Briggs and Stratton

The mower blows a considerable amount of blue smoke on start up and has done from the second time I started it. I have taken it back to the repair shop where I purchased it and they reckon there is no problem and I had to take it back! In my opinion, there is an issue with the oil control rings but Masport and Briggs and Stratton don't want to know about it. I own several Briggs and Stratton powered products and they are quite old and they do not blow smoke on start up!

I have a B&S generator with just over 200 hours of use. The engine has been well maintained with scheduled part replacements. The engine, while running, started to spew oil and was quickly shut down. It has been in the repair shop since. Briggs and Stratton has dragged its feet in making a determination for compensation. I've been waiting for weeks. This company used to be a standard for American quality. No more and never again for me.

The Cub Cadet mower is owned and operated by my grandmother. She is 73 years old and makes sure everything she owns is maintained and kept up to its greatest potential. The mower has now got oil running straight out of the mower. My father has talked to several ones that he works with that have the same mower and the exact problem. I understand that some people are rough and don't take care of things like they should; however, my grandmother is not that way. She now has the weight on her shoulders to get another mower which she should not have to do.

I feel this mower that she bought brand new several years ago should be at great working potential, but now she has a good looking mower that has been well kept with a sorry motor. I want to know if there is any help that you can give her, even if it means you replacing the motor. I would appreciate whatever you can do for her. If you were to actually see the mower, you would know that it has been well kept and this was not her fault nor should it have this problem. Thank you!

Generac will not answer my response so I am sending this to Briggs & Stratton that owns Generac. I purchased my Guardian 20 KW on 12/29/2008 from Blossman Butane in Crystal Springs, MS. On 7/31/2010 I had to have the Generac Guardian battery charger replaced and battery. Luckily it was covered by warranty because Dent Air Conditioning Co in Jackson, MS charged $1,163.73. The serviceman informed me that the charger has gone bad and killed the battery. He stated I could look to have to replace this battery every 2 years. Well, this month, February 2012, the battery died again. This is totally unacceptable. I recently retired with 34 years in the military and I believe in a maintenance program. I have just recently past my 3-year warranty period. I can't even get a response out of Generac. Is there anything you can do to assist me?

I purchased a chipper/shredder with a Briggs and Stratton engine from Lowe's for $800. Ten minutes into the first use, the engine quit and gas poured out of it. I returned it to Lowe's, where it sat for two weeks before it was sent to a repair facility in another state. It was there for three more weeks when they finally decided to diagnose the problem as "stale fuel."

From my own research, I have found that stale fuel cannot damage a carburetor to the extent that it needs replacement within a ten-minute use period. Leaving the machine to sit for five weeks may have resulted in stale fuel but the fuel I put into my chipper was not stale as I used the same can of fuel for my 10-year old tractor and 8-year old leaf blower--and both are functioning just fine! So how is it that the same fuel ruined a brand new chipper in ten minutes? They refuse to honor the warranty and want $120 to replace the carburetor that was defective when I purchased it.

I purchased a Hustler zero turn mower with a B&S 21 hp single cylinder engine and 48-inch cut. I like everything about the mower except the engine. B&S clams it is 21 hp, but it bogs down in 1 1/2 weeks of yard growth. In the first year of usage, the balancer came apart, cracked the crank case housing, and the engine had to be replaced. When going up an incline in my yard and under load, numerous times it has dumped oil in the cylinder and put out thick clouds of smoke. And the oil level is correct. On the internet, this engine is referred to as the dime store engine.

I purchased a Yard Machines 746SRL riding mower with a Briggs and Stratton model 31000 OHV motor on 7/2/2008. It has been used to mow my 1 acre yard since and has never been used commercially. It was always parked indoors and I changed oil / filters 3 or four times per year. This week the engine quit working - it had a bent push rod / crankshaft (ruined motor) according to the mechanic. This short, three year lifespan is astounding. Apparently, B&S is now building their products for a sharply defined, planned and just beyond warranty lifespan.

