A buddy at work gave me his old pressure washer yesterday. It needs a new fan shroud/recoil assembly, one of the muffler bolts is missing, and the intake manifold seems to be loose. Could use an air filter and new plug as well. Most of the stuff I can rob off of a junk craftsman mower I have in my garage. However, I pulled the dip stick when I got it home, and it had a brown colored sludge hanging off of it. It would appear that in the 12years he owned it, he more than likely never changed oil. He did mention an oil leak, appears to be the dipstick tube oring, and to make sure I check the level, so ayleast I know its had fresh oil added to it every once in a while. I got this thing for free, so I'm not going to all the trouble to split the case and clean it out. What kind of oci would you guys recommend to try and clean it out? I did contemplate filling the crankcase with diesel fuel or kerosene and letting it sit for a while, but I'm afraid of busting large chunks of stuff loose and causing damage.
cleaning a sludged up briggs
- Thread starter afoulk
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Does it have full pressure lubrication or is it an older flathead?
I'd probably seafoam/kero/diesel a flathead but if it has full pressure I would just fill it with synthetic and change it every 5-10-20hrs or so depending on how often you use it.
I'd probably seafoam/kero/diesel a flathead but if it has full pressure I would just fill it with synthetic and change it every 5-10-20hrs or so depending on how often you use it.
I would just do a couple short changes with Rotella T6 5w40 Synthetic oil. Don't mess with diesel fuel or anything else besides motor oil in the crankcase.
Ive never really seen a sludged up Briggs. I've seen really old, nasty (likely original) thin oil that looks like water, but never seen sludge. Sludge wouldn't be a problem anyways since they are splash lube. If you get it running again, just change the oil, run it for about 30 minutes, and then change it again. Should get most of the old stuff out. If it is a flat-head Briggs, make sure and re-torque the head bolts. They work loose on pressure washers due to the duty cycle.
I second the T6 w/short OCI suggestion.
I have an old Tecumseh that I use for mowing. I've changed the oil every time I mow for the last 5-6 times now. It comes out cleaner each time, but it still gets dirty QUICK-like. It used to get grey/black after a 1.5 hour mow. Now it just loses its amber color and becomes a dull clear. So it's slowly improving. Tecumsehs are pressure-lubed, so it's probably working a lot of stuff out of a lot of nooks and crannies...and that'll take time.
If it's really sludged, it'll take many iterations of hour-long OCIs to get it cleaned out.
If it's really sludged, it'll take many iterations of hour-long OCIs to get it cleaned out.
Splash lube? I'd drain the oil. Over fill with MMO. Let sit a day or more. Pull the spark plug and add and ounce or so to the cylinder too. After over night give it a few pulls to stir every thing up. Repeat every now and then. Drain MMO and add T5/T6. Replace spark plug and run short intervals until cleaned out.
Just change the oil slightly more often than he did and it will be just fine.
It is a flat head, has the flat, square panel air filter on the right side, I believe these were the "quantam" engines? I'm fairly certain these are splash lubed. I thought about letting it sit and soak with the diesel fuel in it, I wasn't going to run it with that in there. Maybe drain it and do 2 or 3 oil changes after that. Anyone know the torque spec on the head bolts so I can double check those?
Originally Posted By: afoulk
It is a flat head, has the flat, square panel air filter on the right side, I believe these were the "quantam" engines?
Yes, that's a Quantum engine. They are the 725 and 675 series engines in their current lineup:
http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/engines/push-mower-engines
Briggs has phased all flatheads out except for these. I'd like to try one of their new Quiet Power engines.
It is a flat head, has the flat, square panel air filter on the right side, I believe these were the "quantam" engines?
Yes, that's a Quantum engine. They are the 725 and 675 series engines in their current lineup:
http://www.briggsandstratton.com/us/en/engines/push-mower-engines
Briggs has phased all flatheads out except for these. I'd like to try one of their new Quiet Power engines.
Actually you can run some diesel at around 50% of the fill with motor oil at idle or just off idle for a short run till it's just getting warmed up then drain . Do that a couple times and it will pretty much clean all that gunk out .
I had a small engine shop and I couldn't believe how neglected some engines were , the oil was tar and I don't know why they didn't sieze or throw the rod !!
Serviced up and they ran for years .
I had a small engine shop and I couldn't believe how neglected some engines were , the oil was tar and I don't know why they didn't sieze or throw the rod !!
Serviced up and they ran for years .
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Skip the diesel soakings. No need for that.
Just use a REAL synthetic 30W or if you must a 10W-30 synthetic oil and change frequently. I know it's hard to find but it's out there. True synthetics have better cleaning properties than dino oils. Reason why is you want the engine heat to assist in cleaning and loosening up the deposits. Putting cold diesel won't clean as well. Plus Briggs doesn't recommend diesel in the crankcase. Oil belongs in the sump.
slomo
Just use a REAL synthetic 30W or if you must a 10W-30 synthetic oil and change frequently. I know it's hard to find but it's out there. True synthetics have better cleaning properties than dino oils. Reason why is you want the engine heat to assist in cleaning and loosening up the deposits. Putting cold diesel won't clean as well. Plus Briggs doesn't recommend diesel in the crankcase. Oil belongs in the sump.
slomo
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Actually you can run some diesel at around 50% of the fill with motor oil at idle or just off idle for a short run till it's just getting warmed up then drain . Do that a couple times and it will pretty much clean all that gunk out .
I had a small engine shop and I couldn't believe how neglected some engines were , the oil was tar and I don't know why they didn't sieze or throw the rod !!
Serviced up and they ran for years .
