Vanguard Engine Oil Leak

Russ Johnson said:
That's the crankshaft seal behind the flywheel. Your air filter area is clean and dry, so it's not the breather. A leaky valve cover gasket will dribble down behind the sheet metal covering the cylinder. Oil from a crank seal leak slings around on the back side of the flywheel, and the force of air from the fan blows it back all over the engine.
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Russ, you nailed it!!! The crankshaft seal failed and was the main cause. However, I had minor leaks in the valve covers as well. Ordered every gasket on the engine (5) just in case and took it to Jax for repairs on Thursday when the gaskets arrived. Got call on Friday that crankshaft seal was wrong one and that I can't get it fixed until Monday when new one arrives. Guess who gets the weekend off! The compression was tested first and the right side was low and I will learn more about that issue next week after all the gaskets are replaced.
 
Greg Rentschler said:
I agree 100% and I can look past the issue of an engine blowing a head gasket (which ours did) and blowing a crank (which again happened following the head gasket being repaired). I cannot look past the crappy customer service from the local dealer and even more so the lack of willingness to take care of an obvious "lemon" of a motor from corporate B&S. I can also understand having 1 do it... but 2? Junk (my opinion of course)!

I have 7 year old honda's that are still powering pumps to this day and the briggs 16 Vtwin barely made it through 1 season. Enough said for me. There's an issue there that they are not willing to recognize so they will forever lose my business.
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Typically, when I need a new machine, I need a new machine NOW! Unfortunately, most pressure washer distributors do not keep machines in stock for sale. If they do, it is a Vanguard motor. If they need to get it to me fast, they will only have Briggs motors. Every machine I own, except for the two on my garage trailer, and one I bought last week, are Briggs. I have had quite a few problems with them. Do you know what a pain it is to shut a truck down, and take it to the shop, and wonder when I am going to get it back?
Fortunately, I have a back up truck, but it is older then the rest, and guys whine and complain about having to drive it. At least I know that they will be happy that they get their regular truck back. On the down side, it means that they are less likely to report little things that might be wrong.
 
Got my rig back today from my mechanic in Jacksonville after replacing the oil seal, crankcase gasket and valve cover gaskets. Had the valves cleaned and o-rings replaced in my pump and that corrected a little "machine gunning." I ended up with two extra valve cover gaskets, an oil seal and a cylinder head gasket which will come in handy some day as I run two vanguard 18 hp units. All is well again in the land of pressure washing.
 
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