Engine Analysis Booklet

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 INTRODUCTION

The best way to analyze an engine failure is by investigating what caused the fail-
ure. This is very similar to a detective looking for evidence at a crime scene. It’s
important not just to look at engine damage. Instead, look for clues outside the
engine, test some components and then pull the cylinder to look for more
clues inside the engine. The most accurate cause of an engine failure can
be determined once all the available facts are assembled.

Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s
INTRODUCTION
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2-STROKE
ENGINE FUNDAMENTALS.. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . ..3
ENGINE FAILURE BASICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
SPECIAL TOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
SERVICE INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
OUTSIDE ENGINE CHECKS & TESTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
INSIDE ENGINE CHECKS...... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. 16
RAW GAS FAILURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
DIRT INGESTION FAILURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0
LEAN SEIZE FA I L URE S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2
OVERHEATING FAILURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4
DETONATION / PRE-IGNITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7
STALE FUEL FAILURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8
UNCERTIFIED 2-STROKE OIL FAILURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 0
MECHANICAL DAMAGE FAILURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2
ENGINE FAILURE REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3
MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE FUNDAMENTALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4
MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE OUTSIDE CHECKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 6
MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE OUTSIDE CHECKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8
MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE INSIDE CHECKS............................. 3 9
MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE DIRT INGESTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 0
MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE RAW GAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE STALE FUEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2
VALVE TRAIN FA I L URE S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3

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2-STROKE ENGINE FUNDAMENTALS

Advantages – Two-Stroke engines have only three major moving parts;

the piston, the connecting rod, and the crankshaft assembly. The crankcase
is compact because there is no need for a reservoir of motor oil. The simple
design and compact size reduces weight. The 2-Stroke design inherently pro-
duces high-revving engines with a very high power-to-weight ratio. These
advantages make 2-Stroke engines a common choice for use in high pow-
er, handheld equipment where light weight and speed is essential; primarily
string trimmers, chain saws, power blowers, etc.
Basic 2-Stroke Engine Operation – The 2-Stroke engine crankshaft
makes one revolution for each upstroke and down stroke. Each single revolu-
tion of the crankshaft an air/fuel/oil mixture charge is drawn into the engine,
the mixture is compressed & ignited creating power, and lastly exhaust gases
exit the engine.
Two-Stroke engines produce a power stroke every
revolution of the crankshaft
Improvements – Most modern 2-stroke engines are over 8 times cleaner
than pre-1995 (CARB 1) pre-regulation models. Newer 2-Stroke engines must
run more efficiently to meet stringent emissions standards but the improve-
ments also result in higher engine temperatures. Higher engine temperatures
increases the importance of correct fuel mix oil, spark plug heat range, carbu-
retor adjustments and changes how we look at the cause of engine failures.

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 ENGINE FAILURE BASICS
Piston Port Pressurized Crankcase
2 - S t r o k e Engine O p e r a t i o n (Below the piston) – As
UPSTROKE the piston moves down-
ward on the Power Stroke,
Intake (Below the piston) – The carburetor of a the piston skirt will block
piston port 2-Stroke engine is mounted on the side the intake port. Once the
of the cylinder over the intake port. The crankcase intake port is blocked,
is sealed from outside air. As the piston moves from the air/fuel/oil mixture
Bottom Dead Center (BDC) to Top Dead Center trapped inside the crank-
(TDC) a vacuum is created down in the crankcase. case is compressed by the
When the piston skirt moves up far enough to un- downward movement of
cover the intake port, vac- the piston.
uum in the crankcase will
draw in air/fuel/oil mix-
ture from the carburetor
down into the crankcase.
The air/fuel/oil mixture is
needed inside to both run
the engine and lubricate Exhaust (Above the
all the moving parts. piston) – As the piston
moves down closer to
On a Piston Port 2-Stroke BDC, the exhaust port is
engine, the intake side of uncovered. Spent com-
the piston controls air/ bustion gasses from the
fuel/oil mixture flow into power stroke rush out
the engine. through the exhaust
port into the muffler.

Compression (Above
the piston) – At the
same time air/fuel/oil Transfer (Above & below the piston) – Near the
mixture is entering the bottom of the down stroke the transfer ports are
crankcase; the upward uncovered. The fully
movement of the pis- pressurized air/fuel/oil
ton is compressing the mixture in the crank-
air/fuel/oil mixture al- case moves around the
ready in the combustion piston through transfer
chamber. passages and into the
combustion chamber.
The new charge also
helps to scavenge out
D O W N STROKE any remaining exhaust
Ignition & Power (Above the piston) – Just be- gases from the combus-
fore the piston reaches TDC; the spark plug ignites tion chamber.
the compressed air/fuel/
oil mixture in the combus-
tion chamber. Combustion
of the ignited compressed
air/fuel/oil mixture causes
gasses to rapidly expand
forcing the piston down
on the Power Stroke. Max-
imum combustion force is
generated just as the pis-
ton starts to move down,
about 5° to 10° past TDC.

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 2 - S t r o k e Engine S t r a t i f i e d Charge
Va r i a t i o n s 2 - S t r o k e Engines
Besides the Piston Port design, have two other 2- To improve exhaust emissions, Stratified Charge 2-
Stroke engine variations in the lineup. Reed Valve Stroke engines use a short burst of raw air to
engines use a different meth- od to control how help scavenge exhaust gasses out of the combus-
the air/fuel/oil mixture enters the engine. tion chamber. Stratified 2-Stroke engines can meet
Stratified Charge 2-Stroke engines use a different current emissions
method to control exhaust emissions. These standards with-
design variations do not change the basic op- out a catalyst.
erational theory of a two-stroke engine. have modi- fied
conventional 2-
R e e d Va l v e Stroke engines
2 - S t r o k e Engines to greatly mini-
mize fuel loss out
Reed Valve Upstroke – The carburetor of a the exhaust and
2-Stroke reed valve engine is mounted over a reed added a catalyst
and passageway that enters directly into the crank- muffler in most
case. The upstroke of the piston creates a vacuum cases to meet ex-
in the crankcase that draws the reed valve open. haust emissions.
When the reed opens, the air/fuel/oil mixture is
drawn from the carburetor into the crankcase.
Upstroke – Stratified engines have a 2-barrel
carburetor with one barrel for raw air and the
other barrel for the air/
fuel/oil mixture. On the
engine upstroke, vac-
uum is created below
the piston that draws
raw air into the transfer
port passages and air/
fuel/oil mixture down
into the crankcase.

Reed Valve Down Stroke – On the down

stroke the piston creates pressure in the crankcase Down Stroke – Like a conventional 2-Stroke en-
that the closes the reed valve trapping the air/fuel/ gine, the down stroke pressurizes the crankcase.
oil mixture inside. The downward movement of the When the piston opens the transfer ports, raw air in
piston compresses the trapped air/fuel/oil mixture the transfer passages enters the combustion chamber
in the crankcase. The rest of the reed valve induc- first to help scavenge out the remaining exhaust gas-
tion engine operating theory remains the same as ses. The short burst of raw air is then followed by the
other 2-Stroke engines. air/fuel/oil mixture charge. Stratified Charge 2-Stroke
engines can use
either piston port
or reed valve air/
fuel/oil mixture
induction. use
reed valve in-
duction on our
stratified 2-Stroke
engines. Basic 2-
Stroke engine
theory remains
the same.