In March of 2007, I purchased a new Snapper ZTR mower with a 21 hp Briggs and Stratton Vanguard engine. I experienced problems with drive belts braking, attributed to vibration in the engine causing the belts to rub and brake. In May 2008, the engine dropped a valve, busted a piston, scarred the cylinder, messed up the head. Briggs warranted the motor. It had 160 hours. It was replaced with a 23 hp Vanguard. My belt problem stopped. I believed the first engine was bad from the factory.

In August 2010, the second engine dropped a valve. It didn't bust a piston or head, just dinged them up. I contacted Briggs about the problem. This engine has 250 hours, Briggs was no help. My engine was considered out of warranty back to 2007 instead of 2010. They also didn't want to warranty because we used the mower to do some commercial cutting and the mower is not considered a "commercial" mower even though it is the same mower as the "Pro" model except the Pro has a Kohler engine. That's two engines, two dropped valves, 250 hours or less on both. Apparently, that is all a Briggs is expected to last. If they are not for commercial use, they shouldn't have commercial on them.

I have a Murray 22" push mower with the 6.0 hp Briggs Stratton engine in it, mod#12h 802-2384 b1. The gas tanks on these unit fail at a high rate, pouring gas on to frame and sometimes the muffler area. It almost went up in fire 2 or 3 times. This is not safe. I went on the internet to check. It seems to be a lot of people mad at Briggs Stratton.

We purchased a Briggs and Stratton the end of September 2008. We used it 4 times and stored it in the garage. We use it the following spring March 2009 and it would not start. Finally, we got it running only to have it conk out right away. I took it back to Wal-Mart after being told they could only exchange for the same machine but this took a lot of arguing back and forth before they even would do an exchange. Next, lawnmower ran about 4 times, and then started acting up just like the first one.

I called Wal-Mart. They said bring it in and we will take a look. They changed it out for another one same model and make. Again, this 3rd lawnmower did the same thing but since it was an in-store exchange done more than 2 times, they told me I needed to still do an exact product exchange. Okay, now I am on my 3th one in 2 years and this one is doing the same thing. It only takes about 60 pulls to get it to stay running. They sent it in to the repair shop and it ran good at first but now. What a joke!

An engine on my sears lawn mower lasted 2 1/2 mowing seasons on centipede grass. Briggs says the breather is the reason fore pulling oil into the carburetor. Negative oil chamber failure. I have never heard of such a thing. My gas line from the tank was totally collapsed or rotted or imploded. two mechanics later and much expense and hard ache & replacing that engine.

My family purchased a Briggs and Stratton Elite Series Pressure Washer in August of 2006 for about $300. My father used it once for an hour and then stored it properly for the winter. In the summer of 2007 I got it out of storage for use and put all the proper fluids back in it. I ran it for 30 minutes and it died out, ran out of gas. I put more gas in it and the pull cord will not pull out further than perhaps a foot. I take it to a hardware store to look at it to tell me what the problem is and they say the motor seized. I take it to a warranty dealer and explain that's impossible it was full of oil before I ran it.

After a month of calling the warranty center and the company they finally discovered the motor seized because the carbon ring collapsed causing it to go through all the oil and so seizing the engine. The warranty center gave me a new engine. I then stored it for the winter. This summer of 2008 I pull it out of storage again fill it with fluids and it won't start it won't roll over at all. I go back to the hardware store and they say the carborator needed to be cleaned also it needed a new spark plug, new air filter and a new air filter gasket $60 parts and labor. I take it home get it started and there is no water pressure, the outlet pipe on the pump under the motor has an inch long crack in it. I order a new pipe from Briggs and Stratton online $20.

I put it together and it finally runs with good water pressure. It runs for 10-15 minutes and then I heard a metal sound and looked to see the unit was smoking under the motor above the pump with a burning rubber smell. It still has oil and fluids in it. I take it a part to look at the unit and see nothing wrong or obviously out of place. I put it back together and start it again. It runs with no smoking or burning rubber smell but there is now no longer any water pressure. Now there is also a leak in the seal on one of the pipes on the pump itself. The manual says uneven or no pressure is a faulty pump.

