Some Trouble with the 782
 

Was finishing up mowing last Friday and stopped the mower to start the grill. When I returned to the mower, it started and ran fine for about 10 minutes, then smoke started billowing out from under the hood. Ugh! Ran it only for a couple minutes more to park it, then shut it down. Opened the hood to find oil pooled on top of the engine.

This 782 has over 2900 hours on the meter. It's a K-17 series II. Before this, it would puff a very small amount of smoke on start-up, but never while running.

I haven't tore into it yet, but am thinking blown head gasket.

What would be your initial thoughts?

Did you try starting it up and see where the oil is coming from ?? That may be the place to start , but make sure you check the oil first !!

The only thing that comes to mind on top of the engine is the valve covers , especially the valve cover with the rubber tube going to the breather.

Check the oil and start it and let us know what you see.

Blown head gaskets don't puke oil.

Fair enough--that makes sense.

I'll start it up when I get home tonight (after checking oil level) and see if I can find the source of the leak.

Thanks!

Checked the oil level last night before starting; empty. Put oil in, started it up, yet couldn't tell where oil was leaking.

Pulled it around into the shed and turned it off. Removed top/front heat shield and loosened side shields enough to see down alongside and in rear of engine.

Started engine again and could see oil down at the rear base of the engine, near the starter. It looked like the oil is getting to the flywheel, then being flung up and around everywhere. Earlier, when I reported oil on top of the engine, it was probably directed there by the shields coming off the flywheel.

Regardless, this is a repair I cannot make. Looks like I'll be hunting for another mower to finish up my mowing season (1 month, LOL).

Does this sound like a rear engine seal gone bad? Opinions?

Stanton, pics would help us. You can make that repair, it is not that difficult. I'm amazed that that engine is still running with 2900 hours on it. Good job on the up keep of it.
All you need to do is remove 4 bolts, disconnect the drive shaft, wires on the motor after you mark them and pull the motor out. Then just remove some engine tins and go purchase a cheap $10 harmonic balance puller or borrow one from the local auto parts store and remove the flywheel. It really isn't that hard and we are here to walk you through the process. Good luck!

Sounds like a rear seal, they are not all that hard to change. Pull the engine and the mounting plate together, make it easier to get the engine out. If the engine has 2900 hours it's well past do for some tlc.

If you don't want to repair it I'm sure someone on here will haul it off for you...:)

After a trip to the local small engine repair shop (ouch!), got the mower back and was running very rough. Shop mentioned that the intake air manifold gaskets were probably the culprit. I appreciated his advice, but wasn't impressed with his re-assembly. Needless to say, for the money I spent, I'd been ahead to buy a nice cherry picker and do the work myself (I know, I know, you all said as much).

Irregardless, I bought the two gaskets and while the manifold/carb was off, I disassembled the carb and gave it a thorough cleaning, checked the fuel pump, replaced the fuel line from the pump to the carb and cleaned the manifold. Replaced all then fired her up. VAROOOOM! Running smooth now. Finished the work about 9:30PM last evening (well after dark) but did a test run mowing a few strips, then thought, "Heck, it's supposed to rain tomorrow anyway." I just continued mowing for the next hour or so, finished up about 10:45PM. Sure the neighbors appreciated it. :Boohoo:

Only thing was that after running it for that time, I shut it down, then tried re-starting it. While cranking, a white plume of smoke came out of muffler; unusual. It finally started and cleared up. What could have made it smoke like that?