[Joe Baring]

Hello I have a Briggs and Stratton 32000 series that has been recently rebuilt. (new piston/rings) It runs amazing except for a small tick coming from the engine. The tick is very soft and I can't hear it and once revved up it only is noticeable at idle. It does not seem to be coming from the valves, but I could be wrong. I am not really worried about it because it is not very loud. Is this just something these older Briggs and Stratton engines do or should I be worried. I would show you a video, but the mic won't pick it up. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

 

[jcp7hp]

Well without a video not much can be done unfortunately. The tick could be coming from the valves, piston, bottom end, camshaft, anything. There is just too many moving parts in the engine to guess what it could be...

It very well may just be valve noise. I thought my penncraft with a 7hp briggs was ticking and going to blow, sounded like it was coming from the piston. I was super worried, then I realised it was just the recoil not tightened down enough. Noises can come from somewhere and sound far away from that somewhere.

My suggestion to you is to post a youtube video and insert the link here. That is how most folks upload videos here.

Keep us updated. Thanks

 

[Joe Baring]

Well without a video not much can be done unfortunately. The tick could be coming from the valves, piston, bottom end, camshaft, anything. There is just too many moving parts in the engine to guess what it could be...

It very well may just be valve noise. I thought my penncraft with a 7hp briggs was ticking and going to blow, sounded like it was coming from the piston. I was super worried, then I realised it was just the recoil not tightened down enough. Noises can come from somewhere and sound far away from that somewhere.

My suggestion to you is to post a youtube video and insert the link here. That is how most folks upload videos here.

Keep us updated. Thanks

My ticking just turned into a knock so I now know it is the rod bearing thank you for your help!

 

[jcp7hp]

My ticking just turned into a knock so I now know it is the rod bearing thank you for your help!

That’s a Shame. Please keep this thread updated with your findings when you go to repair the engine. Curious to see the issue. Best of luck.

 

[EricFromPa]

Put a new rod in it. I'm betting that someone installed the connecting rod the wrong way or forgot to install the oil slinger on the end of the rod.

This oil hole should always face toward the Camshaft.

 

[Joe Baring]

I will defiantly update this thread with my findings and pictures! Here is the video of the knock although it may be difficult to hear unfortunately. Thank you ericfrompa for your help on the connection rod. I did not know about that oil hole and will check to see if it is on the right side. Although if its not the crank is probably worn still. If it is a rod knock I will replace the connection rod with a .10 undersized and have the crankshaft machined to match .10 under. I will update this thread with my findings. Thanks for your help! Link for tractor knock

 

[jcp7hp]

I will defiantly update this thread with my findings and pictures! Here is the video of the knock although it may be difficult to hear unfortunately. Thank you ericfrompa for your help on the connection rod. I did not know about that oil hole and will check to see if it is on the right side. Although if its not the crank is probably worn still. If it is a rod knock I will replace the connection rod with a .10 undersized and have the crankshaft machined to match .10 under. I will update this thread with my findings. Thanks for your help! Link for tractor knock

Definitely a rod knock. Good luck 👍

 

[EricFromPa]

Or the coil is loose and is whacking the magnet. Or the flywheel is loose. Seen both of those happen on a couple engines and both sound like a slight rod knock. Check all of the stupid simple things 1st before taking the engine back apart. Engine sounds smooth and healthy other than that.

 

[Joe Baring]

Uh oh I looked inside and checked the bore and pistons this is what I found. I do not think this much wear should be there. What do you think. I am not able to see if the rod is bad because it is so slightly worn that I am not able to see or feel it. Also ericfrompa you were correct the reason there was a rod knock was because the rod was installed with the hole facing away from the cam shaft. I just can't see the wear. There is also a tiny amount of slop between the cam gear and crankshaft gear is that an issue? I do not know how bad this wear is on the piston and cylinder, but maybe you can tell me thanks!

 

[EricFromPa]

It's ok if the cam has a tiny bit of movement between the gears.Most all small engines do. If they were tight, when the engine heats up it could bind up and break something.

Ouch. Rod is probibly hurt. Is it slightly discolored on the big end? You should be able to see a few tiny spots on the Rod journal where the aluminum overheated and started to peal and stick to the crank journal especially around the oil hole on the rod. Lucky you took it apart before the aluminum rod galled fast to the crank journal and blew up.



