ride on mower engine repairs

[Jules]

Hi all, I've just picked up an older McCulloch ride on mower thats in good condition, with a B&S Intek engine thats blown (suspect conrod, it ran low on oil). Its value is only in a cheap repair since replacement B&S is around $1800 +!!
so a short engine would be a possibility however, I cant find much on line wrt serious engine parts and am wavering on replacing it with a cheap chinese engine for around $600, so I thought I'd just checkin with you guys and see what you think, you may well have faced a similar situation 

[muskrat]

G'day Jules.
I have fitted a few Jono&Jhono motors to ride ons and pushies. Knowing the shaft size & length is most important. https://www.chainsawspares.com.au/16hp-vertical-shaft-mower-engine-replace-briggs-st
You may be better off finding an "old fashion" mower shop for a s/hand B&S motor.
I no longer work in the mower shop.
Cheers

[Jules]

Hi Musky, thanks for the quick feedback, coincidentally I've just been looking at the Jono and Jono engines, so your thoughts are timely!
They say they have been selling them for a decade or so and support them with parts etc, so they seem to have established a good rep - what was your experiences with the engines like?
there are other engines online which appear to be very similar/same but branded differently of course and a bit cheaper, any thoughts/experiences on those??
Researching online for B&S base parts doesn't throw up much other than whats out there are wanting silly money for an unknown quality, hence the look into Chinese equivalent, particularly as the reliability/durability of the Intek engine does seem a little questionable wrt how well its maintained/looked after.....
So have you "retired" then or just fed up with working on all the crap that people throw at you wrt mowers etc, my experiences just with neighbours and small engines is horrifying so cant imagine the crap that comes into shops!! cheers

[Jules]

PS I just clicked your link and its the 16HP engine which should be ok, they do a 17.5hp engine for virtually the same price, any thoughts/experience with either one?? cheers

[muskrat]

G'day Jules.
The only problem is making 100% on shaft size & length. Had a couple (owner supplied) that cost a motzer to modify the shaft. As they say on the site the exhaust may (will) have to be modified. The 16HP is strong enough for flat of gently sloping blocks, the 17.5 if your block runs mountain goats LOL.
Cheers
I left due to the boss's son being a fat lazy spoilt brat. He'd spend all day on the phone (facebook) and do bugger all work. If something didn't work I'd get the blame. Too old to put up with that.
At the moment I'm at Total Tools Bathurst. Easy work but the computer system is doing my head in. See how long I last.

[terryg]

Surely you blokes down under should be parking and forgetting mowers until next spring.

Here in the UK it’s time for the annual ritual to get the mowers going.

Clearing blocked jets and a bit of welding on the cheap chinese chassis have served to give our push along (formerly power drive but no longer) yet another lease of life.  Oddly, the engine sounds really sweet - so way too soon to send to the scrappy.

I’m happier dealing with the mower than painting and decorating, which she’s got me on now!

[muskrat]

G'day Terry.
Grass (weeds in my case) will be growing for another two months yet even in Victoria. Gotta do mine on Tuesday.
Rode the A7 out to Hartley yesterday to get a new primer bulb & diaphragm for my B&S pushie.
Cheers

[BagONails]

I'm kicking myself for letting my 30 year old Masport  (kiwi brand) with 5HP Tecumseh 2 stroke, push along mower overheat. I didn't realise quickly enough that the cooling duct intake was completely blocked with straw and chaff (hacking down foot high bone dry Kikuyu) and it was a hot day (36 in the shade). Poor old thing got a bit hot and squeaky.

Engines in bits now, semi seized on the piston. Rings were stuck in just one place so freed them carefully with a Stanley knife and cleaned them up. Cleaned up the piston with some assiduous filing and wet and dry. 'Honed' the combined head and barrel with my fingertips and some wet and dry to remove any traces of Aluminium. Fingers crossed she'll be good as new again once she goes back together with a smear of Loctite 515. No signs of wear otherwise #gutted!

It wouldn't normally be worth it on a small rotary but these mowers are a solid old unit, has a cast aluminium deck so worth saving I think and a replacement engine is $500...

[Rex]

Rode the A7 out to Hartley yesterday to get a new primer bulb & diaphragm for my B&S pushie.
Cheers

I only get a season out of a primer bulb. Bloody ethanol..

[muskrat]

G'day Rex.
6 years old and this is the first. But I do run 98 boosted to 105 and Castrol R in everything ( 2 stroke whipper snipper, 4 stroke edger, A7 & A10, rHonda and XT) but the HD. No ethanol here unless it's mixed with Pepsi Max!
Cheers