Where in any Briggs/Tech/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Kohler/John Deere technical manual does it recommend diesel soakings? I must have missed that one. LOL
slomo
Actually you can run some diesel at around 50% of the fill with motor oil at idle or just off idle for a short run till it's just getting warmed up then drain . Do that a couple times and it will pretty much clean all that gunk out .
I had a small engine shop and I couldn't believe how neglected some engines were , the oil was tar and I don't know why they didn't sieze or throw the rod !!
Serviced up and they ran for years .
Where in any Briggs/Tech/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Kohler/John Deere technical manual does it recommend diesel soakings? I must have missed that one. LOL
slomo
Originally Posted By: slomo
Skip the diesel soakings. No need for that.
Just use a REAL synthetic 30W or if you must a 10W-30 synthetic oil and change frequently. I know it's hard to find but it's out there. True synthetics have better cleaning properties than dino oils. Reason why is you want the engine heat to assist in cleaning and loosening up the deposits. Putting cold diesel won't clean as well. Plus Briggs doesn't recommend diesel in the crankcase. Oil belongs in the sump.
slomo
Syns clean better than conventionals?
Really?
I'm sure I read here at bitog that conventionals leave more deposits but are better at cleaning these deposits,whereas synthetics leave less deposits but don't clean them as well.
I'm sure I read that here,and it was posted by either an oil company or something to that effect.
Skip the diesel soakings. No need for that.
Just use a REAL synthetic 30W or if you must a 10W-30 synthetic oil and change frequently. I know it's hard to find but it's out there. True synthetics have better cleaning properties than dino oils. Reason why is you want the engine heat to assist in cleaning and loosening up the deposits. Putting cold diesel won't clean as well. Plus Briggs doesn't recommend diesel in the crankcase. Oil belongs in the sump.
slomo
Syns clean better than conventionals?
Really?
I'm sure I read here at bitog that conventionals leave more deposits but are better at cleaning these deposits,whereas synthetics leave less deposits but don't clean them as well.
I'm sure I read that here,and it was posted by either an oil company or something to that effect.
Originally Posted By: slomo
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Actually you can run some diesel at around 50% of the fill with motor oil at idle or just off idle for a short run till it's just getting warmed up then drain . Do that a couple times and it will pretty much clean all that gunk out .
I had a small engine shop and I couldn't believe how neglected some engines were , the oil was tar and I don't know why they didn't sieze or throw the rod !!
Serviced up and they ran for years .
Where in any Briggs/Tech/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Kohler/John Deere technical manual does it recommend diesel soakings? I must have missed that one. LOL
slomo
You must be a young know it all ,
Stick around sonny and maybe you'll learn something .
Rule #1 of a service/Tech manual . It doesn't tell you everything !!
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Actually you can run some diesel at around 50% of the fill with motor oil at idle or just off idle for a short run till it's just getting warmed up then drain . Do that a couple times and it will pretty much clean all that gunk out .
I had a small engine shop and I couldn't believe how neglected some engines were , the oil was tar and I don't know why they didn't sieze or throw the rod !!
Serviced up and they ran for years .
Where in any Briggs/Tech/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Kohler/John Deere technical manual does it recommend diesel soakings? I must have missed that one. LOL
slomo
You must be a young know it all ,
Stick around sonny and maybe you'll learn something .
Rule #1 of a service/Tech manual . It doesn't tell you everything !!
Originally Posted By: slomo
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Actually you can run some diesel at around 50% of the fill with motor oil at idle or just off idle for a short run till it's just getting warmed up then drain . Do that a couple times and it will pretty much clean all that gunk out .
I had a small engine shop and I couldn't believe how neglected some engines were , the oil was tar and I don't know why they didn't sieze or throw the rod !!
Serviced up and they ran for years .
Where in any Briggs/Tech/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Kohler/John Deere technical manual does it recommend diesel soakings? I must have missed that one. LOL
slomo
drain some diesel fuel into a dirty drain pan some time and watch how well it cleans that pan off. Lots of solvents in diesel fuel. Intact, I swear I can smell the solvent in it since they came out with the ULSD stuff.
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Actually you can run some diesel at around 50% of the fill with motor oil at idle or just off idle for a short run till it's just getting warmed up then drain . Do that a couple times and it will pretty much clean all that gunk out .
I had a small engine shop and I couldn't believe how neglected some engines were , the oil was tar and I don't know why they didn't sieze or throw the rod !!
Serviced up and they ran for years .
Where in any Briggs/Tech/Kawasaki/Suzuki/Kohler/John Deere technical manual does it recommend diesel soakings? I must have missed that one. LOL
slomo
drain some diesel fuel into a dirty drain pan some time and watch how well it cleans that pan off. Lots of solvents in diesel fuel. Intact, I swear I can smell the solvent in it since they came out with the ULSD stuff.
If you believe the engine has sludge, I recommend mixing 4 OZ. of Marvel Mystery Oil when you change your oil next. It is a very gentle cleaner and is petroleum based with the consistency of a 20w oil. The "secret" ingriedient is oil of wintergreen and mild distillates. It has been around for 120 years and it works extremely well unlike the harsh cleaners that can plug passages and grooves.
The sludge is really of no concern in those bulletproof engines but if you feel it necessary to clean it up than MMO is the only product I recommend adding to engine oil.
Kevin,
Kevin's Small Engine and Tractor Service
South Berwick ME. 03908
www.tinyurl.com/kevinssmallengine
The sludge is really of no concern in those bulletproof engines but if you feel it necessary to clean it up than MMO is the only product I recommend adding to engine oil.
Kevin,
Kevin's Small Engine and Tractor Service
South Berwick ME. 03908
www.tinyurl.com/kevinssmallengine
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