Atco Commodor B17 Stalling

 
Hi....I inherited an Atco Commodor B17 Mower with the house we bought.
It has run fine since last August.
This year, I have noticed it seems slightly noiser(and I mean slightly)
than
last year and seems to struggle through grass when it gets
something like "long".
Yesterday, After up and down the lawn twice, it slowly got slower and
slower
till it stalled.
I  tried to restart it with the pull cord and it nearly broke my
wrist.
The engine seemed to have seized.
After about 15 mins, it "unseized" itself and I was able to start it.
Again, after 3 or 4 times up and down the lawn, it ground to a halt.
Seized
again.
This now is the norm.
From "cold", it will cut for maybe four or five minutes and then
seize.
Someone told me to put 2 stroke oil in the petrol which I have but it
doesn't
seem to have done much to help.
Whats wrong here???????
Why does it seize after a few minutes running and why does it unseize
itself.
Why hasnt it done it for the last 10 months?
Is it the engine itself at fault or perhaps a bearing seizing when it
gets hot?
How can I fix this problem please?
Many thanks in advance.




--
kanewesley

 

OK, the obvious question is...is it out of oil?  It's acting like it's out
of oil.  If the oil level isn't low, maybe it isn't getting circulated
somehow.  I would think a mower would be splash type lube, but maybe it has
an oil pump bad?  Oil line clogged?  -Dave

 
Dave;850924 Wrote:

in message

As Dave said check the oil and/or top it up or replace it with the
correct grade.
And also check it is getting enough cooling air. "Heat seizure" is
pretty common
due to lack of cooling. May also pay to check the spark
plug for the colour at
the tip, as a too lean a fuel mixture can cause
overheating in extreme cases.
Good luck




--
ferrarif360cs

 
ferrarif360cs;850939 Wrote:

replace it with the

common due to lack of cooling. May also pay to check the spark

> plug for the

colour at the tip, as a too lean a fuel mixture can cause

> overheating in

extreme cases.

Thanks......I did check the oil level....it hasn't a dipstick but has
to be
topped up to the lip of the filler cap which is towards the
bottom of the head.
Can't say 100% what the level was but I have drained the original oil
out and
replaced with a universal lawnmower oil from
B&Q.....Performance of the mower
was still the same, stalling / seizing
after a few minutes.

How do I check for air flow around the head??????? I thought as it was
open to
the elements, the ambient air around it would cool it?

Do any of you think the engine is shot?

I wouldn't have thought so as when it is cold, therre is plenty of
compression
and it runs ok for five minutes.

What if the piston rings were badly worn?.....if the rings were in good
condition and the piston expanded, only the ring would have contact with
the
barrel and would still run.
If the rings say were worn down, and the piston expanded with heat, we
now have
the full surface area of the piston in contact with the barrel
and it may cause
so much drag, it stalls the engine.

Is this feasable or am I talking crap !!!!




--
kanewesley

 
kanewesley;850987 Wrote:

a dipstick but has to

towards the bottom of

and replaced with a universal lawnmower oil from

> B&Q.....Performance of the

mower was still the same, stalling / seizing

to the elements, the ambient air around it would cool it?

compression and it runs ok for five minutes.

condition and the piston expanded, only the ring would have contact with

> the

barrel and would still run.

have the full surface area of the piston in contact with the barrel

> and it may

cause so much drag, it stalls the engine.

I had to pull up a pic of your mower (hope I got the right one) I
assume it is a
common old briggs motor (fixed a few but usually bomb
proof). The cooling is a
forced air type, there are fins on the
flywheel behind the recoil starter, and
this is enclosed in a metal
shield that bolts to the engine. It is a long shot
however I have known
grass to build up in this shield and the cylinder barrel
fins and
effectively block the forced air cooling. I do admit it is a long shot
but it certainly sounds like a heat seize problem. It may pay to remove
any
drive belts to the roller/cylinder blades, this may eliminate a
transmission
problem. Apart from these idea I must admit I feel
stumped.




--
ferrarif360cs