I went to Tractor Supply today (where the unit was purchased from) and asked the man working to how much a new pump would be. He looks it up and tells me $275.55 plus shipping cost to send it to the store. Briggsandstratton [online] does not have a contact center for problems or complaints. I'm frustrated and very upset that a unit that was ran perhaps 2 hours in it's 2 year life span has to be entirely replaced. I've gotten the run around about the engine and the man at Tractor Supply told me if I were to purchase this pump there would be no manufacture's warranty on it. I'm writing to you to let you know my experience with this company, also if there is any way for me to be compensated or any recourse for this problem.

I purcdhased a 23 HP B&S engine 48 inch cut riding mower. When I got it home it would not run. I loaded it back on my trailor and took it back and they gave me another one. This was on 6-30-04. On July 5-o4 I had a knee replacement and didn't use the mower my self but one of my maintenance men did and kept telling me it was skiping badley. The next summer I started using the mower and it skiped of and on constantly.

I took it back to Lowes after the Warranty had ran out and they sent it to repair and said they could not find anything wrong with it. I took it to a mower repair shop twice and after spending over $400.00 on it still skiping. I finally tore the eop of the engine down my selp and discovered that the fly whell was completely covered in rust. Most like this was because of the vented hood and the fact that lowes leaves them sitting outside in the rain. I have a enclosed shelter so this was not my fault.

I cleaned up tyhe fly wheel and discovered that one of the plugs was firing sometime and then go for a while not firing so I took it back down and replace the coil. Since that time it seems to be working pretty good. But I had One hell of a 4 years dealing with a $1,800.00 piece of Junk.

i have the ranch king pro with the 18.5 hp v-twim briggs and stratton motor. I filled the gas tank last night preparing to cut the lawn today and i started the motor it ran for a minute or so and i shut it off. I was ready to go in the house the whole front of the engine compartment was blazing it was under a portable canopy and it caught on fire also. now the tractor is a total loss and i am with out a nice lawn tractor. now i am out the cost of a canopy and a lawn tractor. the fuel line is to close to the hot exhaust of the motor and its not designed properly. I am lucky i wasnt hurt or burned from the inferno.

I have a yard machine modeL #11A-506L062 with a Briggs and Stratton engine model #12Q802-0204-B1 and the gas tank leaks. This is not to safe. There should be a recall on this gas tank. If there is a recall nobody knows about it at all.

In March 2007 I purchased a Poulan self-propelled lawnmower. When I unloaded from the box I immediately checked the oil, added 9 to 10 oz of oil, which showed slightly overfull on dipstick, filled with gas. I started the mower and it ran for 10 min and froze up. I contacted the store where I purchased it and they had me take it to a local repair shop.

The mechanic said it was low on oil which caused it to freeze up. I told him that I had serviced it before starting. he stated that I probably got a false reading on oil dipstick due to configuration of oil fill spout. I explained this all to Poulan, they stated it was an engine problem and to contact Briggs & Stratton, I did. I contacted a Mr. John Novy and he stated they have had no complaints about the oil fill spout and sent me an operations manual which I did not receive when I bought the mower, only the one Poulan sends with it, which is very vague.

Now I'm out $350 and no mower because they will not make it good. I feel this is a default in manufacture and Briggs & Stratton should make good. I have challenged them to test the oil fill spout on a completely dry engine, put in 9 to 10 oz of oil and check immediately, they will receive a false reading on the dipstick. Have not heard from them.

I purchased a new Massey Ferguson Lawn Tractor Model#2718H-50 M#356777-0113E1 on 8/8/2003.

Recently, 9/11/2006, the motor would not start or run. My Dealer Sosler's Garden & Farm Equipment Tele#845 374-3621 was contacted and they picked up the tractor to service.

