HOLY FLYING DIPSTICKS!!!

[hawk man]

This was kinda funny. Yesterday I was on my 8n using a blade to level up a spot in the yard to build a shed. I got off the tractor to move something and as I was walking back I heard something in the motor "knock and slap". Then I saw a puff of smoke coming from around the engine. And the engine was sounding a little sick. I ran up and shut it off. While scratching my head wondering what just happened I noticed that a lot of the smoke was coming from where the dipstick was supposed to be. I found the dipstick about ten feet away. So I cleaned the dirt off the dipstick, put it back in and tried to crank it up. Amazingly it did start, but was running rough. When I put it in gear and tried to move it, it would stumble and try to die. I was finally able to move it out of the middle of the yard and to the building. But I would have to throttle it up put it 1st gear, ease the clutch out and go a few feet. When the motor would start to die I'd clutch it and let it catch up. After I shut it down I have not got it to start again. I pulled the plugs and the 2 back plugs were dripping in oil. One of them the pin was pushed against the electrode. I regapped the plugs and cleaned them up. Still wouldn't crank. So I was going to see if I was getting fuel. Well I could see gas dripping from the carb. I pulled the hose off going to the air filter and gas poured out. With all of this said. does anyone care to give me a guess at what is going on? I'm sure it's not good. A rebuild is probably the only way to get going again. But it'd be nice to get it started so I could get it to the shop. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks so much.

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 10:49:32 04/26/10) This was kinda funny. Yesterday I was on my 8n using a blade to level up a spot in the yard to build a shed. I got off the tractor to move something and as I was walking back I heard something in the motor "knock and slap". Then I saw a puff of smoke coming from around the engine. And the engine was sounding a little sick. I ran up and shut it off. While scratching my head wondering what just happened I noticed that a lot of the smoke was coming from where the dipstick was supposed to be. I found the dipstick about ten feet away. So I cleaned the dirt off the dipstick, put it back in and tried to crank it up. Amazingly it did start, but was running rough. When I put it in gear and tried to move it, it would stumble and try to die. I was finally able to move it out of the middle of the yard and to the building. But I would have to throttle it up put it 1st gear, ease the clutch out and go a few feet. When the motor would start to die I'd clutch it and let it catch up. After I shut it down I have not got it to start again. I pulled the plugs and the 2 back plugs were dripping in oil. One of them the pin was pushed against the electrode. I regapped the plugs and cleaned them up. Still wouldn't crank. So I was going to see if I was getting fuel. Well I could see gas dripping from the carb. I pulled the hose off going to the air filter and gas poured out. With all of this said. does anyone care to give me a guess at what is going on? I'm sure it's not good. A rebuild is probably the only way to get going again. But it'd be nice to get it started so I could get it to the shop. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks so much.

"One of them the pin was pushed against the electrode. "
That one sentence alone, to me, says that you don't want to start it as is, because there is some serious mechanical problem(s) that could result in greater damage if operated.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I wonder if your float stuck open and you "hydraulic-ed" (filled a cylinder) a cylinder with fuel?
I"ve heard of this hapening.

 

[John Smith8N]

I'm guessing it ate a sleeve or broke a piston.

 

[old]

Warning your not going to like what I say.
I had a MH 30 that the dip stick flew like that and when I opened it up I found that #2 piston had gone AWOL as in it was gone nothing of it was left other then a few small pieces of it. I'll bet if you drain the oil your going to find shiny stuff in the oil form some part going AWOL on you. I would also not try to run it any more till you have drained the oil and maybe pulled the head off to find out what has gone bad. If you try to run it more you might cause more damage to it

 

[Dell (WA)]

Jerry......good guess, but he was RUNNING the engine. You can only hydraulic lock a stopped engine overnite. His engine swallower'd sumptin' hence the sparkie side electrode bent to center. .....Dell

 

[hawk man]

Well, for what it's worth. I pulled the carb off. I held my hand under the intake, and it seems that when I turn it over it has a pretty good amount of suction. I'm wondering if something may have went wrong with the carb. I guess what I'm getting at is the fact that the carb is dumping fuel out of it, but it seems like the fuel should be getting sucked into the engine. It does try to start but as soon as it tries it coughs and dies. Thanks.

 

[old9n]

Hawk man,
I have to agree, there's something major going on and has nothing to do with the carburetor.
Pulling the head would be the easiest way to give us a clue as to what broke.
Hoping its not too bad.

 

[Dan in CO]

Is it possible that the energy that it took to send the dipstick into the weeds also went back into the carb and crushed the floats?

 

[souNdguy]

my guess as well. I bet there is no compressionon at least 1, maybee 2 cyls..

soundguy

 

[D Squared]

mechanical damage to a spark plug is caused by something hitting it. It's time to pull the head.

 

[JoePilot]

I'm no expert, but I have to agree something broke. Think about what would make the dip stick fly out. Sudden overpressure of the oil reservoir would do it. What would cause that? Combustion is the answer, but combustion is supposed to happen on the other side of the pistons, transfering the energy to the crank shaft instead of blowing out the dip stick! The only thing that makes sense is that a piston/ring/sleeve broke, letting the combustion pressure enter the oil pan. The bent sparkie supports the theory, as pieces would no doubt go in all directions, including up.

I would also agree you have caused additional damage each time you started or attempted to start it after the event. Your oil is likely full of little shards of metal, and pumping them through your bearings can't be good. Not to mention what the remains of the busted piston and/or rod are doing to the cylinder wall.

I hope I'm wrong. Good luck.

Joe

 

[hawk man]

THANKS TO ALL. You helped convince me of what I was sure about. I get a little hard headed, and wanted to be able to drive it that mile and a half up the road to the shop. I pulled the head off this morning. Just as I had expected, number 4 piston was nonexistant. all that was left was the wrist pin in the connecting rod. I tried to include a picture but can't figure out how. Sorry. AGAIN THANK YOU.[/img]