LX 288 John Deere riding mower

[CourierDriver]

Vanguard engine, Briggs. Started running rough, blowing black smoke, losing power....bought in 2000.

I figure she had given up the ghost, but...........I pulled the aircleaner off, restarted the engine, ran great, no smoke, no misses,all ok..what the you know what. Then I put the aircleaner back on and the back to square one again, running rougher.

I repulled the aircleaner and removed the outer prefilter around the main aircleaner,,, Einstein here had preoiled the outer filter to much and the oil had gone into the main filter and was starving the engine for air------no more preoiling that outer ring for me. I soaked the 2 air filters in gas, out came the black oil and so on and now I can see the light through both of them,,,lol.

all is well now, my 15 year old vanguard engine is back in service and pulling as strong as ever, PS, this engine has never been in the shop for anything, amazing. Just 30 wgt oil, 4oz of marvel when I can remember to add it. I did have to add 3 new deck bearings that the blades attach to last year, it just takes a licking and keeps on ticking,,,go figure.

 

[jeepman3071]

I've noticed a lot of the Briggs foam air filters (and foam pre-cleaners) say to not oil them and install them dry. Makes sense considering some of the oiled foam air filters I've replaced were crumbled to dust or so packed full of grime the engine wouldn't start.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

I've read conflicting advice based on owner’s manuals and personal experience. Some say to oil, others not [foam filters]. In my dirt bike experience the foam filters [main/only filter] need to be oiled, else their nothing more than very, very coarse dirt catchers. The key is not to over-oil foam filters and to clean/oil them regularly.

I'm not surprised old foam filters crumbled... depends on what solvents were used to clean them, the "oil" used and how often they were maintained (probably never, as with most all OPE).

If the foam filter is being used as a pre-filter (for a paper filter) I think you can go either way… personally I’d very, very lightly oil it. To the OP, it’s also possible the paper filter has absorbed oil if the pre-filter was over-oiled. I would replace the paper filter as well.

 

[CourierDriver]

thanks guys

 

[JTK]

To me, anything oiled near a standard paper element air filter doesn't make sense.

 

[CourierDriver]

Originally Posted By: JTK
To me, anything oiled near a standard paper element air filter doesn't make sense.
I agree, I will never oil that slipon green filter that fits around the main filer again, it really does not make sense..