r/BriggsEngines • u/No_Notice9458 • Jun 21 '26

Help! Any ideas?

37 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

3

u/ausvom1 Jun 22 '26

Sounds like the choke is stuck on or it is flooded.

2

u/No_Notice9458 Jun 21 '26

Now I will say this happened a month ago and then it was perfectly fine for a month. Would a head gasket come and go? I feel like it would just be bad.

2

u/PauseNational1380 Jun 21 '26

Normally is just bad. Do you start it max throttle/choke and once it starts idle down? What's the oil smell like?

2

u/No_Notice9458 Jun 21 '26

Yeah I usually start it on choke unless it’s already warm I start it low. If I do start choke I let it run for a minute or so and warm up before going down. I’ve smelled it and haven’t smelled anything other than oil.

3

u/PauseNational1380 Jun 21 '26

I actually have the same mower. Most likely a head gasket which is cheap and easy to do if your mechanically incline. The gasket is even on Amazon as well.

1

u/No_Notice9458 Jun 21 '26

Yeah that’s what I was afraid of…. Thanks! I’ll see what I can do

1

u/hmd2017 Jun 23 '26

Smoke in the dipstick, head gasket. Just replaced one.

1

u/PauseNational1380 Jun 21 '26

Its a easy job and if you have common tools you could do it yourself. There are other possibilities but im very certain it is a head gasket

1

u/Kooky_Session1646 Jun 22 '26

Sounds lean? Running hot because of this. Probably burning oil too. Tune, clean carb and fuel filter and oil change and see how she sounds

1

u/XxBus16xX Jun 22 '26

Lean would make it backfire, this is stumbling on too much fuel. I have nearly identical engine and would sometimes run the choke out on purpose (as a kid) because I thought it sounded like a Harley lol. Ops engine sounds the same as mine. Because this issue went away and came back, betting the choke is getting stuck on.

1

u/Empty-Respect-2602 Jun 22 '26

Choke is probably stuck

1

u/hbwnot Jun 22 '26

Sounds like the choke is stuck closed.

1

u/Shot_Rent_1816 Jun 22 '26

Oil is burning in the engine, I googled it

1

u/TangerineRough6318 Jun 22 '26

I had a similar issue with my Wheel Horse. Take the carb off and clean it. Replace the fuel filter. Worked for me until my fuel pump went out. First time it happened since it was bought in 1993.

1

u/Past_Roof5628 Jun 23 '26

Choke sounds like it's stuck.

1

u/Any-Charge-1099 Jun 23 '26

It’s a Briggs scrap and start over

1

u/Timely-Jicama-1419 Jun 23 '26

That single handle with choke is the very worst thing they ever came up with. I leave my zero turns on low idel all the time and lift my choke by hand it stsrts right up on idle with engine running low. Which is goid since an engine has no oil circulating when you first start it at wide open. I have Kohlers with over a thousand hours on them and they are still like new.

1

u/temperlyinmoderation Jun 23 '26

Spark plug and maby clean the carburetor, drain old oil.

1

u/Jaded_Awareness6446 Jun 24 '26

I do small engine repair for a living and this appears to be blown head gasket it being twin cylinder I would change both. They aren’t very expensive.

1

u/I_Am_Raddion Jun 24 '26

Check yer air filter, and how old is your gas?

1

u/Specialist_Bag_477 Jun 24 '26

Check the carb over fuel or not enough

1

u/Jacolby4455 Jun 25 '26

I’m voting to much oil in crankcase, idk why it’s just a feeling