Snowblower kicks out seal

[supton]

Picked up a friend's snowblower this summer, saw that it had an oil leak but figured it couldn't be too bad... Realized it was leaking pretty badly so I dug into it today. Realized that it was probably coming off the front seal, and voila! once I got the flywheel off the seal was sitting all the way out. Like it hadn't been installed. I tapped it back in place--seemed a bit loose but still had to be pushed into place--and buttoned it up. I think it kicked it out again though. So I pulled the dipstick while it was running and it sure feels like a lot of blowby. This isn't that old, oil doesn't look bad (but it doesn't say in for very long!), starts decently on the pull start. I have a compression tester but will it work on this? I'm not sure if I can pull it fast enough to get a good reading--I know on the older B&S motors they had a decompression ramp on a lobe that prevented this testing.

It's an MTD with 179cc engine, a 600 series snowblower by the manual. Seemed to move snow ok, I'd be tempted to ignore but if it's leaking then it's wetting down the friction drive.

 

[Linctex]

Is this a Chinese "Chonda" clone?

Clean both the seal very well, and the metal it slides into - and apply weatherstrip adhesive to hold it in.

Make sure the crankcase breather tube isn't plugged!!

 

[cronk]

Try a new seal. Once you press them in, they wont fit as tight if they are reused.

 

[Whimsey]

I have the same 179cc Chinese engine on my Troy-Bilt(MTD) SB. It's called "Power More" and has proven to be quite sufficient for my hilly stone driveway. It works hard but never falters, doesn't use any oil no matter how hard I beat it. Parts are easy to get on line or through MTD. Jack's Small Engines seems to be the least expensive for replacement MTD parts that I've seen. But check Ebay and Amazon for parts also. If you do a search I'm sure lots of potential sale sites will show.

Whimsey

 

[dwendt44]

crankcase vent plugged?

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by Whimsey
I have the same 179cc Chinese engine on my Troy-Bilt(MTD) SB. It's called "Power More" and has proven to be quite sufficient for my hilly stone driveway. It works hard but never falters, doesn't use any oil no matter how hard I beat it. Parts are easy to get on line or through MTD. Jack's Small Engines seems to be the least expensive for replacement MTD parts that I've seen. But check Ebay and Amazon for parts also. If you do a search I'm sure lots of potential sale sites will show.

Whimsey

That be the one. Looked it up today, and think I can get the seal off ebay cheaper--I don't have the p/n just the size (25x41.25x6). Edit: can't find the part at partstree.com or Jack's (it's part #21). Ebay it is.

Opened it up today and I think I found the problem: the vent tube from the breather goes to the air box and... no hole. ? I don't think it was casting flashing, I think it was plain not there. Ran a drill bit into it to make a hole. The seal stayed in place for 5 minutes, until I ran out of gas. Have to order the seal, will see if it kicks out again.

I did pull off the valve cover to make sure the breather flap was loose. It was. Very clean inside the engine--I guess a constant loss oiling system will do that.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by dwendt44
crankcase vent plugged?

This is my guess as well and could explain why the first seal was pushed out.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by StevieC
Originally Posted by dwendt44
crankcase vent plugged?

This is my guess as well and could explain why the first seal was pushed out.

"Plugged" it was. Well, intentionally, perhaps, as the airbox was lacking the hole at the end of the rubber hose! There was no place for fumes to go.

Didn't run long enough to find out if that fixed it. Have a seal on order, should be here by the weekend--if it kicks out the seal again, I bet I could do the job in under 30 minutes. It's not really well designed but now I know how to get that flywheel off pretty fast.

 

[StevieC]

Sounds good

 

[jeepman3071]

Make sure you get an OEM seal.

I had this happen on a customer's machine, and it was due to an aftermarket seal that didn't fit quite tight enough. A new OEM Briggs seal fixed it.

 

[supton]

Bought an OEM seal. It's sitting on my dresser (I think). But the machine has been holding oil just fine. Got 2 or 3 hours on it now. Doesn't throw as well as I'd like, but as my back has been wonky this winter I'm ok with it running and moving snow instead of me.

Impressed with its gas usage, enough that I'm looking into repowering my other blower with OHV (the real reason I'm in this forum today, looking for my other thread).

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted by supton
Bought an OEM seal. It's sitting on my dresser (I think). But the machine has been holding oil just fine. Got 2 or 3 hours on it now. Doesn't throw as well as I'd like, but as my back has been wonky this winter I'm ok with it running and moving snow instead of me.

Impressed with its gas usage, enough that I'm looking into repowering my other blower with OHV (the real reason I'm in this forum today, looking for my other thread).


I put an impeller kit on my 179cc Troy-Bilt snow blower and it REALLY improved the snow throwing ability tremendously. From the factory there is too much space between the impeller and the housing. This causes lousy snow throwing. This a lot cheaper and easier than re powering. Even after re powering you'll still have the issue of too much space between the impellers and the housing. I think I paid ~$35-$40 for the impeller kit and it was easy to install.

Whimsey

 

[supton]

Yeah I have to look into an impeller kit.

Repower is for the other snow blower I have.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted by supton
Picked up a friend's snowblower this summer, saw that it had an oil leak but figured it couldn't be too bad... Realized it was leaking pretty badly so I dug into it today. Realized that it was probably coming off the front seal, and voila! once I got the flywheel off the seal was sitting all the way out. Like it hadn't been installed. I tapped it back in place--seemed a bit loose but still had to be pushed into place--and buttoned it up. I think it kicked it out again though. So I pulled the dipstick while it was running and it sure feels like a lot of blowby. This isn't that old, oil doesn't look bad (but it doesn't say in for very long!), starts decently on the pull start. I have a compression tester but will it work on this? I'm not sure if I can pull it fast enough to get a good reading--I know on the older B&S motors they had a decompression ramp on a lobe that prevented this testing.

It's an MTD with 179cc engine, a 600 series snowblower by the manual. Seemed to move snow ok, I'd be tempted to ignore but if it's leaking then it's wetting down the friction drive.


MTD, need you say more?