# 20 HP Briggs V-Tek Blow By



## Danhammel

I bought a White 2055 with a brand new (never started) 20 hp vtek. The man had the engine mostly installed and quit on it. I got it hooked up and it started, but it has SERIOUS blow by. It doesn't smoke, but oil is flying out of the breather tube under the air filter as well as the dip stick tube. I don't know if he put a short block or long block in it. I have only ran it for a few minutes as I don't have the fuel pump working yet, so I'm gravity feeding fuel from a temporary can.


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## jhngardner367

Welcome to the forum!It's possible that the blowby is due to the rings not being seated,yet.How is the oil level.Could it be overfull?If not,try to run it for 5-10 minutes,to seat the rings,unless it gets too messy,or loses too much oil.The other possibility,is that the rings have all the end gaps in the same position,OR the rings were installed wrong(upside down/wrong groove).See if it settles out after it runs a bit.If not ,pull it down,and check the rings,or try to get it warranted.


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## Danhammel

*20 hp Briggs*

The oil level is a little low. It didn't have any oil in it when I got it. I put 1.5 qts in it. Rumor has it, the engine was purchased 4 or 5 years ago. One person thaught it could be head gaskets... As I said "I don't know if he bought a long block or a short block." Running it for a few minutes is very messy.


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## jhngardner367

OK,it sounds as though the rings have not expanded,and may be stuck in the grooves.Try this:Remove the sparkplugs,and rotate the engine to bottom dead center.Spray in some PB Blaster,or auto trans fluid,and let it set overnight,then roll it over with the starter,to clear the cylinders.Install the plugs,and see if it stops the blow-by.If it slows it or stops it,let the engine run until warm.If not,repeat it.A blown head gasket won't cause blow-by,into the crankcase,so check the breather valve to see if it's stuck.


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## dangeroustoys56

Yeah something isnt right - sounds like its building too much pressure up in the motor, causing the oil to come out.

The PB blaster trick works - i use it on all my clunker tractors i drag home - pull the plug, spray a liberal amount in the combustion chamber, let it soak a bit, then spray some more and turn the motor over by hand- if the rings are sticky from sitting- the PB blaster will help loosen em up.


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## TecumsehBriggs

Since it's unknown what the previous owner did, remove the pistons & clean the grooves out, then reinstall the rings. A good trick I learned many years ago is not to discard the old rings right away. You use use them as a scaper by breaking one in half, then use it to clean inside the grooves (wear a glove). Gets all the carbon out so the new rings can expand as they should.


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## jhngardner367

I don't think that there would be any carbon in the grooves,TB.He said it had sat for 4 years,but had never been started,and was new.I'm still leaning toward a stuck breather valve,or piston rings not sealing properly.I just received a new replacement engine,from Briggs,and it's doing the same thing.Briggs rep says it's a 2yr old "shelfer",and needs to seat the rings.


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## dangeroustoys56

Thing that gets me is its a 'brand new' motor - thats sat for who knows how long. You might want to crack the motor open and double check everything anyway - like mentioned if the whole thing is new and he used old parts inside.... to be safe id take it apart and start over......

If you need the tractor soon, you might want to locate a running motor to swap on it , then work on the v tek.


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## Danhammel

I pulled the motor and removed the pistons. The ring grooves were not lined up and the bore as well as the pistons were beautiful. ( This process did confirm a short block. ) I removed the cam and looked at the begining of the PCV system (under the breather). It looks just like the parts "blow up" on Jackssmallengines.com. We only ran it for a few minutes before we tore it down...so...since no one can find anythng wrong...I guess I'll out it back together and see what happens. 

The breather valve seems to be a very simple box with a one way (flapper) valve. I doubt it is the culpit. When oil was blowing out the breather tube...I threw a shop towel over the breather tube and oil started to come out of the dip stick tube.

I am planning on covering the floor with cat litter and hope the rings will seat before my eyes.......You can't believe how much oil it was bowing.


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## jhngardner367

*rings*

Hey,DanHammel,check the rings as you put them on,to make sure the bevels/steps on the inside/outside edges face UP.OR,they may have a dot on them.I pulled this one(the shelfer)down,too,and 2 of the rings were on wrong.B/S is gonna get an earful,on this one!


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## Danhammel

*20 HP V-Tek Blow By*

I put the engine back together and it still is huffing HUGE amount of oil out of the breather/PCV tube. I ran it for about a half hour and I'm not getting any blue smoke. I think I can now rule out the pistons. The breather is a triangular reed valve mounted under the carb. Under the breather there is 2 holes in the block. One is for the bolt to hold the breather on and the other is open (apx. 3/8") Should there be drain back holes on either side as well? Since the engine is new...could be that these holes were not drilled? How can I find out?


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## jhngardner367

Post some pics,if possible,as well as the engine model#,type #,Code #s.


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## Danhammel

OK...I fixed it!! Believe it or not...It was the valve cover gaskets. I had been running the engine without the valve covers being installed propery because I hadn't adjusted the valves yet. I installed the gaskets and the factory fuel pump and WA LA...No more oil out the breather. I wish I had tried this before I removed the engine, tore it down and spent $40 bucks on gaskets. I hope this helps someone else.


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