My old 1982 Murray had an engine (Briggs Aluminum 11hp vertical)
lockup today. The oil was full and fresh (having been changed last
weekend) and the aircleaner in place and clean.

What caused it beats the hell out of me but I'm at a point where I
need to make a decision as to what to do now.

Could I get by with using a smaller replacement engine? How about an
8hp instead of the 11hp?

Another option is to bore the cylinder, getter a larger piston, new
rings, etc. Right now the engine will not turn over and I can't turn
it by hand which usually I've been able to do. I figure I'll have to
use a sledgehammer to get the old piston out. But is it possible that
I may still be able to use the crankshaft? Surely the piston is gone
and probably the rod but I'm hoping that the main crankshaft is
useable.

Then there's the option of getting a new 11 or 12 HP Briggs engine.
One I was has the recoil type shroud along with the electric starter
motor. If I spend money on this engine am I likely to see my
transaxle die next?

Thanks for all replies.

yes your tranaxal is worn and will fail when maybe the next time you run it
(if you repair the engine) or maybe in 10 years. if you are looking to
repair this look into a short block. It is a factory built block with all
the internal workings and you put on the old carb, head, flywheel, etc. 99%
of the time this is a more cost effective and better way of repair instead
of rebuilding the old engine. Before you put any cash into fixing this
unit you need to consider this
- the age of the unit (average expected life of a tractor is 10 years your
is 20+ years old)
- the cost of repair compared to the price of new

once you get over 1/2 the cost of replacing the unit to fix it the decision
you have to make is it worth putting that much cash into a unit that is 21
years old or spend the extra and get a new unit with warranty et. as no
matter how you fix your tractor you will still have a new engine (or what
ever parts you put in it) in a 20+ year old tractor.

When that happened to my 11HP Briggs, I bought a new (all new in the
box ready to run, cast iron lined I/C) 10HP Techemseh from Northern
Hydraulics for $3XX (pull start). Runs great.

On 31 May 2003 22:50:34 -0700, (Scott) wrote:

My old 1982 Murray had an engine (Briggs Aluminum 11hp vertical)
lockup today. The oil was full and fresh (having been changed last
weekend) and the aircleaner in place and clean.

What caused it beats the hell out of me but I'm at a point where I
need to make a decision as to what to do now.

Could I get by with using a smaller replacement engine? How about an
8hp instead of the 11hp?

Another option is to bore the cylinder, getter a larger piston, new
rings, etc. Right now the engine will not turn over and I can't turn
it by hand which usually I've been able to do. I figure I'll have to
use a sledgehammer to get the old piston out. But is it possible that
I may still be able to use the crankshaft? Surely the piston is gone
and probably the rod but I'm hoping that the main crankshaft is
useable.

Then there's the option of getting a new 11 or 12 HP Briggs engine.
One I was has the recoil type shroud along with the electric starter
motor. If I spend money on this engine am I likely to see my
transaxle die next?

Thanks for all replies.

I think you can find an 11 or 12hp B&S engine at Northern for a similar
price. Just make sure the shaft size, length, and keyway are the same, and
ditto on the mounting bolt configuration. The rest should not be too hard to
deal with.

If your old engine just slowed down and stopped, chances are that the
crankshaft etc are all still good, once you manage to unweld the piston from
the cylinder! But after all that, you're still looking at a 21 year old
Murray/MTD product, and if you haven't taken real good care of it, something
else will break in a couple of weeks anyway. If, on the other hand, the
engine took a hit and the crank is bent or the flywheel sheared the pin,
then I'd go with a new engine assuming all other conditions are met.

This is a tough situation. If you have a lot of money invested in
attachments and accessories for your current unit, and if everything else is
really in top-notch condition, then a new engine would seem prudent.

Bob M.
======
"JimV" wrote in message
...
When that happened to my 11HP Briggs, I bought a new (all new in the
box ready to run, cast iron lined I/C) 10HP Techemseh from Northern
Hydraulics for $3XX (pull start). Runs great.

On 31 May 2003 22:50:34 -0700, (Scott) wrote:

My old 1982 Murray had an engine (Briggs Aluminum 11hp vertical)
lockup today. The oil was full and fresh (having been changed last
weekend) and the aircleaner in place and clean.

What caused it beats the hell out of me but I'm at a point where I
need to make a decision as to what to do now.

Could I get by with using a smaller replacement engine? How about an
8hp instead of the 11hp?

Another option is to bore the cylinder, getter a larger piston, new
rings, etc. Right now the engine will not turn over and I can't turn
it by hand which usually I've been able to do. I figure I'll have to
use a sledgehammer to get the old piston out. But is it possible that
I may still be able to use the crankshaft? Surely the piston is gone
and probably the rod but I'm hoping that the main crankshaft is
useable.

Then there's the option of getting a new 11 or 12 HP Briggs engine.
One I was has the recoil type shroud along with the electric starter
motor. If I spend money on this engine am I likely to see my
transaxle die next?

Thanks for all replies.

If your old engine just slowed down and stopped, chances are that the
crankshaft etc are all still good, once you manage to unweld the piston from
the cylinder! But after all that, you're still looking at a 21 year old
Murray/MTD product, and if you haven't taken real good care of it, something
else will break in a couple of weeks anyway. If, on the other hand, the
engine took a hit and the crank is bent or the flywheel sheared the pin,
then I'd go with a new engine assuming all other conditions are met.