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 ENGINE FAILURE BASICS
Understanding Engine Fundamentals and Basic Flywheel – Another important part of engine
Failure Theory can help better determine engine cooling is the flywheel that forces cooler outside air
failure causes. Most engine failures can be broken over the cylinder fins.
down into three categories; excessive heat, fuel/oil
mixture problems and high wear. Overheating is a
factor or a byproduct in the majority of engine
failures. More specifics will be covered later in the
failure section of this booklet.
N O R M A L ENGINE
TEMPERATURES
Engines make power by the combustion of com-
pressed air/fuel mixture that pushes the piston down
in a cylinder. Temperatures can exceed 2,000° Fahr-
enheit (1,093° C) in the center of the combustion
away from the metal. Handheld power equipment
engine’s pistons and cylinders are made mostly from
aluminum. The melting point of aluminum is 1,221°
Fahrenheit (660° C). When everything goes as de- Air/Fuel Mixture – The incoming air/fuel/oil mixture
signed, the cylinder and the piston surrounding the from the carburetor is also important to help cool
combustion chamber dissipates the heat preventing the engine.
melting of the aluminum.

PISTON & CYLINDER

CLEARANCE
ENGINE COOLING Pistons must maintain a constant clearance between
cylinders for long engine life. If there is too little
Cylinder Fins – To compensate for high heat, air clearance the piston will rub on the cylinder and
cooled engines have many cylinder fins to dissipate the engine will fail. If there is too much clearance
the heat. More cooling fins and larger cooling fins between the piston & cylinder the engine will have
are added to the hotter exhaust side of engines. poor performance and higher exhaust emissions. Ex-
cessive piston to cylinder clearance may cause piston
slap and will lead to shorter engine life.

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 OVERHEATING FAILURES Excessive Engine Loads – Excessive engine
load creates more resistance for the crankshaft to
Overheating failures result in piston and cylinder
turn, slowing the engine rpm down. The engine at-
scoring caused by the piston expanding past its de-
tempts to produce more power to keep the crank-
sign limits. The expanding piston eliminates clear-
shaft turning causing overheating. At the same
ance and necessary oil film, until friction begins to time excessive load increases heat, the slower en-
melt the piston to the cylinder. Overheating failures gine rpm reduces the flywheel/fan speed reducing
are caused by a number of factors, including over- cooling.
lean fuel mixture, excessive engine loads, stuck pis-
ton rings, and cooling system failures. Sometimes
overheating can be caused by a combination of
these symptoms.

Over-Lean Engine Conditions – Over lean Stuck Piston Rings – Extremely hot combustion
means more air and less fuel is entering the engine gasses will blow-by stuck piston rings down the side
from the carburetor. Less fuel entering the engine of the piston skirt. The blow-by will first cook lubri-
also means less oil enters for lubrication. Over lean cation off the side of the piston. If the engine con-
conditions add to engine heat by causing extreme tinues to run with stuck rings overheating will cause
combustion temperatures. Less fuel mixed with in- scoring.
coming air from the carburetor also means less en-
gine cooling. Over lean conditions can lead to pis-
ton scoring caused by a potent combination of less
engine cooling, less lubrication and extreme com-
bustion temperatures that cause excessive piston
expansion.

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 SPECIAL TOOLS
Compression Gauge Plug A d a p t o r & P o r t
A compression test is important to establish a Block-Offs
baseline of the engine condition before it’s disas- To perform a crankcase pressure/vacuum test the
sembled. For accurate readings, only use a high spark plug must be replaced with a plug adaptor.
quality compression tester that’s In addition, the intake and exhaust ports must be
designed for small displacement sealed with rubber block-offs for pressure/vacuum
handheld equipment engines. It testing. Trapezoid rubber block-offs work in most
must have a short small diameter applications. Some models require special block-
hose and a gauge that reads no offs and plates shown in the Tool Catalog.
more the 250psi. Small displace-
ment engines can cause automo-
tive compression gauges to read
incorrectly low.

#91037 Premium Quality Com-

pression Gauge

P r e s s u r e / Va c u u m Te s t e r
A Pressure/Vacuum Tester is needed to check for
fuel system leaks that could contribute lean seize
failures. The Pressure/Vacuum Tester is also used to
perform a crankcase pressure/vacuum test to check
for engine air leaks that cause lean running condi- #91018 Plug Adaptor
tions. A high volume pressure/vacuum tester works #91041 Rubber Trapezoid Block-Offs
best for crankcase leak testing. TOOL KIT
( * Includes most required failure
analysis tools)
The Troubleshooting Tool Kit can be used to repair
and troubleshoot engines as well as many
competitive brands of handheld out- door power
equipment. Most of the required spe- cial failure
analysis tools are included in this kit.

#91024 High Volume Pressure/Vacuum

Tester (includes case)

#91116 Troubleshooting Tool Kit with case

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SERVICE INFORMATION
Distributor & Dealer Tool Catalog
Website For a complete list of
special tools, see the
Tool Catalog. A paper
copy can be ordered
from your distributor.
The most current tool
catalog can also be
downloaded on the
Distributor & Dealer
Website.

The Distributor & Dealer Web- site is your best

choice to find up to date service in- formation
including; parts look-up, service & parts bulletins, Quick R e f e r e n c e M a n u a l
service manuals and online training pro- grams.
There are many other service information The Quick Reference Manual (QRM) is primar- ily
downloads on the website including the Tool Cat- intended to look up fast moving parts but there is
alog, the Quick Reference Manual and the Failure an engine specification section in the back of the
Analysis Report. booklet. The Q R M is the quickest way to look up
engine compression readings for products. Other
basic engine specifications are in the man-
Failure A n a l y s i s R e p o r t ual as well. There
The front page of the Failure Analysis Report has a currently is no
list of step by step checks and tests to help deter- QRM. Locate
mine the cause of engine failures. Checks on the left engine
side of the front page are to be made before the specifications online
engine is disassembled. The right hand side of the in Service Manual
front page lists checks to be made after the engine is Supplements.
disassembled. The back page has color picture exam-
ples of engine failures with a list of symptoms to look
for. Laminated copies of the Failure Report can be
purchased in English or Spanish from your distribu-
tor. The Failure Report can also be downloaded from
the Distributor & DealerWebsite.

FRONT BACK

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 OUTSIDE ENGINE CHECKS & TESTS
B e f o r e t h e e n g i n e is d i s a s s e m b l e d
MAINTENANCE
Lack of maintenance and abuse are factors in many engine failures. These problems should be diagnosed
before failed engines are taken apart for inspection. First check the outside of the engine to see if it looks
like it has been properly maintained and repaired. An engine that looks poorly maintained on the outside
often shows damage inside the engine.

