Oh crap

[Lanse]

Well, I ran the snapper fine, down to the road with a 4sale sign on it. I let it cool and went down there and attmpted to tighten the head bolts and sheared one. What do I do now? Can I run it without this one bolt?

It is also leaking oil, under the cylender. What should I do about that?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Print out the replies you got today.

Tuck them away.

In 20 years when your son is being a typical dumb teen, pull them out to chuckle at.

 

[old]

Pull the head back off and see if theres enough of the bolt to remove it. Also take the head gasket into the house and back it in an oven at 500 degrees. Just bring the oven up to temp. then turn it off and let the gasket cool. Reinstall and all should be ok. Old trick that works when you need a head gasket for a small engine and don't have one on hand. I've done that many many times and laugh at people that have told me that doing that will not work but it does
Hobby farm

 

[Lanse]

what does that have to do with anything?

 

[CWL]

You got my attention with this one. I've never heard of it. Does it swell the gasket a little bit to restore some of its crush?? I took a little 8hp Tecumseh head off a few years ago to redo the spark plug hole. I just took it apart careful like and reused the gasket as it didn't crack anywhere. I just tightened the head back down nice and snug. Worked fine with no leakage, but if I would have known your trick I sure would have used it. Ironically enough it was on an old snapper comet mower.

 

[georgeky]

I think for one he means you shouldn't title your post as Oh crap. Might also want to post all these lawn mower questions on the garden tractor channel. Those folks may be a little more help to you.

 

[old]

Yep the heating it up real hot like that and then letting it cool slow makes it swell back out to almost what it was when new. In a pinch I have done what you did but I prefer to make them swell some if I have the time and the oven at hand. Now this trick doesn't work unless its one of those metal type haed gaskets
Hobby farm

 

[Anonymous-0]

"It ran fine till I started doing victory wheelies", and all the other dumba$$ teenager stuff you do!

 

[Anonymous-0]

never heard of heating one before,will have to file that away for future reference. some of the old repair manuals ive read say that you can reuse the gasket like when you remove the head to scrape the carbon from the piston top and the head.(this used to be part of the regular engine maintenance.). bill m

 

[Lanse]

$130 if you want another one...a few **ahem** minor problems

 

[Lanse]

Do victory doughnuts, victory lawnmower drifting, victory throwing eggs at the hot muffler (havent tried this one yet) victory lawnmower races, victory....I mean, ummm, ahem...

 

[paul]

It means a lot of us fellas, back a few decades ago, did the same sort of stuff you are doing - taking perfectly good equipment apart, ignoring good advice, going way too fast (physically & mentally), wrecking stuff....

And learning some.

When you get old enough to have teenagers this will all come back to you, and be kinda funny. Life goes around in a circle. You will see kids doing what you are doing now, shake your head, and wonder what they are thinking.

--->Paul

 

[Anonymous-0]

I spray a coat of aluminum spray paint on them as well (both sides) when assembling an aluminum head on a small engine. Between the heat treatment and a coat of paint there should be no reason to buy a new gasket.

Grub

 

[Anonymous-0]

Check the gasket between the oil pan and the engine block. B&S motors were known to leak at that gasket. If thats the problem, the only way to fix properly is to remove the motor and replace the gasket. Not a bad job..

 

[Old Gray Beard]

BTW, you didn"t buy that tourque wrench did you?

 

[Lanse]

glad Im amusing yall

You should see me dislocate my arm/sholder....too bad I cant post a picture!!

 

[old]

Don't know where you buy your gaskets but the last one I got for a small engine was less then $10

 

[Lanse]

Well, if It worked I wouldnt be taking it apart, and Im going against good advice because it saves me money to buy brakes/clutches/tires for tractor "driving" contests (when I get bored)

 

[paul]

Some of us old codgers kinda soerta still do the same, truth be told. Getting advise & listening to it are 2 different things.

I'm with ya.

--->Paul

 

[Anonymous-0]

if your um snapper dont snap anymore i do have a very nice 3 yr old craftsman 42" cut 18.5hp i am selling for a buddy who got stupid & moved to Az cant mowe sand ya know lol just put new blades on it too 750 firm come spring if i dont sell were gonna ask 1000 as local mow shop said its well worth it now but we just wanta move i dont have much room inside for it over winter
located north of norfolk Ne. 40 miles

 

[Lanse]

Well, thats ok. Im going theough these little mowers to pay for a bigger tractor. I fix them up and paint them and sell them.

 

[HENRY E NC]

George, normally I'm right with you but this time I dont agree. A young fellow trying to learn needs help from where ever he feels he is getting the best. I for one enjoy Lanse(he could be my great grandson) because of his desire to own an old piece of iron and is willing to work pretty hard for it. I am sure that you all realize that most 14 year old feel they deserve to be given everthing because we brought them into this world. If I could help Lanse I would anyplace anytime and I know that you will also. If I remember right he said his Dad lives several hundred miles away and so we are surrogates.

 

[Anonymous-0]

What's the point in doing any of that victory stuff. You could in many cases spend endless hours of work only to be wasted by breaking something during your victory drifting. Why not do a victory lawn mowing? Just seems like a waste of time in more than one way.

 

[Anonymous-0]

This may be a stupid question, but what does baking in the oven do for the gasket to make it reusable?

 

[old]

Makes it expand back out to what it was or close to what it was when new. But you also have to let it slow cool not just bake it and take it out hot or it doesn't work
Hobby farm

 

[Gene Davis (Ga.)]

The problem is that we usually get too old before we get too wise in life!!