Hi all,
I don't think I've posted on the garden tractor forum before--please let me know if this is the wrong place.
I've got a Briggs and Stratton "ELS 500" "OHV" powered riding mower that started on the first crank after the winter. I put it away correctly, drained tank and bowl in he fall and started it with new gas two weeks ago. My daughter used it for an hour or two and I put it away--seemed to be running fine.
Last week it wouldn't start, zero compression. I eventually took the head off, and the exhaust valve is not closing, even without the rocker arm. I took the valve out, but don't have good machinist tools to determine it's bent or not (I'm thinking it looks a little bent, but I may have convinced myself of that since I can't think of any other reason I can't even push it closed with my thumb with the head on the bench and no spring or keeper).
Should I just replace the valve (re-lap, etc) and try again? The pushrods look fine and nothing else looks out of place?
What could cause this to happen? I'll re-check all of the cooling fins and such, but it had oil and seemed to be running OK prior to this? I'm not familiar with OHV lawnmower engines and let a machinists deal with my automotive and tractor heads, so I want to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.
Thanks,
I don't think I've posted on the garden tractor forum before--please let me know if this is the wrong place.
I've got a Briggs and Stratton "ELS 500" "OHV" powered riding mower that started on the first crank after the winter. I put it away correctly, drained tank and bowl in he fall and started it with new gas two weeks ago. My daughter used it for an hour or two and I put it away--seemed to be running fine.
Last week it wouldn't start, zero compression. I eventually took the head off, and the exhaust valve is not closing, even without the rocker arm. I took the valve out, but don't have good machinist tools to determine it's bent or not (I'm thinking it looks a little bent, but I may have convinced myself of that since I can't think of any other reason I can't even push it closed with my thumb with the head on the bench and no spring or keeper).
Should I just replace the valve (re-lap, etc) and try again? The pushrods look fine and nothing else looks out of place?
What could cause this to happen? I'll re-check all of the cooling fins and such, but it had oil and seemed to be running OK prior to this? I'm not familiar with OHV lawnmower engines and let a machinists deal with my automotive and tractor heads, so I want to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.
Thanks,