Wired on air filter cover Check general condition Duct tape repair

3Air Filter – Air filter maintenance is always at the top of the operator’s manual maintenance list to
reduce engine wear. Inspect the air filter element to see if it’s damaged or plugged up with dirt and debris.
Next, check air filter housing to see if any of the dirt and debris passed the element. The engine has likely
ingested whatever is inside the filter housing.

Check air filter for dirt &debris Check filter housing for dirt & debris

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3Engine Cooling Intake – Proper engine cooling is extremely important to prevent overheating
that creates excessive carbon and causes engine failure. Many engines are equipped with a loop style
cooling system that uses incoming air to help cool the bottom of the engine and fuel in the gas tank.
Chain saws draw engine cooling air directly through the starter housing and most backpack
blowers bleed off blower fan air to cool their engines. Know where the cooling intake is at on all engines
and check them for restrictions.

3Fuel & Oil Leaks – Examine the outside of a failed engine for fuel and oil leaks. An oil leak is a
visual indication an engine may have a crankcase air leak. An air leak can cause
an engine to run lean. Fuel leaks can allow air into the fuel system causing the
engine to run lean. Verify where leaks are coming from by pressure testing the
fuel system and crankcase.

3Excessive Engine Loads – Check for signs of excessive load that could
cause engine overheating. On most models the cutting attachment is the load.
For string trimmers, the load is the length and diameter of the trimmer line.
When a string trimmer is used without a string shield there is no control over
engine load, making engine overheating a possibility. A dull chain or an overheated guide bar could be
signs of excessive chain saw engine load. Leaf blower load is controlled by the length and diameter of the
blower tubes. When the end blower tube nozzle is removed it drops engine rpm and increases load.

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 OUTSIDE ENGINE CHECKS & TESTS
B e f o r e t h e e n g i n e is d i s a s s e m b l e d
SPARK PLUG EVALUTION 3Overheating Spark Plug – Note the dull
The wrong type and heat range spark plug can con- color of the outside of the spark plug shell and the
tribute to engine failure. Inspection of a spark plug flakes of carbon stuck to the firing end of the spark
can also give clues on engine condition and help plug. Both plug conditions are signs this engine suf-
determine why an engine failed. fered from extreme operating temperatures. When

3Correct Type & Heat Range – The firing you see a spark plug like this, expect to find over-
heating engine damage.
end of a spark plug is constantly being bombard-
ed with the byproducts of combustion. To prevent
fouling, the center electrode insulator must get hot
enough to operate in the self-cleaning temperature
range between 932°F (500°C) and 1,472°F (800°C).
Spark plugs exceeding 1,472°F (800°C) can ignite
the air/fuel mixture in the engine before the spark
plug fires causing pre-ignition engine damage. Be
sure to verify a failed engine has the recommended
type and heat range spark plug.
3Normal Spark Plug Conditions – The tan
colored center electrode insulator you see here is what
you should expect from an engine with the correct
spark plug, on a well maintained engine, operating at
the proper temperature, at the correct air/fuel ratio. Overheated Spark Plug

ENGINE COMPRESSION
If the failed engine is not locked up, perform a com-
pression test. The compression test is the best way to
determine engine condition before disassembly. Cur-
rent minimum recommended compression readings
are as low as 80psi on some models to a minimum of
140psi on other models. Be sure to check compression
specifications in the Quick Reference Manual or Ser-
Normal Plug Condition vice Manual Supplements before performing the test.
3Carbon Fouled Spark Plug – Heavy car- 3Perform Compression Test – Compression
bon build up like this can indicate heavy carbon is tested when the engine is cold, with the choke
build up inside the engine. The wrong heat range open and throttle at WOT. There is no set number of
spark plug (Cold or Hot) can cause rapid carbon pulls to find your max compression, pull the engine
build up. Other contributors are using non certified over until the needle no longer climbs. Make sure
(ISO L EGD or JASO FD) oils, too rich oil ratio (25 to that the needle flicks back and forth when reaching
1) and heavy dirt ingestion. your max reading. This indicates that the Schrader
valve is working properly in the tester. If your com-
pression reading
is 2 0 % or lower
than the mini-
mum compression
specifications,
expect major en-
gine damage or
stuck piston rings.

Carbon Fouled Plug

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 FUEL M I X CONDITION 3Stale Fuel – Fuel mix that decomposes into
(Inspect a sample) stale fuel causes power equipment engine fuel sys-
Whenever possible inspect a sample of the fuel mix tem problems and performance problems. Stale
fuel is also a major factor in engine failures. You
from the tank of a failed engine. The sample may
may detect the varnish smell of stale fuel even if
lead to clues that helps determine the cause of an
there is no fuel in the tank. If it’s old enough, stale
engine failure. If the fuel tank is empty, try plac-
fuel will often turn brownish in color. B³C Fuel Solu-
ing a clear vial under the carburetor return line and
tions also has a High Sensitivity Test that does a
pump the purge bulb. There may be enough fuel
good job of verifying stale fuel. In addition, the
left in the fuel line and carburetor to get a good
B³C test can detect marginal stale fuel before your
sample.
nose can smell it.

3Ethanol
3Fuel Mix Oil Presence – Most 2-Stroke oils
– handheld power equipment is
designed to tolerate up to 1 0 % ethanol blended
tint the gasoline for the operator to plainly recog- fuel. Even 1 0 % blended fuel can
nize it as 2-Stoke fuel mix. Visual inspection of fuel have issues if it’s not stored correctly. Ethanol caus-
samples can be helpful in identifying raw gas or es fuel to turn stale sooner, beginning in as little
2-Stroke oil concentration. There are other ways to as 30-days. In addition, ethanol absorbs moisture
test for oil concentration. One we know that works from poorly sealed fuel containers or open spouts.
is the Oil Presence Test from B³C Fuel Solutions. Once the blended fuel reaches its saturation point
the ethanol and water can drop out of suspension
with fuel/oil mix causing “phase separation”. The
mix oil remains with the gasoline while the ethanol/
water mix drops to the bottom of the fuel tank. If
the engine runs on the ethanol/water mix, a raw
gas like engine seizure is possible. It’s recommend-
ed you check for water in the bottom of the fuel
tank of a failed engine.

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 OUTSIDE ENGINE CHECKS & TESTS
B e f o r e t h e e n g i n e is d i s a s s e m b l e d
E15, E20, E30 & E85 Blended Fuel –
held power equipment engines can’t compensate
Hand-
3Fuel System Pressure Test – A fuel sys-
for higher concentrations of ethanol like modern tem pressure test will check for carburetor inlet
automobiles. Ethanol causes engines to run leaner. leaks. First hook the inlet fuel line and pull it out of
engines are adjusted to run safely on up to 1 0 % the fuel tank. With the inlet line out of the tank,
ethanol blended fuel. Higher percentage ethanol push the purge bulb several times to flush any ex-
blends can contribute to lean seize failures. cess fuel out of the system. Remove the fuel filter
Current market and proposed mar- ket blends from the end of the line, hook up the pressure tes-
vary from 1 5 % to 8 5 % ethanol. In addi- tion the ter and pump the gauge up to 10psi (.7 bar). The
actual ethanol percentage at the pump is not pressure should hold for 1-minute. If the pressure
always consistent. It’s recommended you test the leaks down, connect the pressure tester directly to
ethanol percentage in a failed engine. the carb inlet fitting and retest. Carburetor pres-
sure leaks usually indicate flooding conditions that
would not cause engine failure. However, inlet fuel
line leaks may allow air to get into the diaphragm
carburetor that could cause lean running conditions
and possibly engine failure.