A co-worker accidentally ran over his old Sears tractor with his dad's
3/4 ton pickup. He offered to sell me the engine (11hp Briggs I/C
vertical) that's about 5 years old for $100. He said the intake
manifold is cracked but I could just take the carb off of my dead
engine and put it on this one, couldn't I.

Since it's an I/C I assume it has a cast iron sleave.


Well I wasn't using it when it happened. I saw my wife pushing it up
the driveway and asked what happened. She said it sounded like it ran
out of gas. I looked and the tank was full. I then tried to turn the
fan by hand and couldn't budge it.

It was my dad's unit and he was a major stickler for changing the oil,
keep the air cleaner clean and never ever leaving it out in the
weather. It was either stored in the garage or in an aluminum
building. I naturally followed what he did with and frankly I took
good care of it.

Recently I put a new jackshaft assembly on the mowerdeck and bought a
new belt for the deck. It was working so good.

Anyway if it sounded like it ran out of gas then maybe it didn't kill
the crankshaft.

What are the chances of me getting the piston out and it still being
useable? I already figure the compression would be low but maybe not
to low to run.

thnx

Well, what have you got to lose by taking it apart and trying to free the
piston? If you can't free it up, you go for a newer engine or tractor. If
you do free it up, you'll probably need to work on the cylinder and piston,
and replace at least the rings and cylinder head gasket.

I think at this point you should remove the engine, drain the fluids, remove
the head, and stand it up so the piston is facing upwards. Add several
tablespoons of oil all around the piston and wait a few days to see if that
frees it up. If not, take a block of wood, place it on the piston, and
gently tap it to see if it'll move at all. Also put a little bit of tension
on the flywheel or crank shaft, so if the piston does move, the crank and
connecting rod will all be part of the event. You may have to pull a lot
apart to get the piston out from inside the engine, as opposed to outside
past the head gasket. I don't know if there's enough room to pull it down,
but as the cylinder might just get a little wider as you go down, it may be
easier to remove the piston in that direction.

If you don't already have a book that describes these procedures for that
engine, I'd suggest you buy one directly from B&S. They're only $12-$15 but
have a wealth of information in them.

If nothing else, maybe you can find out what really got jammed up, and how
bad it was, and the rest of us can learn something from the failure.

Bob M.
======
"Scott" wrote in message
m...
If your old engine just slowed down and stopped, chances are that the
crankshaft etc are all still good, once you manage to unweld the piston
from
the cylinder! But after all that, you're still looking at a 21 year old
Murray/MTD product, and if you haven't taken real good care of it,
something
else will break in a couple of weeks anyway. If, on the other hand, the
engine took a hit and the crank is bent or the flywheel sheared the pin,
then I'd go with a new engine assuming all other conditions are met.

A co-worker accidentally ran over his old Sears tractor with his dad's
3/4 ton pickup. He offered to sell me the engine (11hp Briggs I/C
vertical) that's about 5 years old for $100. He said the intake
manifold is cracked but I could just take the carb off of my dead
engine and put it on this one, couldn't I.

Since it's an I/C I assume it has a cast iron sleave.


Well I wasn't using it when it happened. I saw my wife pushing it up
the driveway and asked what happened. She said it sounded like it ran
out of gas. I looked and the tank was full. I then tried to turn the
fan by hand and couldn't budge it.

It was my dad's unit and he was a major stickler for changing the oil,
keep the air cleaner clean and never ever leaving it out in the
weather. It was either stored in the garage or in an aluminum
building. I naturally followed what he did with and frankly I took
good care of it.

Recently I put a new jackshaft assembly on the mowerdeck and bought a
new belt for the deck. It was working so good.

Anyway if it sounded like it ran out of gas then maybe it didn't kill
the crankshaft.

What are the chances of me getting the piston out and it still being
useable? I already figure the compression would be low but maybe not
to low to run.

thnx

I appreciate everyone's input. I think I will take it out and at
least try to get it to work even if it's half-assed. It should be fun
and I haven't rebuilt an engine since taking small engine class in Jr
High. My job is info technology so this isn't something I get to do
very often.


thanks a bunch


"Bob M." wrote in message ...
Well, what have you got to lose by taking it apart and trying to free the
piston? If you can't free it up, you go for a newer engine or tractor. If
you do free it up, you'll probably need to work on the cylinder and piston,
and replace at least the rings and cylinder head gasket.

I think at this point you should remove the engine, drain the fluids, remove
the head, and stand it up so the piston is facing upwards. Add several
tablespoons of oil all around the piston and wait a few days to see if that
frees it up. If not, take a block of wood, place it on the piston, and
gently tap it to see if it'll move at all. Also put a little bit of tension
on the flywheel or crank shaft, so if the piston does move, the crank and
connecting rod will all be part of the event. You may have to pull a lot
apart to get the piston out from inside the engine, as opposed to outside
past the head gasket. I don't know if there's enough room to pull it down,
but as the cylinder might just get a little wider as you go down, it may be
easier to remove the piston in that direction.

If you don't already have a book that describes these procedures for that
engine, I'd suggest you buy one directly from B&S. They're only $12-$15 but
have a wealth of information in them.

If nothing else, maybe you can find out what really got jammed up, and how
bad it was, and the rest of us can learn something from the failure.

Bob M.