Throw another $135 ebay rebuild kit in it? Briggs and Stratton Cast Iron 14-16 hp rebuild, NEW | eBay

Piston could be slightly defective. It's possible that the skirt is slightly larger/wider than the rest of the piston. I've had a few aftermarket pistons that needed a bit of work done to them. It's common to get 1 with a bit of flashing left on them. It's a seem from being in a mold that did not get ground down. I've also had a couple with flashing in the ring lands especially in the oil ring, ring land where the oil holes are.

If you decide to get another aftermarket piston for it, check the new one with a Caliper. You might have to take some material off of the skirt to make it the same size as the top of the piston. You might have to take a belt sander to the piston like I had to do with a cheap aftermarket kit that I bought a few years ago. I had one that was really badly deformed around the skirt. It's like they took it out of the mold before it fully hardened. Looked ok but you could feel rippled and uneven it was with your finger.

You are better off buying NOS Briggs parts or reusing your old piston and rod with a fresh set of rings on it, (if it didn't knock) than you are buying aftermarket parts.

 

[Joe Baring]

Thanks you for your detailed help ericfrompa! I really appreciate it! I guess my game plan is to machine the crank 10 under and buy a rod to match. (just to be safe) Then I will hone the bore (The scratches are not deep at all) and buy a new piston/rings for it. I will also make sure the piston has no ridges and the connecting rod is installed with the oil hole facing the camshaft. Thanks guys for all your help and have a great day!

 

[KennyP]

I'd buy that rod before any machining! It might be at the wrong of the spec.

 

[WNYTractorTinkerer]

I agree with Kenny. Always have the piston on hand to give to the machinist so they can get the bore clearance correct. I would go +.010" at least. How is the crank journal? If there is aluminum you can dissolve it with some muriatic acid. I had a small bottle for years but when I looked for it last year I ended up buying a gallon jug (It's used for flooring work) to remove the burr from the crank on my latest rebuild. (20 HP Vangard) The crank did have minimal wear so I cleaned it up with some 600 and a small file to keep things straight. Plasti-gage can be bought in auto parts stores to check your crank to rod clearance..

That motor looks sweet and definitely deserves some love as long as the tractor is still in good shape..

 

[oldiron]

I've got an old 3410 that I bought cheap at an auction about 20 years ago with a stuck motor.
I think I gave $80 for it but it was complete and unmolested with a deck and tiller.
I pulled the engine thinking I was going to do a full overhaul.
Around that same time I had bought a 7116H that needed less work so the 3410 became less important.
The cylinder and piston were in similar shape to yours.
I ran a ball hone through the cylinder, made sure any galling was cleaned up, I polished the crank journal with some oil and emery paper, and sanded the rod journal smooth again. I sanded piston skirt smooth, just enough to take down any high spots, cleaned the rings and ring lands real well, and put it back together. I didn't even buy gaskets, I just glued up what I had there with some High Tack spray. I did replace the output crankshaft seals. Its been fine ever since. I used it for 8 years as my main mower in PA, finally bringing it here and using it as my garden tiller and winter snow plow machine til a few year ago when I bought a 3416H that took its place.
I'd measure the bore and the piston and see if it had enough clearance to begin with. That sort of damage is from lack of lube, or overheated parts that expanded to the point they began to seize. The rod being in wrong will certainly do it.
On mine, the rod was fine, the last owner just ran it out of oil. It likely hadn't had an oil change in decades before I got it.

Those motors are tough as nails and can survive all sorts of issues. I had a 16hp in a 7016 that had a rattle for years, I plowed my 1/4 acre garden with it for years, I figured that one day it would just go bang and quit but it kept running, I finally sold it with the property 12 years ago. The new owner dumped it after one season of mowing grass. I saw it listed on CL there a few years ago with no motor in it. I emailed him and he told me it was worn out and making noise. I told him it sounded like that for the 10 years or more that I had it.
It ran with a rather substantial rattle or knock for years. The guy I bought it from said it overheated due to grass build up in the motor fins one super hot day and it made noise ever since. He said he dumped it after he heard the engine noise.
The guy he sold it to replaced the carb, drive discs, points, and starter then listed it for free on CL. It ran so perfect when I got it despite the knock I just kept running it. The rest of the tractor was rough so I wasn't too concerned about it. I didn't expect it to last, but it did just fine without spending anything on it. Guys would here it and cringe thinking it was about to blow up, but it just kept going. To me, it sounded like wrist pin noise or a sloppy piston skirt clearance but it didn't use any oil and it made good power. .