FUEL SYSTEM
3Fuel Filter – Check for a dirty or restricted fuel
filter. Fuel filters have the outer primary filter you
see and a secondary filter hiding behind the main
filter. Anything that restricts fuel flow can contrib-
ute to an engine failure, even something as simple
as a restrictive fuel filter. 3Carburetor Limiter Caps – The most com-
mon cause of lean seize engine failures are over
lean carburetor adjustments. Verify the carburetor
mixture adjustment screw limiter caps are in place,
if so equipped. Virtually all carburetors are fully
adjustable. To ensure en- gines don’t suffer over
lean engine damage and meet EPA/CARB
emissions standards, adjustments must only be
done by trained technicians using correct
emissions bulletins. New limiter caps must be
installed once adjustments are complete. Car-
buretors missing limiter caps may have been tam-
pered with, possibly contributing to engine failure.
NOTE: Some carburetors do not use limiter caps.
Carbs without limiter caps require the use of
special tamper resistant tools to make carburetor
adjustments.

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 CRANKCASE the crankshaft seals are leaking. Crankcase vacuum
leaks will cause lean running conditions also.
PRESSURE/VACUUM
Two-Stroke engines & mix lubricated 4-Stroke en-
gines must have sealed crankcases to run correctly.
Crankcase air leaks, either on the pressure or vacu-
um side, will cause lean running conditions. Lean
running conditions caused by crankcase air leaks
can contribute to lean seize engine failures.
3Crankcase Pressure Test – A cracked in-
take manifold, leaking engine gaskets or leaking
crankshaft seals can cause crankcase air leaks. You EXHAUST SYSTEM
need to rule in or rule out whether a failed engine
had an air leak or not. To perform the pressure Carbon & deposits inside an engine are byproducts
test, block off both the intake and exhaust ports. of the combustion process. However, excessive car-
Replace the spark plug with a plug adaptor, hook bon is usually due to too much oil in the fuel, rich
up the tester, and switch it to the pressure setting. fuel mixtures, stale fuel, dirt ingestion and use of
When you pump up the tester, the engine should uncertified 2-Stroke oil. Restricted exhaust flow
hold 7psi (.5 bar) for 1-minute. This test is recom- keeps more heat inside, raising engine temperature.
mended on all failure examinations BEFORE THE The elevated temperature adds to carbon deposit
ENGINE IS DISASSEMBLED. production inside the engine as well. The combi-
nation of higher engine heat and increased carbon
can contribute to an overheating engine failure.

3Spark Screen Restrictions – Remove the

muffler outlet deflector and check for a restricted
spark arrestor screen. NOTE: Many 2-Stroke engines
use a catalytic muffler to meet exhaust emissions
standards. The catalyst oxidizes hydrocarbons making
it is extremely unlikely to see a plugged screen on
catalytic muffler equipped engines.

3Crankcase Leak Check – If the tester does

not hold pressure, locate the leak by spraying a soapy
solution around the engine and look for bubbles.

3Exhaust Port Restrictions – The exhaust

port is upstream from a catalytic muffler. So, even if
the spark screen looks good, it’s important to pull the
muffler and check the exhaust port for restrictions.

3Crankcase Vacuum Test – A crankcase

pressure test will detect many crankshaft seal leaks.
However, worn crankshaft seals occasionally leak
only on the vacuum side. If the engine passes a
pressure test perform a vacuum test. Switch the tes-
ter to the vacuum setting. Pump the tester to 14.7
inches of vacuum (.5 bar). The engine should hold
that vacuum for 1-minute. If the engine passes the
pressure test but fails the crankcase vacuum test,
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 INSIDE ENGINE CHECKS
A f t e r t h e e n g i n e is d i s a s s e m b l e d
The cylinder must be pulled to accurately deter- 3Piston Scoring – In-
mine the cause of an engine failure. Once the spect the piston for scoring.
cylinder is off, avoid focusing only on the en- Piston scoring is really friction
gine damage. It takes very little time to make welding of the piston skirt
a thorough engine examination. Five compo- to the cylinder. Friction that
nents that require evaluation are the; piston, causes scoring is from any
piston rings, cylinder, crankcase and the engine combination of the following:
bearings. extreme heat, or a lack of pis-
ton to cylinder clearance, or a
CHECK FOR PISTON lack of lubrication.
PROBLEMS
An internal combustion engine piston must con-

3Piston Deposits – Note

stantly absorb the extreme heat and pressure from
combustion. Conditions are tougher inside a high
rpm 2-Stroke engine because there is combustion deposits on the side of the
each time the piston goes up to TDC. When an piston. Piston skirt deposits
engine failure occurs, the piston is often the first can be a result of stale fuel,
part that shows signs of damage. After the outside 2-Stroke oil breakdown and
checks & tests are completed, pull the cylinder and sticking piston rings.
inspect the piston for damage.

3 New Piston – If you look closely you will see

machine marks all around the
side of a new piston. The ma-
chine marks help a new piston 3Piston Mechanical Damage – Check the
glide through the cylinder by piston for mechanical damage and always look for
reducing friction and retain- the cause of the damage. Usual-
ing lubrication. Piston skirt ly piston mechanical damage is
machine marks begin to wear from the result of the failure of
away as the engine gets more an internal engine component,
hours of running, giving clues like a bearing, piston pin washers
that help determine engine or a wrist pin retainer clip.
wear.
3Piston Wear – Inspect
the piston for wear. Look at the condition of the
piston skirt machining marks to help determine the
amount of piston wear. A well maintained engine
with normal wear, will have light even piston skirt
machine mark wear. An engine with dirt ingestion
problems will quickly wear away the piston skirt 3Lubrication Under Piston – Look under-
machine marks, usually in an uneven pattern. neath of the piston of a failed engine for signs of lu-
brication. High heat will often
cook off lubrication from the
outside of a failed piston. Ev-
idence of lubrication is more
likely to survive under the
cooler side of the piston, es-
pecially around the wrist pin
bearing.

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3Location Of Piston Damage – Note the 3Stuck Piston Rings – Check the piston for
location of the piston damage, it can sometimes stuck rings and also note the location of the stuck rings.
help determine the cause of an engine failure. Pis- Stuck piston rings are engine killers. Once an engine’s
ton wear, scoring, deposits and mechanical damage piston rings are stuck, the engine will fail if it contin-
can be located all around the piston. The hot side ues to run. Always try to determine why the rings are
(exhaust side) of the piston usually suffers the most stuck. The most common causes of stuck rings are de-
problems but that’s not always the case. For exam- posits in the ring grooves and piston scoring.
ple, dirt ingestion wear is worse on the intake side
of a piston port 2-Stroke engine.