Their findings were a cylinder head required replacing due to an overheating condition caused by nesting & debris within the engines cooling fins. Repairs were made at a cost of $529.97.

The air cooling system was cleaned on a regular basis; however when they disassembled the blower housing additional nesting & debris was found. This was not visual to the eye until the housing was taken apart. Something that a regular consumer is not readily capable of performing.

The nesting occurs when small animals (mice or chipmunks) entered silver dollar size holes built in the rear of the air cleaner body and then work their way into the rubber air intake into the engines air cooling system.

I contacted Briggs & Stratton to complain about the design flaw and apply for both financial relief, remedy to prevent further nesting damage.

Sosler Dealer recommended either exterminating the critters or parking the tractor in our garage instead of the shed. We live in the country, so exterminating is not a guarantee for all rodents that live within the area. The garage could also have mice there too! What next my living room to park the tractor!

A wire shield placed over the air cleaner body holes would prevent the entry, however no one wants to address that issue as it may lead to design flaw issues.

Soslers stated they were unsure if any wire mesh would slow the air flow thus increasing the motors temperature. So they would be reluctant to install such without authorization from Briggs & Stratton.

Briggs & Stratton issued a letter, on 9/22/06, stating The holes in the air cleaner base are designed to allow air into the air cleaner cartridge. It is a sealed assembly. There is no pathway from the air cleaner to the cooling fins and cylinder head, for the rodents to travel. The area that was affected was restricted with debris and nesting material and this caused the engine to overheat.

The engine is designed to have a certain clearance for air flow to travel under the blower housing/shroud and above the cooling fins so that the heat can be disbursed through the air currents. The repairs were warranted and necessary.

Sosler's stated that the letter was faulty in that the rodents could in fact travel from the air filter into the engine cooling fins for nesting. However, since Briggs & Stratton stated in the closing of their letter The repairs were warranted and necessary., That authorized Sosler's to make the repairs, but that it was warranted work to be performed not warranty work, so I would be responsible and the matter closed.

I now mow the lawn, wondering each time if there is any nesting debris hidden behind the blow housing which will again cause overheating and damage. There are no gauges on the tractor to let the owner know if an overheating problem exists. Disassembling the blower housing would take 1-2 hours each time, which is not a process designed for the normal homeowner.

The owners manual has a statement for the Air Cooling System Debris may clog the engines air cooling system. Remove blower housing and clean area shown to prevent overheating and engine damage. No instructions on how to disassemble the blower housing to comply. Brief but the needed relief from responsibility for Briggs & Stratton?

We bought a Troy-bilt 21 HP riding lawn mower in April of 04'. About a month ago it started to smoke, asked several people what they thought it would be, no answer. So we went to Lowe's in Searcy AR where we bought the mower, and asked why it would be smoking, they said it was out of warranty and nothing they could do. We did a oil change and changed the air filter. Still smoked. Took the heads off and realized that the heads had a lot , a lot of carbon built up on them.

Had the heads cleaned and now I find out that Briggs and Stratton motors are known for this problem. Dacus Rentals in Searcy looked at the heads and valves and said that this was not my problem. The way the mower is built for the air filter is the problem. They have 5 engines sitting in a corner waiting for a Briggs and Stratton Rep. to come and look at them. The filter doesn't stop the dust and dirt from getting into the engine like it is suppose to. They told me that basically I was out of luck that my engine is gone.

I was going to have a valve job done on it and found that I'm not the only one with this problem. Coast to Coast has ran into this problem, the guy at a garage that does valve grinding was working on another one, the day I took mine in. If this is such a problem with the way the mower is built why should I have to throw away $3500.00, because Briggs and Stratton aren't living up to their name? Apparently this is a major problem. I want a new engine for my mower or for rather have them buy it back so I can get a good engine.

It took us 5 years to get our yard in shape to be able to use a riding mower. We have 1 1/2 acres and neither one of us can push mow any more. He needs a knee replacement and I have bad knees. We can't afford to go out and buy another riding mower for 3 or 4 grand every two years.

