Lawnmower Repair Question

I have a Craftsman 6.6 hp Eager 1 mower model number 917.377320

In the owners manual the model number for the engine is 143.976606

I can't find my owners manual online, but this owners manual has basically the same engine.

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I need to replace the mounting flange gasket, because oil is blowing out.

The gasket is numbered 69 on page 26.

Is the mounting flange basically like an oil pan on an automobile engine? Are there any parts in there? The only thing I see that I need to look out for are the 2 dowel pins (numbered 2) on page 26.

Reply to
Ron
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If you have crankcase oil pressure sufficient to blow oil out, you may have more problems than a bad gasket. If you disassemble the engine, check to be sure the mating surfaces where the new gasket would go are perfectly flat and true. On most engines, oil blowing out will be the first indication of a problem like an eroded piston. Do a compression check before committing to serious repair work. Goid uck.

Joe

Reply to
Joe

I'll have to look for that and check it. Just looking at the engine, I don't see it. Must be covered by something.

But the bottom line is, the mounting flange gasket is blown. I can tilt the mower over on it's right side and oil will start to drip out.

Do you know of a Usenet small engine repair group? I've searched and can't find one.

Reply to
Ron

Ron, if you are laying the mower on its side to service underneath it will pour oil out and become very difficult to start and will smoke quite a bit when it does start. They are not made to be able to lay on their side. I thought I had fixed a lot of mower stuff through the years, but I've never heard of replacing a mounting flange gasket, but all things are possible.

Reply to
DanG

The breather is a small rectangle (1.5"X3" approx.) held by 2 bolts and located on a side. Maybe 4 or 5" down from the cylinder head.

Reply to
Bob_Villa

If I remember my basics the breather lets air-in...and little to do with his problem!

Reply to
Bob_Villa

Not on small engines.

The breather is 6 and 7 on your ipb. Check that out too before you order parts.

Reply to
jamesgangnc

Says who? If you can't turn them on their side, how do you the routine blade sharpening? Put it on a lift? The mowers I've had recently, Honda and Craftsman allowed them to be put on their side. In fact, that is also how you drain the oil out.

I thought I had fixed =A0a lot of mower stuff through the

Reply to
trader4

If you leave them on their side for a while the oil will manage to make it's way into places it's not supposed to be. But you are right, tipping it over for a while to take the blade off or work on it is fine.

Reply to
jamesgangnc

The manuals that I remember reading all say to 'lay on right side' or 'left side' -- or 'don't lay on side'.

But then I'll confess to not having owned a mower made after about

1985-- and not owned a new one since the early 70s.

On my old mowers with breathers, I seem to recall that the oil plug was on the opposite side from the breather.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

The mower is leaking oil from the mounting flange!

Reply to
Ron

OK....but I still need to replace the gasket.

Reply to
Ron

If you're sure it is the gasket and not the oil fill cap, just dis- assemble change gasket, then re-assemble. Be aware that you will have to line up the crankshaft and camshaft and alignment pins. Be careful not to lose any parts and put them back in the correct position.

If it only leaks when you tip it over, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Besides, how often do you tip it over on its side?

Hank

Reply to
Hustlin' Hank

OK, here's the deal, while the mower is running it blows out oil from the flange gasket. After I figured out what the problem was, I tilted the mower over to see if oil would leak out of the gasket, and sure enough it does.

Here is a pic I took today.

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Also, I found this (below) someone that had the same problem.

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Why some people find it so hard to believe that the gasket is leaking is beyond me.

AFA, being careful not to lose any parts and put them back in the correct position, well, that is the whole purpose of my post. To see if someone knows for a fact if there are any parts in there.

"Is the mounting flange basically like an oil pan on an automobile engine? Are there any parts in there? The only thing I see that I need to look out for are the 2 dowel pins"

Reply to
Ron

That sounds like the bottom seal on the engine, where the crank exits the block and the blade bolts on, is shot. The oil is getting flung up where engine meets deck. Any gasket between engine and deck is just a vibration damper so your hands don't get numb- it isn't a seal.

But then again, I'm no small engine mechanic, and break anvils on a regular basis.

Reply to
aemeijers

Okay, now it makes more sense- the gasket ABOVE the flange. On my mower, there is no separate flange. The block splits at a 45 degree angle, and the flange is part of the lower casting.

Reply to
aemeijers

It is a little more complex than an automotive oil pan. While it is a sump to hold oil, it also houses bearings/bushings/seal for the crank, cam and such.

Look at it this way..... It is broken, you probbaly can't break it much more, so why not try to fix it? You may learn a lot and the satisfaction alone will make it worth the task. If all else fails, you didn't lose much anyway. What you learn may help you on your next project even if you fail to repair this one. GO FOR IT!

Hank

Reply to
Hustlin' Hank

If it were my problem, I'd clean the surface around the leak really good with something like carb cleaner and gunk it with high temp silicon using a putty knife to force the silicon into the leaking area. Or I might make sure the bolts holding the case together are tightened properly and use JB weld over over the leaking area. Tecumseh is out of business for a reason, you can buy a replacement engine cheaper than the parts to fix the made in the USA engines. As you might find out, it's not all that easy to slide the bottom end of the case off the crankshaft if you change the gasket, you will have to clean the shaft to like new which hard to do up against the bottom seal. I'm thinking your engine is probably near the end of useful life. But go for it and let us know how it turns out.

Reply to
Fatter Than Ever Moe

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