# B&S 281707 blowing oil via filler.



## Ron Young (Feb 14, 2019)

My B&S model 281707 was running well when last used 2-3 years ago. I recently changed the oil (correct oil level) and started up. It ran briefly with some white smoke then stopped. I pulled the oil filler and found oil still blowing out in large bubbles. After some settling time, I disconnected the plug lead and turned it over by the pull cord, twice. The oil level rose from normal on the dipstick to quite high. Removed the breather, found it seemed OK. I turned it over again with carb. and breather off and it still pushed the oil level up. Thinking there could be a blockage between crankcase and breather, I dipped a straw into the small hole (shown) and came up with oil. Am I only left with something like stuck rings?


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

_ I would suspect a stuck compression ring if your oil blowing started after prolonged storage._


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## Ron Young (Feb 14, 2019)

Oh, bummer. And does that happen from sitting?


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Yes, when you store a engine for the season it is a good idea to use fogging oil in the spark plug hole to keep the rings from sticking. Take a mix of 50% acetone and 50% automatic transmission fluid (cheapest you can find) and squirt it in the spark plug hole and roll the engine over with the key off to distribute the penetrating solution. Use lots of the solution, it has to soak the piston and compression rings. Give it a couple of days, then remove the spark plug, ground the spark plug cable so it cannot produce a spark, and crank the engine over to clear the penetrating solution. Put the plug back, connect, and start it and let it run at a fast idle for about ten minutes. You may need starting fluid to get it to start. It will smoke for a bit, but it should clear itself and be good to go if the rings are going to free themselves without you having to pull the piston.


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## Ron Young (Feb 14, 2019)

Oh, OK. That sounds interesting. I'll get those things together after the weekend and give it a try.


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## Ron Young (Feb 14, 2019)

I think I've had success, although I can only get it to start on Aerostart, then cut out. It will do this repeatedly but won't run. However, after doing this a number of times, I don't have oil blowing out of the filler, so I'm hoping your advice has unstuck the ring. 
I guess I need to go over the fuel system. I've only got as far as loosening the fuel hose at the carb, and there is fuel flowing there. Maybe a blocked jet? I'm cautious about removing the bowl as I think that would interfere with that main mixture screw


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

if your red motor has a combination mixture screw and bowl retaining nut, if you carefully undo the bowl retaining nut, you wont have a problem, eventually you will have to readjust the high speed screw to most likely balance the engine running at high idle.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Your carburetor is likely quite gummed up internally if it was stored with gas in the carburetor. For the homeowner mechanic I recommend picking up a can of the Berryman's Chem Dip and soak the carburetor for four hours. That product will dissolve most of the crud, but internal passages may require considerable additional cleaning, which requires removal of jets, etc., and using a non-foaming carburetor cleaner like the product Honda sells in their motorcycle shops.
Before you start soaking the carburetor, make sure you can find a kit for it. Otherwise it may be more cost effective to simply get a new replacement carburetor.
Whatever you do, do not grab your compressor air hose and try to blow the carburetor passages clean. Use of high pressure air can dislodge passage blocks in the end of the passage drillings, and ruin the carburetor. Camera and keyboard canned air is okay to use.


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## Ron Young (Feb 14, 2019)

Thanks for that. I've now dismantled the carb and cleaned it, being careful not to alter any settings, including float level. Haven't yet fitted it back on, but I wonder could you tell me what this material is in the photo? Does it belong there?


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## Ron Young (Feb 14, 2019)

As always, one thing leads to another. The starter motor would not get up enough RPM to engage, so I pulled it down. Comparing to videos online, it seemed in pretty good nick, so I cleaned and lubricated it; seems to have had 25 year old gum in the bearings/bushes and now it's like new again. Put everything back together, and I can now say "problem solved". It did start up with a fair amount of smoke, but that has cleared up. Many thanks to you RC Wells for steering me toward freeing up that ring, it worked great. Thanks also FredM re the carb bowl. I pulled down and reassembled carefully and haven't even needed to adjust any settings.


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