[dptulk]

Hi all.

I have a MDT with a B&S 14.5 HP (Type 1224-E1 / Model 287707) That has been a royal pain. I'll give full chronological details...

Purchased Tractor from some guy for $175 as is. I'm told it needs a new battery.

Buy a new battery, pop it in and it still wont turn over. just turns the crank a little and then gives up.

I charge it with my car...

After a while I get it to turn over and it starts. It runs real well.

For the next 6 weeks, it will only start while getting jumped. I ritualistically jump it each time I use it.

It sits for 3 weeks while I’m on vacation.

I try to start it using the normal ritual and it fires up as usual only this time it smokes from the exhaust. I figured it was a bad valve seal and it leaked oil into the cylinder over break. after it ran at idle for about 45 seconds, I hit the throttle (presumable to burn the oil out) and it BELLLOWED! White smoke like a military style smoke grenade for about 5 seconds and then died.

Baffled I stared to check things out. I pulled out the dipstick and saw that it was way too full. So I emptied the crankcase into a pan and it reeked of gas. OK, so it’s a float that is stuck... I put new oil in it, get a new plug and go through my start-up ritual again and it starts...

Still smoking just like the first time.

Any Ideas???

 

[minimowerman]

possibly it backed up into the carberator i have had that happen before then it sputers back up to the filter it gets in the filter and once its in the filter you have to replace the filter or it will just keep smoking

 

[30yearTech]

Probably just have a build of oil in the exhaust, will have to let run for awhile to burn it all out.

I would check your valve lash, sounds like your compression release is not working and that may be why it is hard to for the engine to crank. These engines need periodic valve adjustments as they tend to get loose as they get more hours on them. Intake lash for your engine is .003 - .005" and .005 -..7" for the exhaust.