INSPECT CYLINDER BORE

All cylinder liners are plat- ed to resist wear
and damage. The bore usual- ly looks a little
CHECK PISTON RINGS dull on new cylinders until the engine breaks
in and the piston rings polishes the surface
The main function of piston rings is to seal the to a shiny chrome appearance.
combustion chamber, preventing hot gasses
from blowing by the piston into the cylinder.
Secondly, rings help to transfer high combus-
3Cylinder Score – Check the cylinder bore for
tion heat from the piston to the cylinder. When scoring and note the location of the scoring. The
piston rings no longer seal correctly it’s usually cylinder damage is usually in line with the damage
to the piston.
from wear or because the rings are stuck in the
piston ring grooves.

3Ring Groove Wear – Check the piston ring

grooves for wear. Excessive piston ring groove side
clearance is one of the most common causes of pis-
ton ring breakage. Measure piston ring groove
clearance by inserting a feeler gauge between
the ring and groove. Most engines have a side
ring clearance limit of .004 to
.006 thousands of an inch. This very simple test
will tell you how much the ring and piston is worn.
3Cylinder Wear – The cylinder is worn out
when the polished shiny liner surface gets worn
away exposing the dull aluminum base metal un-
derneath. Inspect the cylinder bore for wear and
note the location of the wear. Wear is most likely to
occur at the top of the cylinder and around porting.

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 INSIDE ENGINE CHECKS
A f t e r t h e e n g i n e is d i s a s s e m b l e d
CHECK THE CRANKCASE CHECK ENGINE BEARINGS
The air/fuel/oil mixture enters the crankcase uses only high quality needle and ball
first on 2-Stroke & mix lubricated 4-Stroke bearings designed to last the life of the
engines to lubricate all the moving parts engine. In rare cases, when bear- ings do
and run the engine. Sometimes important wear or fail, they can give clues to de-
evidence is left behind in the crankcase that termine the cause of engine failure.
helps determine the cause on an engine failure.

3Lubrication In Crankcase – Inspect the 3Rod Bearings – Check the connecting rod for
any up and down play. Vertical rod play usually in-
crankcase for any signs of lubrication inside. The dicates crankpin bearing failure that may account
crankcase runs at the cool- for engine mechanical damage. Side play in the
est temperature of all ma- big end connecting rod is normal. A small gap is
jor engine components. needed on each side of the crankpin bearing to al-
Even in high heat failures, low air/fuel/oil mix in to lubricate and cool it. If
if oil has been mixed with there is some vertical connecting rod play, verify the
fuel lubrication will show looseness in not caused by worn piston pin mount-
up in the crankcase. ing bosses.

3Crankcase Depos-
its – Check the for signs of
fuel deposits in the crank-
case. A fresh fuel/oil mix-
ture rarely breaks down
and leaves deposits in the
crankcase. The exception
is stale fuel, which will usu-
ally leave behind brownish 3 Main Bearings – To check main bearings for
sticky deposits. looseness, grab the end of the crankshaft and see if
it can be moved side to side. Main bearing failure is
caused by wear or breakage of ball bearing cages.

3Dirt & Debris In

Crankcase – Dirt de-
posits inside the crankcase
confirms engine dirt in-
gestion issues. Search the
crankcase for debris any-
time you have an engine
mechanical failure. Pieces
of failed bearings or bro-
ken pin spacer washers
may be left behind.

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 R AW G A S FAILURES

R AW G A S FAILURE CAUSE
The cause of a raw gas failure is simple. It involves running a 2-Stroke engine or a mix lubricated 4-
Stroke engine on gasoline without any 2-Stroke oil.

OUTSIDE ENGINE R AW G A S S Y M PTOM S

No 2-Stroke Oil In Fuel Sample – Suspect the engine has
been run on raw gas if an engine fuel sample is fairly clear and not
tinted a color. If possible, test the fuel sample. The B³C Fuel Solu-
tions Oil Presence Test works well. If the fuel tank is empty, use the
purge bulb to pump fuel remaining in the carburetor into a small
clear vial for a visual inspection.
Engine Locked Up or Low Compression – Severe piston
scoring will often cause an engine run on raw gas to be locked up. If the engine is
not locked up, chances are the compression is low because scoring has stuck the pis-
ton rings.
INSIDE ENGINE R AW G A S S Y M PTOM S
Scoring Around Most of Piston & Cylinder – With-
out lubrication, friction creates heat that causes the piston to
expand in all directions. Raw gas piston & cylinder damage
usually results in a heavy exhaust score with scoring likely
around the rest of the piston & cylinder. Sometimes raw gas
scoring may even occur over the cooler intake port side of a
piston port engine.
Outside of Piston Very Dry – The top of the piston, pis-
ton skirt and rings will all look very dry when an engine fails
on raw gasoline.
Raw Gas Won’t Cause Bearing Failure – All
crankshaft/connecting rod components ride on low friction needle and ball
bearings. Raw gas will almost always cause piston and cylinder failure before
engine bearings are damaged.
May Be Dry Under Piston & In Crankcase – If an engine runs long
enough on raw gasoline, it may wash away signs of lubrication under the
piston and inside the cooler crankcase. Sometimes raw gas residue will dry
up several minutes after pulling the cylinder. If raw gas causes the engine to quit
running or lock up fairly quickly, residual lubrication may still be in
the crankcase and under the piston.
Ethanol & Water Phase Separation – Phase separation
engine failures look similar to raw gas failures. Phase separation is
caused when ethanol and water drops out of suspension with gaso-
line. The ethanol water combination falls to the bottom of the gas
can/fuel tank, while the gasoline/oil mix floats to the top. When an
engine runs on an ethanol/water mix, the lack of oil will cause the
engine to fail like raw gas.

R AW G A S FAILURE REVIEW
Always try to verify an engine has run on raw gasoline by inspecting and testing a fuel sample. Many
engine failures produce exhaust side piston scoring, but a raw gas failure produces scoring all around the
piston. Consider raw gas as a possible cause of failure whenever scoring continues from the exhaust side
of the piston around to the intake port side of a piston ported engine. If there is a significant amount of
water in a fuel sample, it’s possible a raw gas failure could be caused by ethanol/water phase separation.

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 DIRT INGESTION FAILURES

DIRT INGESTION FAILURE CAUSE

Poor air filter maintenance is the most common cause of dirt ingestion. When dirt enters an engine,
it forms a grinding compound that prematurely wears all moving parts, particularly the piston, piston
rings and cylinder. By far, the most common cause of premature engine wear is dirt ingestion.

