# Generator engine problems - 10hp Briggs & Stratton



## nichols (May 17, 2006)

Guys - having a few problems with a generator, and was hoping the small engine expertise here might be able to share some brain trust. I also posted this over on lawnsite - I apologize for those of you reading twice.

The motor on the generator is a 10HP B&S motor. The generator hasn't been run in ~7 years, so before I started it up this weekend during the widespread Massachusetts power outages, I drained the fuel tank and put in fresh gas, drained the oil for fresh oil, and replaced the spark plug.

It actually fired right up within a couple of pulls, but about 10-15 seconds later it belched a ton of white smoke. This got better quickly, so I let it run. It ran fine for about 15-20 minutes, and then started blowing greyish white smoke about once every 15 seconds or so, and I noticed it was puking oil out of the crankcase vent tube.

Research in various threads here and on lawnsite tells me that I'm getting a ton of crankcase pressure, so it seems I'm probably replacing rings. But, I also saw a couple of cases where carb problems seemed to produce excessive crankcase pressure. If it was the carb, I'd expect that it'd be really hard to start and it wouldn't run smoothly, and then belch smoke, and then run smoothly again.

Any suggestions before I yank the motor out to pop the top end off to try replacing the rings? Half of me is ready to buy a brand new motor for ~$375 shipped, but I can't imagine there's all that much to these things...


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## Snowaway (Sep 10, 2008)

did it turn smooth the first time you pulled the cord ?


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## sechracer (Nov 4, 2007)

Mix a little sea foam in the gas, and drop a tiny bit into the cylinder and fire it up, it will smoke for a minute due to the sea foam in the cylinder but should clear up somewhat quickly. The seafoam will help clean the carb out and make sure everything is lubed up nice.


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## nichols (May 17, 2006)

It did turn over smooth the first time I pulled the cord, and the one thing I forgot to mention is that I sprayed a small amount of PB Blaster into the cylinder to potentially free it up if it was a ring problem.

I haven't tried Seafoam in the carb or gas, but I did add a little Marvel's into the (second) fresh oil change I did tonight when I had a chance to work on it again. I've heard of Seafoam before - where would you find it?

Also, just to add some more information I overlooked, the engine is model number 19G412, type 1180 E2.


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## go plow (Dec 14, 2004)

i had the same problem with mine, needs a carb, but the engine has been discontinued, i replaced the motor with a new one and under a year i need another motor but once again briggs discontinued the new motor they sent me ,now they have a 13hp to replace the old 10hp.... mine would blow white smoke so bad that i couldnt even see my truck (it was on my sander) then it would run nice and smooth for about ten min, and blow smoke, the dealer didnt believe me at the time so i let it run outside the shop, one guy came running in saying that the truck was on fire lol


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## tschorer (May 2, 2009)

*Simpler solution, perhaps*

This thread comes up when a "briggs generator oil smoke" is entered in a search engine.

Thanks for all the information, it really put me on the right track to a solution! If someone else stumbles upon this thread and has similar symptoms, Engine smokes badly, oil leaking from carb, the solution is simple.(briggs 8hp generator in this case)

I overfilled my crankcase with oil. I had tilted the gen to pour in the oil, making it all too easy to over-fill.

I thought the engine was kaput....Thick white smoke from the muffler(smoke for 15 seconds, runs good for a minute), oil pouring out from the carb. I assumed a cracked head, blown rings etc. But it's the breather! Your crankcase has too much oil and it's being forced out the breather tube, which dumps oil onto the air filter directly in front of the carb....smoke and leaking oil!
Remove the air filter and discard, drain half the oil from crankcase, spray starting fluid into carb, turn switch to "on", pull starter enjoy engine purring cleanly if not quietly(go online and order new filter). Total cost of repair(new filter!) $11.

Thanks for the info, I take back every bad thing I said about plow-guys this past winter!


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

Might try a general search too on the INTERNET when you have a problem with something. It is truly incredible the information that is out there. From replacing your ball joints to making sour dough bread.


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## tschorer (May 2, 2009)

*thanks*

What a great idea, you're a genius! In fact, that's just what I did, and the link that came up when I searched the INTERNET was THIS ONE. Maybe you thought I was just paging through snowplow sites for generator info?
Now when someone else searches the INTERNET for "Briggs generator oil smoke", "replacing ball joints" or "sourdough bread" they'll find your incredibly valuable suggestion.
perhaps last winters assessment of plow drivers was accurate after all...


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

Dude, this site is here to help you. Most people are not as SMART as you ! I just give general information and try to educate people. This is the point of SITES like this. The info is out there, in a book, a site or a mind, find it. I could care less if you get upset.


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## tschorer (May 2, 2009)

MickiRig1;779678 said:


> Dude, this site is here to help you. Most people are not as SMART as you ! I just give general information and try to educate people. This is the point of SITES like this. The info is out there, in a book, a site or a mind, find it. I could care less if you get upset.


Dude,
Go back and read your post and tell me you were trying to be helpful or educate. You were trying to be a smartass, and you scored 50%.
Being helpful is creating an account on a website, posting a comment that might be beneficial to others who perform the same search, and giving kudos to the people who provided info.
And while I wouldn't presume to be smarter than most, I have solid evidence that I'm smarter than ONE.
you're a credit to your profession, and this board, dude.

you sir, may have the last word, as I am done...the door shall not hit me in the ass on the way out.


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