Rebuilding a cheap lawnmower ran with no oil.

Links to products I have in my tool bag.
Compression tester. amzn.to/2NMgeze
Spark Checker. amzn.to/3bnXjmA
Thanks for watching. This mower was ran without oil and locked up. The damage was mostly internal so I decided to rebuild it the cheapest way possible.

[@999thenewman]

(Change the oil to 40 weight to compensate for the bearing wear and the mower will be fine.)This could become a loaner mower for when customers want a repair and need something in the mean time. "...taped down" hey, I'm the only one who does that to keep the brake off. Thanks for the reference, Home Garage. I would have held the crank with my feet to sand the journal.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Great advice. I appreciate it. Seems like you've given this situation some thought before.

[@999thenewman]

@@HomeGaragechannel Not at all. I just figured that'd be the only way to do things since I too don't have a vice to hold stuff.

[@mikemadsen2716]

when pulling the flywheel I have found it is best to just hold the flywheel up with your hand and use a 4 oz ballpeen hammer and give it a very brisk smack, it will come off easy with less damage to crank.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you for the comment I appreciate it and it

[@bobw.991]

Cool vid, be sure and do a second part for us all. I bet it’ll work fine..

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thanks Booths Wattha for the comment. Yes next video is the second part and she's gonna run.

[@tyroneclarke1666]

Very good find. Could have used a length of pvc or something that fitted close to the big end size wrapped with your wet n dry paper. Also use WD40 or kerosene to keep the paper cleaner. Put the crank in a vice with protection so to keep your hands free. Cheers 🇦🇺

[@HomeGaragechannel]

very nice tips. I'll definitely use them the next time I have to do this again.

[@mjg263]

Bet it'll work just fine. It's amazing how much slop factor there is on these little engines, especially nowadays.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Its been holding up well. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it

[@donnashaw4906]

Tjiiiiuy5rtt

[@conner5611]

There has to be a little play in these motors since they are air cooled they run hot so the metal expands a lot

[@gabrielbennett5162]

Very interesting! I have a Briggs 450e that may have damaged rings. I need to tear it down and look. This video makes it look surprisingly easy!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

It looks easy cause it is. I would tell you otherwise.

[@libraeotequever3pointoh95]

Seeing the internals of this engine was educational. Thanks for sharing this video. I have a Hyper Tough 20" mower of similar vintage. But, I remembered to put oil into the engine. :-)

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice, and yes just s small amount of oil can do wonders for a small engine, thanks for watching

[@UpBeat88]

I have the Murray 21 inch Identical to this both from Walmart both cheap er And I just got done rebuilding the motor Put a new carburetor on it new spark plug sharpen the blade and it runs awesome

[@computernostalgia6293]

Wait. They literally didn’t put oil in it? That’s crazy. I’m still using my 1986 Snapper! I change the oil every 6 months! Runs perfectly after all these years!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yep they forgot the oil

[@whiskeybuilder6335]

These mowers are shipped with only a few ounces in the crankcase. Just enough to keep the seals moist. It says so in the owners manual. Anyone too lazy to read the manual would certainly be too lazy to pull a dipstick. It was an expensive lesson considering that Walmart lists this mower at around $300.

[@tammydeluca2291]

This was a huge help to me thanks I have a lawn mower thats a little stiff i might try this thank you again this was great help to see a lawn mower engine taken apart.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you Tammy Deluca for the comment good luck.

[@campbellpaul]

Great experiment! Thanks for the upload!! I think it will work.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thanks for the comment and yes it should work.

[@Hockeyfiend8]

My toro recycler 22 ran with barely any oil for a year. Also it was black. Those Briggs and Stratton engines are very tough.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you for the comment. Yes they can be.

[@conner5611]

I bought this exact mower used for 75$ it had only been used for a tiny apartment yard and they did the exact thing they never added oil I changed it then used for a month it ran perfect then I sold it since I needed something bigger

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Nice work. Running without oil once isn't a terrible thing then. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it

[@BobSmith-mj7ik]

That will definitely work. I've fixed many a locked up mower over the years that way.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you Bob Smith.

[@alssmallengines]

Very cool 👍 I think it's gonna work, Looking forward to seeing it run!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you Alam Marshall for the comment. She'll run I'll make sure of that.

[@erkan08ek45]

Exactly what my dad and I have for problem. Thanks!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Glad to help!

[@electroddxful]

Can't wait to see the next video. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you RayFpv for the comment. Shes gonna run or break trying.

[@ramblingrebel6811]

This exactly how not to remove a flywheel..you should use a puller or a pair of pry bars . Never hit the top of the crank, you can damage the threads . Or damage the bearings

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thanks for the comment I appreciate it

[@rannz8]

The motor was seized so who cares. Plus people have been doing this for years you have to to be slamming that hammer full force to do anything bad

[@jaluna06]

Awesome. I think it’ll work. 👍🏼

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thanks man. It wasn't as easy as I was hoping but it came out okay.

[@jimmyrecard6021]

why do you use chrome sockets on impact?

[@benhuynh632]

Lam.Tot Well.Done

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you misspelled it.

