Blew up my Regent!

[Darrell]

I was cutting some thick wet grass in my side yard and was on my last row when it happened. I stalled the engine with the deck engaged and I believe it threw a connecting rod. Tried restarting but had nothing but fire shooting out of the muffler and backfire. Let the machine cool some and tried to restart but was hearing some banging sounds from the motor. It seemed to have no compression. I believe I overheated the motor. I have never seen a engine just smoking hot as that. Any ideas? I have since cooled the motor completely but still will not start. I have had some problems with the mower it self but never the engine. The engine was full of oil. When I checked it after it happened smoke was actually coming from the filler spout! My regent has a 16 horse Kohler and a 44 inch deck and is about 6 years old.

Thanks
Darrell

[jodyand]

:Welcome1: Darrell sorry to hear about your LT. Let us know what you find out. Maybe something like a head gasket blew.

[jdkubotamurray]

Does not sound like you did anything to it, I do that with my wore out 11/38 Craftsman I paid $60 for., so it just may be an engine failure, if it is a con rod I have seen porosity cause failures with time and also cap screws back out. In any case it will be worth fixing or new engine block.

[guest]

Sorry to hear about that Darrell. Sounds like it may have bent a valve and or holed the piston or rod let loose as you mentioned.

[DYT4000]

Only way to know for sure is to tear it down! If you didn't pop a hole in the block, your not in too bad of shape....

[cadurning]

Hey, if it's already ruined it won't hurt to tear it down. You might be surprised.

[dirtybernie]

before ripping it to peices i would check it out. a thrown rod would not make an egine back fire and shoot flames. i would check the timing before ripping it down. possibly a cam problem. bernie. :fing32:

[DYT4000]

before ripping it to peices i would check it out. a thrown rod would not make an egine back fire and shoot flames. i would check the timing before ripping it down. possibly a cam problem. bernie. :fing32:

That's a good point Bernie....check the flywheel key and make sure it didn't shear...

[Darrell]

Okay a little update. I pulled the spark plug and no oil on it just soaking with gas. Since this happened yesterday I tried starting it again today it has good spark since it backfires but has an empty sound to it when cranking it. How would I go about taking the top end of this off? I never messed around with overhead valve engine before. I have taken apart lawnmower motors before with no problems. Does the engine need to be removed first? I can get a new motor for about 600-700 dollars and was wondering if its worth the trouble. The Regent is a gear drive and is starting to make noise in the rear end. Its kind of like a rotor that is being turned. Maybe its just time to get a new one. Simplicitys prices today seem high compared to other models. It seems when I bought mine 6 years ago they were in line with other manufactures. Off my soapbox! Thanks for any help!

[Michael]

I do not know Kohlers that well but the first check would be as dirtybernie and DYT suggested. Check for the flywheel key, I just cannot see you getting something new if you can get this repaired (a heck of lot cheaper then new)

[Darrell]

Update number two! I removed the flywheel and all the grass that has accumulated in the steering column. The key looked fine reinstalled flywheel still no go. I am charging the battery now forgot too turn off key! I am getting compression by removing the spark plug and seem to be getting spark. Any other ideas?
Thanks!

[sixchows]

This may be a dumb question but after the tractor stalled did you disengage the PTO?

[Darrell]

PTO is electric. Mine won't even crank with it engaged and stopped. Thanks

[dirtybernie]

there was a guy on gw awhile back with the same deal. he said a valve seat popped out of the block thus holding the valve open. while ive never seen this maybe it could happen. but since you mention its an OHV does the motor have a timing chain? just keep plugging at it. maybe you can get a few more years from it. :fing32:

[Mower_Man42]

You can go to Kolher and download a free owers manual they have a trouble shooting guide that maybe of some help.But it sounds like you got more things that are ready to STB, would it be worth fixing???? The place were I bought my Regent has a older Broadmoor w/38" mower deck and tubro vacuum setup with the twin bagger. Has a hand controlled hydro and a 14 HP kolher motor. It`s located in CT. here the link, 9th from the top (hope I`m not breaking any rules) http://www.ganos.com/tradeins.htm

[modre]

>I am getting compression by removing the spark plug and seem to be getting spark.<

sounds like a valve seat failure to me too...pull the head off...that will have push rods not a chain...chain is for OHC...not OHV, so you won't get into any trouble with valve timing...the reason I think seat is because of the heat you saw. you should be able to take the head to a shop and have a new seat installed and slap it back together without digging much further. there should be a valve cover and under that 4 head bolts and it's off in your hand. If it's a seat holding the valve open a tad, you would still think you see compression out the spark plug hole. the fact that you hear air moving says the connecting rod is good...and the "empty sound" is likely low compression.

it's not easy to troubleshoot long distance with sketchy info like this, but I think you're not in too much trouble.

are you in SW Pa by any chance? I could tell you what's wrong in a minute if I saw it.

[dirtybernie]

guy's this thread is an older one. i'm pretty sure the OP ended up bringing it to the dealer and trading it in.

[modre]

oh...
and here I thought I was doing my good deed for the day.