I purchased a huskee lawnmower from Tractor Supply Company with a Briggs and Stratton engine in it in 2001. Three years later it would not start. The authorized briggs and stratton dealer said a valve was stuck and allowing oil to transfer from the crankcase to the carburator therefore losing lubrication for the engine. I had the dealer call a B & G rep in Columbus Ohio and he said he it was not their fault. Now how is it my fault that it happened. I take care of my equipment and even wax my lawnmower. The engine is not made anymore due to emission standards. It will cost me $1000 to repair the engine. I want action from B & G to help me out.

I use my briggs and stratton lawn mower about 4 month before I noticed the gas leaking from the gas tank.I took it apart to find the tank cracked.This is very dangers and does need something done about this.

I own a Briggs & Stratton Pressure Washer and I've had problems with the Pump unit on it. I've had the machine for about 1 1/2 - 2 years before the problem showed up. The pressure side of the pump blew up from a manufacturers defect. I contacted B&S to see what they could do since it's not on a piece of the machine that requires owner servicing.

At first I was told that since the machine was out of warranty, they could not do anything about it. I told them that it was a manufacturers defect and the young lady I spoke to said there was nothing I could do. I aksed to speak to a Customer service representative and was told that there was nothing a supervisor could do for me. I insisted on being put through and the young lady told me that maybe they could pay half of the repair cost and I would pay the other half. I told her that that was unacceptable and again requested to talk to a Customer Service representative. IT did not happen.

NExt day I called again and I requested an email to which I could send pictures of the damage on the machine (bolts broken off at the head and the pressure radiator separated from the pump)and was finally given an email. I called after sending them the pictures to verify that they were received and was put in touch with Mark Meyers (Customer Service). He told me that I was correct and the damage was called a Dead Head. He also told me that the young lady had no right to tell me that B&S would pay half and I would pay the other half.He told me to take my machine to the nearest dealer and have him order the pump for me.

I went to the dealer and he ordered the pump. A Month later (July), I get called by the dealer telling me that the pressure washer is ready for pick-up. I picked up the unit and went home to try it out. When the unit ws turned on, I found a pressure relief valve missing from the pump and it poured water out all over the place. I called Mark and told him that the pump they sent me had no pressure relief valve on it and he assured me one would be sent to me the next day.

I received the valve and installed it. The unit worked fine for 2 uses and the pump again broke but this time at the oil sump side (not an area that requires owners maintenance). I called Mark one more time to let him know and he tells me that there's a defect on the pump from the pump dealer itself. They supposedly were using the wrong size bolt on the pump but had corrected the problem and that he would send me a new pump for me to install. This 2nd call took place on the 7th of november.

I called Mark to verify that he had sent the pump as he told me he would since he said they had some in stock. The pump was not sent the following week so I asked to talk to Mark's Supervisor, Amy. Amy told me that they would send me the pump the 2nd week after I called. Since the pump did not arrive that week, I called Amy again to verify shipment. I told her that since they had not shipped the pump, I would package my unit and send it to her and Mark Insured so that they could repair it for me. She told me not to send her the unit that she would send me a new and up-graded unit. I called her yesterday to verify shipment of the new unit and was told that the unit had left B&S in Wisconsin on the 3rd of December but she could not give me a tracking number. I asked her to get me a tracking number and she said she would go down to shipping and see about getting me a tracking number and she would call me back in an hour. At this time, she has not called me and when I call her, it's Long Distance.

