pfrederi 20,998 #1 Posted Tuesday at 06:45 PM Loaned a Charger 12 to my nephew a year and half ago. Came home yesterday piston does not go up and down any more. He didn't hear anything. Guess I have a new project. Got the engine off the tractor draining, it no glittery stuff in the oil. Will be interesting to see inside. 1 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 47,775 #2 Posted Tuesday at 07:07 PM (edited) Rod broke about an inch under the wrist pin. Edited Tuesday at 07:07 PM by squonk 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 80,089 #3 Posted Tuesday at 08:00 PM 1 hour ago, pfrederi said: piston does not go up and down any more. Can you push it by hand or hammer? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 12,699 #4 Posted Tuesday at 08:46 PM So it did not "ventilate" the block? No sudden "oil everywhere" bath? You may have gotten lucky.... Maybe... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Wrencher 6,903 #5 Posted yesterday at 10:47 AM Looks like a good winter project Paul! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 17,495 #6 Posted yesterday at 11:02 AM Piston does not move, but does the crankshaft turn at all? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 20,998 #7 Posted yesterday at 04:56 PM Piston was TDC when I opened it and engine spun freely. I pushed it down now things don't move. No vents in the block tonight should be able to flip it over take the oil pan off and look at the damage Valves are working 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 20,998 #8 Posted 6 hours ago Good news no holes in the block Small chunk chipped out of cylinder end Obviously oil related failure. Now do I blame nephew?? How long would an engine have to run to get this bad. I got her in 2016 and she was on snow plow duty then went to my brother also some snow pow duty (2019). Came home to me after 4 years when my brother went to long term care. He didn't use it much and I used to make sure there was oil in it when I visited...But don't think it was changed very often. Nephew got it in spring 2025 mowed half acre that year and this year up until late June. He say he didn't hear anything. Sorry but I don't like it when a machine breaks because of an oil issue... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 17,205 #9 Posted 5 hours ago I’ve seen two B&S engines with oil pumps fail from low oil. Years apart, but both were mowing sideways on sloped lawns so probably the oil intakes lost contact with the low oil in the sump. My guess in both cases is that from the point where the oil level stopped providing adequate lubrication until part seizure was a minute or so. In both cases I saw, the engines had been running around 10 minutes from startup but had transitioned from level to slope only a minute or so before seizing. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 47,775 #10 Posted 4 hours ago My "Shelf of Shame." 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
