]

Great video ….is it possible to send a Honda GX160 to you for a repair video…?