I have been lied to several times by the fols at B&S and some of their clerks do not want to listen to what you have to say. I called once to find out who Amy's supervisor was and the lady I spoke to was very belligerent. I asked for the supervisor and she tells me that she will put me through to Amy's Voice Mail. I asked again for her supervisor and this clerk just put me on hold and unto Amy's voice Mail. Is this the way to treat Customers by blowing them off? B&S has lost a customer here. I used to buy from B&S but now I'll go elsewhere for garden/house cleaning equipment. 0945 AM, Just got off the phone with Amy. She tells me that the order has not shipped out yet as she told me it did yesterday. She now tells me that she's going to go down and push people to ship it out and will call me by 1:00PM Local. She also asked me how much time I have lost from work due to this problem and I told her about a week. Her response to that is to cut me a $300.00 check as compensation. It feels as though i'm being bought to keep me from complaining too much.

I purchased a Murray Riding Tractor with a 12.5 hp Briggs & Stratton engine from Home Depot in Aug. of 2002. I was told that it had a one year warranty. The engine blew up in April of 2003. I went to Home Depot and they told me it should be no problem to get if fixed at no charge. They then told me to take it a local Briggs & Stratton repair center.

I Took it to Haines City Lawn Equipment Repair . They told me that they were a Briggs & Stratton repair center. So I left my tractor with them. It took about a week for them to look at it. They said that they ordered a short block. But they had not looked to see what was wrong yet. After the short block came in they installed it, without telling me that they had looked at it, and without my consent for them to complete the repair, they installed the short block. I was not informed that it would be any cost to me, they did not tell I would have to pay over five hundred dollars if Briggs & Stratton did not cover the warranty. I had to call to the repair center several times before I was finally told that I was not going to be covered under warranty.

I was told that it was not covered because the cylinder walls showed wear. I said of course it shows wear because it leaked out some of the oil while I was using it the last time when the engine froze up. And that it was above the add mark when I started using it. I don't feel that I should be held responsible for the repair costs when it was the fault of the engine freezing up. They then told me that they would talk to a Briggs & Stratton rep. They tell me they did. And that he said he would not cover the repair under warranty. So I tried to call Briggs & Stratton's Corporate office in Milwaukee. All they would say is that the local rep. has the final say. And that if I didn't agree with him. I should mail the engine to Milwaukee Wis. at my expense and that they would look at it. But not to expect a different answer. I told them I didn't think that was fair. They told me that was the way it was and hung up.

I went back to the repair center and talked to Gari again. She called the Lake Wales Florida Home Depot while I was there. The manager of the the lawn and garden told her told file the claim again. So she said she would. She finally filed the claim again a couple of days later. I had to call a few more times before Gari finally told me that the claim was declined again. I told her that I wanted try something else. I could not get anyone to listen at Briggs & Stratton. So I told her I didn't know what to do. That I did not have the money. Gari told me that I had to figure something out right away because she had a buyer for my tractor other wise. I was very angry at that. So I told her I wanted it back the way it was when I brought it in then. She told me that she would take off the new peices and throw the old peices in a box for me. That she would not reassemble it. So with no option I had to try and pay five hundred dollars of money I do not have. I picked It up on 6-19-2003 and paid $150.00 with a balance due of $350.00.

Phone calls to Wal-Mart and Briggs & Stratton were a waste of time. They said Carburetor was not defective yet I informed them of care in handling of gas and ALWAYS us B & S gas stabilizer. Others have had same problem. Believe Carburetor is defective. Had an in-line gas valve installed and shut down unit by turning it off and literally let unit run out of gas each time to avoid this happening in the future. Concerned with overall long term damage caused by gas in crankcase. Scoring of piston, piston walls, etc. Am on Disability. Very careful to maintain things as cannot afford replacement due to neglect. Use Preventive Maintenance procedures learned in Army in 60's on everything I own.

i purchased a out of box lawn mower from bj's it was a murray lawnmower with abriggs and stratton engine iowned probaly for one season and on the following season it died the engine would not start my wife brought toi a place in watertown they seemedto think that it waas over filled with oil i got the gut feeling from this place that it wasn' gonna be under warranty so i told the wife to take someplace else i did not like the response i got for mthat place so she took it to a place in peabody mass they seemed to think it was unfilled hummm get the feeling that nobody wanted to fix it for nothing????