[@brucecoleman7412]

It will probably work, but for how long? It’s probably not worth the effort, but it makes a great, entertaining video! Besides, pretty much the same technique may work on a mower that is worth fixing.

[@steveh2040]

This guy has a Supra video from 16 years ago. I know I can trust this guy

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thanks still got it.

[@UncleScotty]

Some repair folks use Muriatic acid on the steel journal to dissolve the aluminum. I haven't tried it.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes I've heard of that, but it's quite dangerous to use without the proper PPE.

[@leroyrosario6898]

Thank you I was just going to throw my mower away until I thought of asking u tube thanks again 😊😊😊😊

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Glad I could help

[@gonewronggarage4565]

The marks on the flywheel are from the flywheel brake!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

You're absolutely right

[@gonewronggarage4565]

@@HomeGaragechannel I see a lot of people talk bad about the new briggs e series and I bought a mower new 3 years ago with one on it and it’s been great with no issues!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

@@gonewronggarage4565 excellent. How's your maintenance routine?

[@gonewronggarage4565]

@@HomeGaragechannel I got the Briggs manual and I go by what it says with the everything including adjusting valve clearance annually

[@HomeGaragechannel]

@@gonewronggarage4565 wow nice. I've never bought a new mower so I didn't even know they had an owners manual.

[@iraborton3941]

yes, it will run, probably for a while. I would have used muriatic acid to take the aluminum off of the crankshaft rod journal.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Oh that's a good idea. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it

[@RattyFlyer]

Be Careful not to dissolve yourself lol

[@24space310]

prime example of some people not reading the owner manual.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes you are correct.

[@vinceparker2888]

Im experiencing kickback when starting and the flywheel key is new. Does this have a compression relief?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

most all newer engines have compression releases. I think your valve lash is off but quite a bit if the rope is being yanked out.

[@tomtomas8932]

Thanks

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you for the comment.

[@keatonheitger5171]

i have a 300e briggs and straton and im trying to take the plastic cover off but the screws keep spinning but not coming out do you know how to fix this?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

no unfortunately, I don't and that's because I've never had to deal with something like that. I wound't know till I have to try and fix it.

[@daniellibich1376]

As many small engines are usually shipped without oil when there is a tag on the dipstick saying there is no oil as those hope the selling dealer and or a small engine repair shop won't cover the warranty over the claim the small equipment is worth more as scrap steel after the engine seized up.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you for the comment I appreciate it

[@sweetlou5902]

Love it

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you Sweet Lou

[@joshuabennett723]

Contact on the fly wheel is the flywheel brake

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you for the comment I appreciate it

[@dfields9511]

Good work there, and ingenuity Must of studied with Taryl @ Grass rats garage

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Lol... yes lve seen a few of their videos.

[@macknumber9]

Off topic: How do you tell the difference between bad piston rings and head gasket on a mower? I suspect head gasket but would hate to tear it apart just to find out head gasket is fine...mower starts up and then blows smoke after about a couple minutes of running...I was thinking of leakdown test or simply looking for smoke in dispstick tube but that could come from blowby from bad rings into the crankcase as well as blowby from a bad head gasket into the pushrod galley down into the crankcase...both bad piston rings and head gasket could cause blowby into crankcase...is there any tips to tell the difference between rings and head gasket problems?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

sure, I'd do a leak down test

[@macknumber9]

@HomeGaragechannel thanks that's what I was leaning towards...but with the leakdown test I guess I should just listen with a stethoscope (I have a mechanics stethoscope) to zero in on where it is coming from? Because technically the dipstick tube would have air coming out of it with both piston rings and head gasket problems...

[@HomeGaragechannel]

you don't need one, you should be able to hear it, And beside if the head gasket was broken the sound would be coming from around the head.

[@macknumber9]

@HomeGaragechannel ok I'll just simply listen up there then by the head....definitely can't just go by smoke coming from dipstick tube then...because like I said that could be either rings OR head gasket.

[@macknumber9]

@@HomeGaragechannel how much psi is safe? I have heard 100psi is a good amount to use?

[@AveragePootis]

How did you sound completely different just 4 years ago

[@HomeGaragechannel]

4 years I wanted to sound like the guy that does the voice overs for "how it's Made" and sense then I've reverted back to my natural state because I couldn't hold that voice for hours or recording.

[@AveragePootis]

@@HomeGaragechannel ah, that explains

[@canoeshoe]

My lawnmower stalls or sputters when started, once it's warmed up, it runs just fine. Do you know why this is the case? Many people's lawnmower stalls once hot, so mine is the opposite.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

i have to ask but do you have to press a primer bulb or is yours just pull the rope to start it?

[@canoeshoe]

@@HomeGaragechannel Mine pull to start but it has a primer bulb in case the carb is empty

[@HomeGaragechannel]

@@canoeshoe okay. I was thinking it was an auto choke system. The system might not be unchoking but I guess not.

[@eugeniolopez8539]

It will work.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you Eugenio Lopez

[@lundenlizenby6534]

Put a socket through the journal with the sandpaper and use the impact

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thank you Lunden Lizenby.

