RE: Suggestions, Briggs and Stratton on the MTD splitter has died

[firefighterjake]

I'm not very mechanically smart so I'm hoping folks here might have some suggestions.

Was splitting some wood today for an hour with the 27 ton MTD splitter (675 engine) or so when the engine died suddenly with a puff or two of black smoke coming from what looked to be the muffler.

Checked the gas tank and discovered it was close to being empty . . . usually when I get close to being empty the engine kinda revs a bit to let me know it's getting low. This time is just suddenly died without any warning and then the aforementioned puffs of black smoke.

I put more fuel into the tank and cranked a few times . . . usually it starts right away . . . not this time. Eventually the engine caught and ran for three or four seconds before dying. Did this a few times and then decided to let it cool and try again.

I did check the oil and it was quite hot . . . and a little low, but still within acceptable limits. I also checked the hydraulic oil as I had noticed some leaking out of the packing around the ram earlier when I was splitting. Hydraulic oil levels were also fine.

After letting it cool, tried to start it and it wouldn't start at all.

Changed the plug as it was quite old. No change.

Opened the fuel reservoir under the carb . . . there was a bit of fine sludge there . . . cleaned it out. No change.

Opened up things to expose the carb. Sprayed carb cleaner. No change.

Thoughts as to what to try next?

 

[Tom123]

Jake: Check for spark. Coil may have overheated and failed. When cold it may fire. Pull the plug and see how it looks If it is wet with fuel then there is probably an ignition (spark) issue. If it came apart catastrophically you would know it. I’m leaning toward ignition.


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[brenndatomu]

I'm betting there is dirt/gunk in the carb jets and or passages.
Try it again tomorrow, see if it pops with full choke...

 

[Ashful]

I'm betting there is dirt/gunk in the carb jets and or passages.
Try it again tomorrow, see if it pops with full choke...

Typically no choke on these e675’s, but there is a primer bulb.

Oil level is good, I assume compression is still good, or you’d have mentioned it didn’t feel normal. There are only three possibilities, two of which were just named in the first two replies. The third is that these e675’s have an issue with head bolts coming loose and eventually ruining the head gasket.

Check them, since it’s easy enough. Torque spec is only 140 in-lb, IIRC. So if they’re not sloppy loose, and you don’t have a torque wrench, just leave them alone. Just make sure they’re a little more than finger right, don’t crank on them too hard.

Carb replacements for this model are under $20, so don’t bother messing with it, just replace it if that’s the suspected issue. Likewise for the ignition coil, they’re like $15. Google how to check one, YouTube is your friend, and replace if found bad.

 

[Jags]

Yep to all the above. Check spark, compression and fuel. The easy way to check fuel is with a can of starting fluid. Once spark and compression is confirmed, whiff a short shot of starting fluid into the carb. If you get it to briefly run on that then you have a fuel delivery problem.

 

[WiscWoody]

I like to watch a guy called Mustie1 On YouTube. He’s always taking garage sale or barn find lawn equipment and bringing them back to life often after decades of sitting idle. He uses a little spout oiler bottle with gas in it to prime the cylinder to see if a engine will pop after checking for spark first.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Agreed, just throw in a new carb. But I would check to see if the plug is getting wet with gas first. If so, then go for the coil or even try the plug wire first.

 

[Tom123]

Like stated elsewhere, put a splash of gas in the end of the carb or even in the spark plug hole, use 1/2” in a soda straw. If it does not fire on this your problem is not carb.


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[WiscWoody]

I'm not very mechanically smart so I'm hoping folks here might have some suggestions.

Was splitting some wood today for an hour with the 27 ton MTD splitter (675 engine) or so when the engine died suddenly with a puff or two of black smoke coming from what looked to be the muffler.

Checked the gas tank and discovered it was close to being empty . . . usually when I get close to being empty the engine kinda revs a bit to let me know it's getting low. This time is just suddenly died without any warning and then the aforementioned puffs of black smoke.

I put more fuel into the tank and cranked a few times . . . usually it starts right away . . . not this time. Eventually the engine caught and ran for three or four seconds before dying. Did this a few times and then decided to let it cool and try again.

I did check the oil and it was quite hot . . . and a little low, but still within acceptable limits. I also checked the hydraulic oil as I had noticed some leaking out of the packing around the ram earlier when I was splitting. Hydraulic oil levels were also fine.

After letting it cool, tried to start it and it wouldn't start at all.

Changed the plug as it was quite old. No change.

Opened the fuel reservoir under the carb . . . there was a bit of fine sludge there . . . cleaned it out. No change.

Opened up things to expose the carb. Sprayed carb cleaner. No change.

Thoughts as to what to try next?

Any new news on the dead splitter Jake?

 

[firefighterjake]

Any new news on the dead splitter Jake?

Brought it to the nearby
Amish shop to have them work on it . . . not enough time or skill set for me to work on it. Hopefully I will hear back from them in another week or two . . . they were pretty busy when I dropped it off and said they had a backlog of work.