OUTSIDE ENGINE DIRT

INGESTION S Y M P TO M S
Dirty Air Filter & Air Filter Housing – Look for a
dirty or damaged air filter element. Remember, as the air
filter plugs up a high rpm engine creates a constant vac-
uum inside the air filter housing. Eventually the plugged
element will cause enough air filter housing vacuum to
pull dust through the filter media. Dirt inside the air filter
housing is proof that the engine has inhaled dust.
Low Engine Compression – Evidence of dust in the
air filter housing combined with a low engine compression
reading* are the early clues that an engine has suffered
a dirt ingestion failure. *Minimum compression specs vary.
Check service information.
Dirt Carbon In Exhaust Port – Dirt forms carbon during
combustion that fuel and oil solvents can’t remove. It’s com-
mon to see heavy carbon in the exhaust port on dirt ingestion
failures. Sometimes this carbon is tan in color.
INSIDE ENGINE DIRT
INGESTION S Y M P TO M S
Dirt Carbon On Piston Top – Dirt forms scaly car-
bon deposits, sometimes tan in color, on top of the piston
and in the top of the cylinder.

High Piston Wear

Piston Port Engines – All sides of the piston begin to pre-
maturely wear when an engine is inhaling dust. The piston in-
take side wears quicker on a piston port engine because all air,
fuel, oil and dust enters the engine through the intake port.

High Piston Wear

Reed Valve Engines – Dirt ingestion piston wear is more
even on a reed valve induction engine. Reed valve engines
have no intake port. All air, fuel, oil and dust enters directly
into the crankcase. Sometimes more piston wear occurs in line
with the transfer ports, because that is where the dirty mixture
transfers from the crankcase to the combustion chamber.

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 INSIDE ENGINE DIRT
INGESTION S Y M P TO M S
(Continued)
Piston Groove Wear – One of the main causes of pre-
mature piston ring groove wear is dirt ingestion. Sloppy ring
grooves create excessive side clearance that causes piston
rings to pound back and forth with each firing of the com-
bustion charge.

Piston Ring Wear & Ring Breakage – Most piston

rings have beveled corners. Dirt ingestion wears the rings
thinner, eliminating the beveled corners. The thinner rings
have square sharp edges that can more easily snag cylinder
ports. The major cause of broken piston rings is worn rings
and worn piston ring lands.

No Piston Skirt Deposits – Typically, dirt ingestion gives

piston skirts a sandblasted look with no deposits on the sides
of the piston.

Cylinder Wear
Piston Port Engines – Premature cylinder bore wear be-
low the plating is likely caused by dirt ingestion. On piston
port engines, excessive cylinder wear above and below the in-
take port is a sure sign of dirt ingestion. This high intake side
cylinder and piston wear can increase carburetor spit back on
piston port engines. Excessive carb spit back can soak the air
filter with fuel.
Cylinder Wear
Reed Valve Engines – Cylinder wear is more even on reed
valve induction engines because they have no intake port.
There may be more wear above the cylinder transfer ports.

Worn Engine Bearings – Dirt ingestion usually wears out

the piston, piston rings and cylinder before engine bearing
wear occurs. However, if the engine runs long enough with
dirt ingestion problems prematurely worn bearings are possi-
ble. The connecting rod big end bearing and drive side main
bearing are most susceptible to wear out.

Crankcase Dirt Deposits – Dirt deposits inside the crank-

case are evidence of dirt ingestion.

DIRT INGESTION REVIEW

Dirt ingestion causes premature piston skirt wear, high piston ring wear and ring land wear. Suspect dirt
ingestion anytime the plated cylinder liner is prematurely worn through to the base metal. Expect to find
dirt deposits inside the crankcase and excessive carbon deposits in the combustion chamber and exhaust
port. Dirt ingestion causes piston port engines to wear more on intake side of the piston and cylinder.

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 LEAN SEIZE FAILURES

LEAN SEIZE FAILURE CAUSE

Modern outdoor power equipment engines must run more efficiently and therefore leaner to meet EPA
& CARB exhaust emissions. This means today’s engines are more susceptible to lean seize failures. Lean
seize failures are caused by extreme combustion temperatures generated by either too little fuel or too
much air entering the engine.

OUTSIDE ENGINE
Over Lean Carburetor Adjustments – The over lean
adjustments delivers less fuel into the engine dramatically in-
creasing combustion temperatures. Less fuel also means less
oil is going into the engine to lubricate it. It’s critical that ad-
justments be made per the service bulletin to meet emissions
and to ensure there is enough fuel going into the engine. Af-
ter adjustments, limiter caps must be installed if so equipped.
If the carburetor is missing limiter caps and the engine has lean
seize symptoms, a misadjusted carb could be the cause.
Other Lean Condition Causes – Lean seize failures can
also be caused by anything else that reduces fuel flow into the
engine.
Fuel Restrictions – Reduced fuel flow can be caused by a
restricted fuel filter, debris inside the carburetor, a carb stiff
metering diaphragm or problem fuel pump diaphragm flapper
valves.
Leaking Inlet Fuel Line – Lean running conditions could
also be caused by air getting into the carburetor from a pin
hole leak in the inlet fuel line. Perform a fuel system pressure
test to confirm a leak.

Too Much Air Entering The Engine – Lean seizures

can be caused by any problem that lets too much air into the
engine. Typical engine air leaks include, leaking crankshaft
seals and leaking engine gaskets. A loose carburetor mount-
ing block is another example of an air leak. Always perform a
crankcase pressure/vacuum test before a failed engine is disas-
sembled to check for air leak problems.
Low Engine Compression – Lean seize failures will usu-
ally cause piston scoring that pins the rings creating low en-
gine compression*.
* Minimum compression specs vary. Check service information.

INSIDE ENGINE
Top Of Piston With Burnt Color – A lean seize
failure often show signs of extreme combustion tem-
peratures with a burnt look to the top of the piston.

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 INSIDE ENGINE (continued)
Exhaust Side Piston Score – Extreme combustion heat
from over lean fuel mixture causes rapid expansion of the pis-
ton toward the exhaust port. The piston expansion leads to
metal to metal contact with the cylinder, resulting in scoring
concentrated over or near the exhaust port.
Little Damage To Rest Of Piston – Typically, lean seize
failure scoring is confined only over the exhaust. The rest of
the piston will usually look fine. Heat expansion can cause a
small intake side piston score 180° opposite the exhaust side
damage, but lubrication on the cool side of the engine will
usually prevent intake side scuffing.
No Piston Skirt Deposits – Lean seize failures occur rap-
idly, leaving little time for oil to breakdown and bake onto
the piston. As a result, lean seize failure piston skirts usually
remain clean.
Large Exhaust Score Possible – Lean seize exhaust side
scoring will expand if the engine continues to run with stuck
piston rings. Despite the heavier exhaust score, the rest of the
piston usually will remain clean and undamaged.
Piston Rings Free Except At Score – Lean running con-
ditions don’t cause piston ring land deposits. Piston rings stay
free in their grooves except at the site of the exhaust side score.
Cylinder Scoring Matches Piston Damage – Lean
seize failure cylinder scoring will match exhaust side piston
damage.

Lubrication Under Piston & In Crankcase – Lean seize

failures will leave signs of lubrication behind in the cooler parts
of the engine, like inside the crankcase and under the piston.

