Low Oil - Motor won't crank

samstewart1979

samstewart1979

New member
I believe I may have a problem here and want to get the opinions of the veterans. I had a guy cleaning yesterday and he worked for about 5 hours, and reported no equipment problems. Tonight, I get to a job and crank the motor. After about 10 seconds it starts shaking and making an awful noise. I turn it off and check the oil. It is low and there is white smoke coming out of the dip stick hole. I open up the oil cap and there is more white smoke. I put a quart of oil in it and try to crank it but it will not crank this time. It will turn over, though.

Question #1: Could it be beyond repair? What are the best and worst case scenarios?

Question #2: It's a Vanguard 18hp. If I have to replace it, what motor would you recommend? The pump is a 5.5 gpm and it's a hot water diesel machine.
 
White smoke not a good sign.

Yes if you out a vanguard in stay with 18

If you go large if the foot print will allow put a kohler motor in.

I'm through with Briggs , something's wrong with quality control. They just don't last, oil leaking issues always. Rear seals go bad in hours.

Had the factory rep tell me no warren tee cause it ran low on oil. Lol right that usually happens when a seal blows in less than 35 hours. That sealed the deal!!! Done

Do not buy Briggs , stay away

I told you to buy the 18 but I'm not actually certain they are even being built good any longer. Was there best horse for life.

Get Honda often cheaper and better. I didn't buy them because the foot print is larger. There's a reason now we know. In 80 and 90 I loved honda.

Kohler is the caddy of small engines.

Honda the ford

Briggs dawoo

White smoke could me you warped or burned a piston. Got the head to hot, throwing cold oil in likely didn't help.

Get it loose who knows might last 400 more hours.

Don't rebuild a small engine , that's my last bit of advice.


Oct event San Diego free free text me for more details !!
 
Thanks for the response Ron. I have the worst luck with equipment. If there is a bad one from the manufacturer,in a batch of 1000, I will get the one that is bad.
 
I've been considering getting a second rig because business has picked up. Depending on down time, this may be the incident that convinces me to do it. No machine... No work.
 
White smoke out of the fill cap is a good indication of blow-by past the rings, you can try and put a teaspoon of oil in spark plug hole to build more compression to fire and run. These small engines have a tend abc to build a lot of heat and if oil is low it will build more because oil helps cool the motor.
 
Chris Epping said:
White smoke out of the fill cap is a good indication of blow-by past the rings, you can try and put a teaspoon of oil in spark plug hole to build more compression to fire and run. These small engines have a tend abc to build a lot of heat and if oil is low it will build more because oil helps cool the motor.
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Hey Chris. Still haven't heard back from Rodney. I'll try to get a hold of him tomorrow.
 
How bad is the "blow-by past the rings" scenario? I know virtually nothing about small engines.
 
You should verify the issue first, pull the spark plug out and get the piston to top dead center and use a flashlight and see if you still have a piston lol. If you do put a teaspoon of oil in there and put the plug back in and crank it and see if it fires. Also keep and eye in the exhaust and make sure you have smoke coming out, if not you may have a loose rocker or the pushrod came out from under the rocker.
 
Ron Musgraves said:
White smoke not a good sign.

Yes if you out a vanguard in stay with 18

If you go large if the foot print will allow put a kohler motor in.

I'm through with Briggs , something's wrong with quality control. They just don't last, oil leaking issues always. Rear seals go bad in hours.

Had the factory rep tell me no warren tee cause it ran low on oil. Lol right that usually happens when a seal blows in less than 35 hours. That sealed the deal!!! Done

Do not buy Briggs , stay away

I told you to buy the 18 but I'm not actually certain they are even being built good any longer. Was there best horse for life.

Get Honda often cheaper and better. I didn't buy them because the foot print is larger. There's a reason now we know. In 80 and 90 I loved honda.

Kohler is the caddy of small engines.

Honda the ford

Briggs dawoo

White smoke could me you warped or burned a piston. Got the head to hot, throwing cold oil in likely didn't help.

Get it loose who knows might last 400 more hours.

Don't rebuild a small engine , that's my last bit of advice.


Oct event San Diego free free text me for more details !!
Click to expand...

I agree with you Ron. After my last Vanguard, I'll stick with Kohlers from now on.
 
Small engine shop diagnosed thrown rod….. motor is shot. New one coming from power wash store as I type…… I really hate spending money...
 
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