Ownership Verified: CraigB's rear engined, air cooled... Kubota?

[tigger]

Neh, it lacks the killer snap oversteer

:lol: I don't know man, you take one sideways across a steep hill, especially with an attachment, it will do some scary shit.

Thanks for opening the wormhole of non-cars/bikes getting verified checkmarks, Craig!

I've got this sweet desk chair ...

 

[GRtak]

It's what I am here for, to cause confusion and chaos.

 

[CraigB]

After 6 years of faithful service (and about 120 hours) something has come apart in the B&S engine... I'll have to pull the engine to be sure as to what, but there's a hell of a knock, vibration and oil everywhere... Fuck.

 

[Redliner]

a hell of a knock, vibration and oil everywhere

That doesn't sound good.

 

[Perc]

That’s just bad luck, a B&S grenading after barely being run in.

Once upon a time i mowed lawns as a job. Started monday morning and was done by friday just after lunch if I drove flat out all week. Left early and started again next monday. 120 hours was about three weeks worth…

 

[CraigB]

I didn't touch the thing over the winter, so I tempted fate and fired it up for the first mow of the season after an oil change.

Bad idea.

Two and half passes in the side yard, *clunk* *bang* *boom* and it shutoff. She's done fellas and fellettes.

Wonder if I can repower with a Honda?

 

[GRtak]

Go electric?

 

[CraigB]

Go electric?

It's certainly an option. Ryobi is due out with a new one soon, but I'm not sure another multiple thousand dollar outlay is the best plan at the moment.

Though, I'm probably back on mowing my dad's lawn. He can't find anyone reliable to keep his knocked down. That might offset the cost.

 

[gaasc]

Wonder if I can repower with a Honda?

Expensive, complex, a pain in the ass. Do it.

 

[EyeMWing]

I didn't touch the thing over the winter, so I tempted fate and fired it up for the first mow of the season after an oil change.

Bad idea.

Two and half passes in the side yard, *clunk* *bang* *boom* and it shutoff. She's done fellas and fellettes.

Wonder if I can repower with a Honda?

Those cheapassed Predator engines they sell at Harbor Freight are apparently Honda clones. And yes, you can put them in the location occupied by a B&S if you're careful and/or creative.

My Kohler-powered Cub Cadet zero turn is angling for one of those soon...

 

[93Flareside]

How did an oil change cause this?

 

[CraigB]

How did an oil change cause this?

Lack of, I guess. It was already knocking, I pulled the valve covers to make sure there wasn't a broken valve spring, rocker, etc. Thought I'd change the oil, but I'm not sure why as it obviously didn't help.

 

[CraigB]

Expensive, complex, a pain in the ass. Do it.

We did it on our asphalt lay down machine. Really wasn't that difficult. Costly, yes

 

[CraigB]

Those cheapassed Predator engines they sell at Harbor Freight are apparently Honda clones. And yes, you can put them in the location occupied by a B&S if you're careful and/or creative.

My Kohler-powered Cub Cadet zero turn is angling for one of those soon...

That's a thought too. Probably 1/4 the cost of a Honda.

 

[EyeMWing]

That's a thought too. Probably 1/4 the cost of a Honda.

Hm doesn't look like they have the vertical-shaft twin anymore.

 

[Perc]

How did an oil change cause this?

Stone Age engines require Stone Age oil, straight SAE30 mineral. If you use the leftover synthetic 0W-30 from when you last serviced your car, Bad Things™ will happen.

Not that this is the case here.

 

[CraigB]

Looking for replacement engines led me to the question I couldn't answer, what size is the shaft. Crankshaft, you dirty monkeys.

What started out as, “I’ll just pull the pulleys of and measure” turned into a yank the stupid thing out session.

That awfully sparkly for fresh oil.

This engine has had the rod delete. Pistons are stuck in the bores, crank is fucked, etc.

Bad news is, this doesn't seem to exist off the shelf. Kubota only sells parts, not an entire engine. Good news is, there's a 27 horse engine that's oddly exactly the same on the jungle site. Price is $1100. Guess I'll be ordering one up. Sadly, this pushes the SVO back and that was already waiting on new tires for the Frontier.

Oh... and I confirmed this is entirely my fault. Hour meter reads nearly 200 and I only recall changing the oil once (besides Saturday's hail Mary).

 

[93Flareside]

VFR800 swap.

 

[CraigB]

Good plan. Missing time would be reduced to about 1/3 the original time.

New engine is ordered, will be here next Thursday. I'll have to weld up the exhaust while it's off too.

It was odd the number of bolts that were loose on this. Like half the oil pan/lower crankcase bolts and the exhaust bolts. Barely finger tight.

 

[Redliner]

Oh... and I confirmed this is entirely my fault. Hour meter reads nearly 200 and I only recall changing the oil once (besides Saturday's hail Mary).

How often are you supposed to change it?