Hey everyone.

I bought 3 briggs engines this morning. I got a "new" 5hp side shaft and 2 8 hp side shaft engines from a guy near my house. Paid 100 bucks for all three.

- the 5 hp was purchased at a sidewalk sale at northern tool and equipment and an employee had stolen the shroud and recoil so they sold it to the guy I bought it from cheap. He put a new housing and recoil on it. The recoil that is on it is incorrect so thats all thats wrong with it other than sitting for a year or so with old gas in it. I sprayed starting fluid in the carb and it started up and ran for a couple seconds and then shut off. It smoked like heck when it started up I am assuming from sitting for so long. Its clean as a pin on the outside. So i guess starting point with it will be to remove the carb and tank and clean them both out really well. Sound right to ya'll? This one was 75 dollars.

-8 hp number one turns freely and when gas was sprayed into the carb it started up but after a couple seconds emits this horrible screeching noise for maybe 2 seconds and shuts off, this was done 3 times. engine turns freely still. Not sure where to start on this one....? Any advice?

-8hp number 2 is a total basket case. It was running when it was pulled from its old peice of equiptment, but was left on its side and got rained on for an unknown amount of time. It is locked up tight. When the plug was pulled to examine, its FULL of rust. The plug was rusty, the tops of the valves are rusty, what used to be the oil was mixed with about half water, and it was so sludgy that I had to pour fresh oil into it to drain the sludge. I dont know if this one is even worth messing with. Where should I start on it? Sadly it is the newer of the 8 hp engines. Both of the 8hp engine were had for 25 bucks.

So what do you all think. decent purchase or did I get ripped? I am just getting into this small engine thing and am hoping to learn a thing or three. I bought these to tinker with and get running. Any advice on any of these will be most appreciated.


Thanks again and happy holidays.

Justin

I believe you got a decent deal compared to some of the stuff I've come across. Did you check the oil in 8hp no. 1? The screeching might be from bad bearings maybe? Not sure, anybody have any ideas? You can get repair manuals from Northern on these engines for $20, if you don't already have one, good investment in my opinion, tons of info, covers everything. Good luck, have fun with em.

justin,
ok does the 8 hp#1 that screeches have a pull start on it ( as in rope and handle ) if so it could be your starter clutch doing the squeeling , when it squeels does it spit the rope out a little ? , if so its a starter clutch problem . the other 8 hp that is rusted and stuck could be rebuilt , but getting the rust out and stuff will be a job , i use this stuff called kroil or aerokroil you can find it online , spray that in the cylinder and let it sit and it will free it up , for 100.00 bucks you got a pretty good deal you can learn alot just working on the rusted up 8 hp , if you need manuals on them i have some briggs manuals on cd
john

i use this stuff called kroil or aerokroil you can find it online , spray that in the cylinder and let it sit and it will free it up

Last I heard, KANO LABS didn't sell that stuff to the general public, only to businesses ?

ok update. I got the 5hp to run, it runs great, the tank had the foam stuff in it to keep the gas from sloshing around too much... that was rotten beyond belief. I took the tank and carb off as a unit because I could not figure out how to get the carb to let go of the tank? any ideas? And cleaned out the old foam crap, sprayed carb cleaner in the carb which was surprisingly clean and blew it all out dry. Filled the tank with gas and primed the carb by pouring a little in it and it started right up, blew smoke for a minute, but it only wants to run wide open at max rpms, and that isnt good. I messed with the govenor linkage and got it to idle really low for a second or two but it keeps speeding itself back up to full throttle. I guess I need some sort of throttle controls?

And on the red 8 hp that was rusted stuck. I took the shroud off and pulled the head. The top of the piston was rusty, cleaned right off though, I sprayed pr blaster in the cylinder a few hours ago and now it turns freely, Actually still has cross hatching on the cylinder walls. This is a good sign right? The valves however are quite hesitant to move and for a while when the cam would push them open they would not return, I got the intake valve to return now, but the exhaust valve is still sticking, so i tilted the engine over and propped it up so that I could fill the cavity up with penetrating oil and am going to let it sit over night. See what happens in the morning. Still have to clean out the crankcase from the sludge oil. Any more advice on this one? or the other? thanks for the help thus far.


Justin

I think you got some darned good deals. Good luck on getting that rusted engine cleaned up. I would thinkit would be really cool if you got that one running again since that was such a basket case.

Last I heard, KANO LABS didn't sell that stuff to the general public, only to businesses ?
theres a few shops arouind here that carry it also look on ebay too , but my dad and i just ordered a case of it about 3 months ago , shipped out and all it was around 100.00 but it was a case of it , that stuff lives up to its reputation

another update.

I got the 5 hp briggs to run, and it runs great. have to prime the carb to start it (with gas) but it runs good. I rigged up a throttle by talking the throttle lever off of on of the 8hp engines and its a little finicky but it works. One question on it, the only issue with this engine is that one of the little black screws that holds the choke linkage plate and on off levers is stripped where it is supposed to secure it to the tank and after running for a few minutes, the hole started leaking gas and the screw had worked its way out and fallen off. Should i use a little larger diameter screw to attach this?

And another update on the rust bucket engine. I took it apart last night, pulled the head and the valves were both stuck open, so i soaked it in pb blaster and was able to eventually get the valve train working properly, I had to remove the exhaust valve and clean the stem up a bit in order to get it to smoothly operate in the guide, so all is well there. I pulled the rear cover off of the engine to clean out the remaining sludge and it cleaned up surprisingly well also, I think this may be a working engine soon. I need to replace the oil breather gasket, rear cover gasket and Head gasket. I have run into an issue though, I have no idea how to get the govenor reinstalled correctly, there is a little plastic gear on the inside of the cover that i think has something to do with it, but the govenor just kindof hangs there. Any ideas???


I can email pics if you want to see what I am working with and asking about, just give me your email address. Thanks.

Thanks for the help thus far everyone.


Justin

yes, a bigger one should work. PS the screeching may be from bad bearings, or the starter clutch is rusty, so when engine runs, the balls and clutch pieces rub together. just pour some oil in it and spin it around. the 5 hp try to start it without priming it

the stuck one, take top off clean throughly, rust and all re-adjust the valves, use a gauge meter and a repair manual. thne put back together and put some marvel's myster oil in it and turn as hard as you can (bolt it onto something when doing this)