Author Topic: "overheated" 15.5 HP OHV Briggs...  (Read 4751 times)

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Offline guitarplayer

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"overheated" 15.5 HP OHV Briggs...
« on: April 24, 2011, 02:39:45 pm »
Buddy of mine called me this morning to ask me what was wrong with his 15.5 HP Briggs OHV on his grass cutter. (i know this ain't a place for grass cutter questions, thats why its in the coffee shop... ) he said the shroud (this is a 05 model, so its a plastic shroud) caught on fire right before he shut the mower down after cutting all his grass. what in the world could cause this? I had to adjust the valves a few weeks ago when he got this mower (bolens) , but you have to pour a little gas in to start it (carb needs rebuilt or cleaned, then it fired right up, ran fine, we changed the oil in it after it warmed up.Thats all thats been done to it, and it didn't have a air filter so we made a temporary one out of foam rubber because i didn't have one, i ordered one for him. I haven't seen the engine so i can't tell you where the fire started. My guess is maybe he poured a little to much gas in and got the filter wet then motor backfired through the carburetor and caught it on fire? you would think the gas would evaporate after all that time. first time i've ever heard of a lawn mower engine caching on fire!!!!!!!! What else could cause a motor to catch on fire like this? thanks guys!

Offline foolnhismoney

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Re: "overheated" 15.5 HP OHV Briggs...
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2011, 02:50:48 pm »
One of the places I get parts from has a bunch of burnt mowers. It is most likely the lines rot and leak then catch fire. Anything rubber with todays fuel will let go. Bowl gaskets can leak if you don't replace them. I've seen people take bowl off and clean it put it back on in the garage where the floor is level and the mower ran fine. Go outside on uneven ground and bowl leaks and catches fire. Lots of things can do it but lost likely rotten rubber parts.

Offline guitarplayer

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Re: "overheated" 15.5 HP OHV Briggs...
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2011, 03:37:18 pm »
he said he didn't see any leaks on the lines. i will check the bowl out next time i see him, the carb needs cleaned anyways. thank ya

Offline tsmith1499

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Re: "overheated" 15.5 HP OHV Briggs...
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2011, 09:01:49 pm »
Could there have been a mouse nest under the shroud and when it got hot caught on fire? We have seen this at our dealership. Especially this time of year when people are using their mowers for the first time. Just a thought.
Tom Smith
Mount Airy, MD.
L130 Work In Progress

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Re: "overheated" 15.5 HP OHV Briggs...
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2011, 09:42:35 pm »
i'm not sure, we had the shroud off so i get to the valve cover easier and i dont remember seeing anything in them. unless it was on the underside. i bet thats what it is, i should've checked it. i will check it next time i get up there (next week). thanks

Offline GRUBDIGGER

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Re: "overheated" 15.5 HP OHV Briggs...
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2011, 05:02:42 pm »
carb leaking fuel into the crankcase?
JOHN HERRING
ARMA TECH
TRI-STATE RACING MOWER ASSC.
http://wwwtsrm.smfforfree.com/

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Re: "overheated" 15.5 HP OHV Briggs...
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2011, 09:29:22 pm »
don't know. possibly. i will let you all know whats wrong with it next week after i check i see it.

 

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