Engine Over Speeding – Lean mixture running conditions

can help to increase engine speeds above recommended rpm.
Sustained extreme engine rpm can cause bearing failures. The
big end connecting rod bearing is most likely to fail because
centrifugal force slings off lubrication. Models with light en-
gine loads, like hedge clippers, are most susceptible to have high
rpm bearing failures. Chain saws are also vulnerable to bearing
problems if the operator regularly runs the saw out of the cut.

LEAN SEIZE REVIEW

Lean seize failures are caused by either not enough fuel or too much air going into the engine. Too
little fuel entering the engine can be caused by over lean carburetor adjustments, dirty fuel filters, stiff
carb metering diaphragms or debris inside the carb. Too much air going into the engine is caused by
leaking engine gaskets and crankshaft seals. Over lean running conditions create extreme combustion
temperatures that cause localized scoring of the piston over the exhaust port. The rest of the piston
typically will have no scoring or deposits.

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 OVERHEATING FAILURES

OVERHEATING FAILURE CAUSE

Extreme engine heat is a FACTOR in most engine failures. However, overheating as the PRIMARY CAUSE
of engine failures is limited mostly to blocked engine cooling, high engine loads, and restricted ex-
hausts. A combination of these issues can cause overheating failures.

OUTSIDE ENGINE OVERHEATING

S Y M P TO M S
Blocked Engine Cooling – Always check a failed engine
for a blocked engine cooling air intake and blocked cylinder fins.
Even though it is clearly covered in the owner’s manuals, most
operators have no idea about checking and cleaning the engine
cooling system for blockage.

Loop Cooling Air Intakes – Air intake blockage can be

easily overlooked on many models when the intake is between
the crankcase and fuel tank.
Backpack Blower Air Intakes – Most backpack blowers use blow-
er fan air to cool the engine. Leaf blockage of the fan intake grid re-
duces engine cooling and can cause blower engine overheating failure.
Most often leaves will fall off the intake grid when the engine is shut
off, leaving no proof of the blockage. Keep this in mind when looking
at blower internal engine damage that looks like an overheating failure.

Heavy Engine Load – Look for signs of high engine load includ-
ing missing string shields on string trimmers, dull chain & damaged
guide bars on chain saws, and missing end tubes on blowers. High
loads lug the engine down creating more engine heat. At the same
time heat increases, slower rpm means slower flywheel speed and
less cooling air for the engine.
High Load (Worn Clutch) – Badly worn clutch shoes indicate
clutch slippage. Overloading the engine is one of the most common
causes of clutch slippage.

Restricted Exhaust – Partially plugged spark screens and ex-

haust ports raise internal engine temperatures and create more
carbon inside the combustion chamber. NOTE: On catalyst muf-
fler equipped models the spark screen will stay clean while the
exhaust port can become blocked.

Overheated Spark Plug – Most engines are equipped with NGK

spark plugs that have a shinny plated metal shell. If the spark plug is
the correct type and heat range, it’s normal for the metal shell to tarnish
a little with use. Extremely high engine heat changes the shell of NGK
plugs to a dull gray color. This is a sure indicator that the en- gine was
over heated.
Seized Engine or Low Compression – Over heating engine fail-
ures can have severe scoring and stuck piston rings. If the engine is not
locked up, it’s likely the stuck rings will cause low compression.

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 INSIDE ENGINE OVERHEATING
S Y M P TO M S
Oil Breakdown Deposits On Piston
Early Stages of Oil Breakdown – Identifying piston
skirt oil breakdown deposits helps to distinguish engine over-
heating failures from many other failures. Extreme piston heat
will cause even good quality 2-Stroke oil to bake deposits on
the side of the piston. In the early stage of overheating, oil
breakdown will show up around the exhaust side of the piston.

Later Stages of Oil Breakdown – Overheating creates

abnormally high temperatures all around the piston. So, oil
breakdown deposits will spread around most of the piston if
the cause of the problem continues. The piston oil deposit
layer will become thicker as long as the rings stay free and the
engine continues to run. As the oil deposits build, they form
a heat dam that reduces combustion heat transfer from the
piston to the cylinder.
NOTE: Normal running conditions can break-
down uncertified 2-Stroke oil inside hi-rpm air
cooled 2-Stroke engines. Verify operator use of
certified 2-Stroke oil. (Meets ISO-L-EGD & J.A.S.O.
FD standards)

Scoring Spreads Around Most Of

Piston – Overheating cooks off lubrica-
tion, enlarges the piston in all directions,
reducing clearance with the cylinder. If the
engine continues to run with an overheating
problem, friction will cause piston scoring.
The scoring will continue to spread around
the piston, each time the engine is restarted
with an overheating problem.

Cylinder Scoring Matches Piston

Scores – Typically, overheating oil break-
down deposits form only on the piston, not
the cylinder. Overheating cylinder scoring
will match the location of the metal transfer
from the piston.

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 OVERHEATING FAILURES

OUTSIDE ENGINE OVERHEATING

S Y M P TO M S (Continued)
Scoring Unlikely Over Intake Port (Piston Port Engine)
– It’s unlikely overheating piston scoring will occur over the
cooler intake port of a piston ported engine.

Stuck Piston Rings – Extreme heat forms oil breakdown

deposits in ring grooves, making stuck piston rings common
in overheating failures. Combustion blowing by the stuck
rings will terminate any engine that has continued to survive
with overheating problems.

Lubrication Remains In Crankcase – Overheating oil

breakdown occurs only in the top end of the engine at the
piston and cylinder. Signs of lubrication will remain inside the
cooler crankcase of the engine.

OVERHEATING REVIEW
Outside The Engine – Extreme heat is part of most engine failures, however overheating engine
failures are primarily limited to blocked air cooling intakes, blocked cylinder fins, engine overloading,
and restricted exhaust. Try to confirm the outside engine overheating cause before diagnosing an over-
heating failure.
Inside The Engine – Inside the engine, excessive heat causes 2-Stroke oil to breakdown and form
deposits around the sides of the piston. Oil breakdown deposits also form in ring lands, causing piston
rings to stick. Overheating symptoms cause the entire piston to expand, causing scoring if the engine
continues to run. Scoring will proliferate around most of the piston depending how long the engine
runs with overheating problems.
Conclusion – Most engine overheating failures take a long time to occur. For example: Debris grad-
ually builds up blocking engine cooling, baking oil deposits onto the piston. Each time the engine runs
more cooling blockage occurs, more heat is generated and ever thicker deposits form on the piston.
Eventually the cumulative effect of the oil deposits and the increasing heat cause the piston to seize.