[@TecumsehRulesbcserk]

These things are only $80 dollars for a new one, that was the reason I didn’t bother repairing the one I found for free. I only do major repairs on things that are worth it, such as a Honda. They won’t really last that long anyway due to how cheaply made they are.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Yes completely agree with you

[@gradyhernandez4699]

How do you install a head gasket on a Troy bilt mower with a Honda engine!?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

there Is no head gasket, It's one piece.

[@gradyhernandez4699]

@@HomeGaragechannel well they sell.honda mower head gaskets. { It does look like one piece actually}

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes not all honda engines, are 1 piece, some are separate but the gcv160 or 190 is a one piece design. it was done out of cost and manufacturing simplicity

[@KAFKUBA]

I'm surprised it didn't run just by adding oil it wasn't that bad was it?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

yes it would have worked, but the aluminum on the journal surface could have damaged it even more. IT's best to get read of the extra metal.

[@KAFKUBA]

@@HomeGaragechannel ok thanks!

[@doraescalante1273]

I have a sthil weed eater that needs checking :) :D

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Does it run? If not when did it run last?

[@alanlake5220]

Well it it was me i would polish the crank to get rid of the build up of alluminium , and replace the con rod

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Ah yes that would definitely be the better way of going about this. Thanks for the comment I appreciate it

[@pauldavisson9962]

Spend more time on the crank, put it in a vise and polish it well. Then coat it with Majic Marker to find any high spots. Been there.

[@doraescalante1273]

Cool vid me likey

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you for the comment Dora Escalante . i appreciate it.

[@TapesNstuffS]

Never thought I'd see so much plastic in an engine. How long are these intended to last?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

the answer is not long at all. just a few years.

[@doraescalante1273]

This is the first time this happen to me :(

[@sagitario12ish]

No assembly?

[@HomeGaragechannel]

it was a long video rest is in part 2

[@musclesmouse]

I will check the oil before I look at tearing down my engine.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

that's a good idea.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Sure, I'd trust it but not at 3600. I'd reduce the speed some and pour the Delo in. No problem. Blessings!

[@HomeGaragechannel]

good idea.

[@adypeace6180]

Or better still get a fly wheel puller to save damaging the threads

[@HomeGaragechannel]

You are absolutely correct thank you for the comment I appreciate it

[@randallblake1213]

Muriatic acid will remove the aluminum deposits.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you for the tip I appreciate it

[@braniganirby7676]

🔥💥⚡️

[@HomeGaragechannel]

@@braniganirby7676 thanks for the comment

[@blobbybeefalo7832]

You should somehow hook up the drill to the sandpaper.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Yes that's a really good idea.

[@RattyFlyer]

Maybe wrap the paper around a drill bit

[@Patrick4959]

you did not waste your time mate

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you Patrick Stapleton

[@joshuaryanferguson3702]

id do a engine swap with a classic briggs engine

[@HomeGaragechannel]

thanks Joshua Ferguson.

[@Warpedsmac]

Remove aluminum deposit from crank with hydrochloric acid ....only takes 10 minutes.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

where can I get some?

[@Warpedsmac]

@@HomeGaragechannel In the US you call it Muriatic acid...it will usually be about 35% concentration... any building or bricklayer supplies store will stock it...Cheers from sunny Australia!

[@truthstartshere.9214]

Where is part two? Come on

[@HomeGaragechannel]

It's coming please be patient.

[@doraescalante1273]

I do not know The first time I got it it did not ran

[@3Wheels1Block]

This is going to work, the next video will prove that. Not sure how long it will work, but it will work, that's for sure.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thank you 3 Wheels & A Block for the comment. That's the best assessment for this project Ever.

[@leroyrosario6898]

Oh yea it was my brake cable 😊😊😊

[@HomeGaragechannel]

nice work!

[@davidblagg2576]

That’s what most mechanics do then charge for full overhaul 💯😎

[@HomeGaragechannel]

I can see that happening.

[@Wazoo117]

plastic camshaft lobes oof

[@HomeGaragechannel]

they apparently wanted to keep cost way down for a higher profit margin

[@jamesburns2232]

I was in line at the returns counter at Wal*Mart when a black lady returned a lawnmower. She said: "It don't work No Mo!" Turns out she bought it new and never put oil in it.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Dang that sucks.

[@scrappysgarage7404]

3:35 Ahh yes I love my engines to be made out of cheap PLASTIC

[@HomeGaragechannel]

it's the best!

[@rannz8]

And these engines still run great. I trust these motors more than I do the flat head Briggs with metal cams and gears

[@scrappysgarage7404]

@@rannz8 I know right! These are the BEST engines ever made! 😂

[@rannz8]

@@scrappysgarage7404 I've never had a issue the 7 years I owned my 2 I use solely for overgrown back yards my commercial mowers can't fit For my lawn care. They are great mowers. The only ones ive never had put a spit a rod and put a hole in the block.

[@farmerjackson709]

Why not just spend 20 dollars on a new connecting rod.

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Sure that sounds reasonable.

[@timwilliams9443]

No it won't work

[@HomeGaragechannel]

Thanks for the comment I appreciate it