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DETONATION / PRE-IGNITION

DETONATION FAILURE CAUSE

Normal Combustion – During normal combustion the spark plug ignites the air/fuel mixture just
before Top Dead Center (TDC) because it takes time for the mixture to burn. Just past TDC, heat ex-
pands the trapped gases inside the combustion chamber, creating high pressure that begins pushing the
piston down. The crankshaft converts the vertical energy from the piston into rotational power.
Detonation – During detonation the spark plug fires at the correct time; just before TDC on the com-
pression stroke. The ignited air/fuel mixture begins spreading normally outward away from the plug. If
heat or pressure becomes too high for the octane rating of the fuel, the remaining air/fuel charge in the
combustion chamber can spontaneously combust. The separate combustion fronts will collide at or near
TDC, creating a destructive spike in combustion pressure that can produce 2~3 times the normal load on
engine components. It’s important to note detonation occurs AFTER the normal firing of the spark plug.
Gasoline Octane Rating – recommends use of a good quality 89 octane (mid-grade or higher)
gasoline containing no more than 1 0 % ethanol. The higher the octane number allows fuel to
withstand more heat and combustion pressure before detonating. Using higher octane fuel is like
buying insurance against engine problems that cause detonation; like lean fuel mixtures, high
engine loads and combustion chamber carbon build-up.

ENGINE DETONATION S Y M PTOM S

Detonation Failure Causes – Both over lean fuel mixtures
and excessive engine loads dramatically increases combustion tem-
perature, which can lead to detonation. Over lean fuel mixtures
can be caused by lean carburetor adjustments, engine air leaks, or
anything else that restricts fuel flow into the engine. Engine over
loading can be caused by missing trimmer shields, dull saw chain,
missing blower end tubes, etc. A combination of over lean fuel
mixtures and high engine loads can cause detonation.
Piston & Cylinder Damage – Detonation will often cause
what appears like erosion damage at the top of the piston above
the exhaust port. That “erosion” is actually melting of the piston
caused by the extreme heat of detonation. Detonation pressure
spikes can break pistons, break ring lands, damage bearings and
even break cylinder mounting flanges. Detonation damage is most
likely to occur on larger handheld 2-Stroke engines around 50cc or larger.

PRE-IGNITION FAILURES
As the name implies, pre-ignition results in firing a portion of the com-
bustion charge BEFORE the normal ignition by the spark plug. The pre-ig-
nition air/fuel mixture charge is ignited by hot spots in the combustion
chamber; usually a glowing piece of carbon or a glowing spark plug.
Since the air/fuel mixture fired early, combustion pressure starts to build
while the piston is moving up on the compression stroke, before it gets to
TDC. Pre-Ignition results in extreme combustion heat.

Pre-Ignition Failure Causes – Pre-Ignition causes include using a spark

plug with too high of a heat range, combustion chamber carbon build-up,
blocked engine cooling and lean running conditions. Pre-ignition can be iden-
tified by the engine continuing to run when the ignition switch is turned off.
The engine can only be stopped by blocking off the air supply to the engine.
Pre-Ignition Piston Damage – In the final stages of pre-ignition extreme heat can
cause melting of the piston. Sometimes a hole is melted through the piston. Pre-ignition
failures are rare because detonation usually precedes pre-ignition. Most often, the de-
structive forces that cause detonation already caused engine failure before pre-ignition
occurred. When pre-ignition failures do occur, it’s usually on models with larger engines
like backpack blowers and chain saws (50cc or more).
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 STALE FUEL FAILURES

STALE FUEL FAILURE CAUSE

Like many products, gasoline has a shelf life. Ethanol blended fuel has a shorter shelf life. Gas can be-
gin to turn bad in as little as little as 30-days, depending on how it is stored. As fuel gets old the most
volatile components start to oxidize and what’s left behind decomposes into new compounds like acetic
acid. Acetic acid is what gives stale fuel that awful varnish smell. If there is enough volatility left in the
stale fuel to run the engine, varnish deposits can build inside causing engine failure.
Preventing Stale Fuel Problems – The best way to avoid stale fuel problems is to purchase
gasoline from a reliable supplier, use only modern self-venting fuel storage containers with “no spill”
self-sealing spouts, and use the fuel up within 30-days. Premium 2-Stroke oil con- tains fuel stabilizers
that can help keep fuel fresh up to 90-days when properly stored. The stabilizers in Red Armor 2-
Stroke oil can help keep fuel fresh up to 2-years when properly stored. Another option is to add a
name brand fuel stabilizer at the pump. Fuel stabilizers are only effective if mixed with fresh fuel
and then properly stored. Remember that nothing will properly rejuvenate old, stale fuel.

OUTSIDE ENGINE STALE FUEL

S Y M P TO M S
Fuel Sample Smells Like Varnish or Tests Stale –
The distinct varnish smell coming from a fuel sample is the first
clue an engine failure may be caused by stale fuel. In the later
stages stale fuel will turn brownish in color. When possible, test
the fuel sample to confirm it’s stale. The B³C Fuel Solutions Ox-
idation Test works to determine if fuel has turned stale, includ-
ing detecting stale fuel problems before it starts to smell bad.

Varnish Smell & Brown Deposits In Fuel Tank –

Even if there is no fuel in the tank, stale fuel will leave the var-
nish smell behind. Stale fuel often leaves brown sticky deposits
behind inside the fuel tank.

Deteriorated Fuel System – Stale fuel is one of the most

common causes of fuel system failures. Stale fuel can cause the
fuel filter to turn brown, fuel lines can turn hard, carburetor
metering diaphragms to turn stiff and curling of the fuel pump
diaphragm check valves.

Locked Up Engine – Stale fuel varnish deposits can stick

the piston in the cylinder and prevent engine bearings from
turning. If the engine is not locked up engine compression
may be OK. Varnish deposits fill the piston to cylinder gap,
providing some short term sealing.

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 INSIDE ENGINE STALE FUEL
S Y M P TO M S
Varnish Deposits On Piston Skirt – Stale fuel can form var-
nish deposits throughout the entire inside of the engine. Friction
and heat will cause stale fuel to quickly bake deposits onto the sides
of the piston. The amount of these deposits is determined by how
bad the gas is and how long the engine runs on stale fuel.
Stuck Piston Rings – As varnish deposits stick to the piston skirt,
they also stick inside piston ring grooves. Stale fuel quickly causes
rings to stick all the way around the piston.
Varnish Deposits Inside Crankcase – All air/fuel/oil mix en-
ters the crankcase first of a 2-Stroke engine. Stale fuel mix doesn’t
fully vaporize inside the crankcase leaving sticky varnish deposits be-
hind. In most other engine failures, deposits are rare inside the cool-
er engine crankcase. A key factor in identifying stale fuel failures
are varnish deposits inside the crankcase.
Varnish Deposits Inside The Cylinder – As the air/stale
fuel/oil mixture moves from the crankcase up to the combustion
chamber, varnish deposits will stick inside the transfer ports. Pis-
ton heat and friction will cause stale fuel to stick to the cylinder
walls as well.
Varnish Deposits Under Piston – The longer the engine
runs on stale fuel the more likely varnish deposits will cook under
the piston.

Piston Scoring Possible – Often stale fuel varnish deposits will

cause a piston to stick to the cylinder, causing an engine to lock up be-
fore scoring occurs. However, if the engine continues to run with stuck
rings scoring is likely.

STALE FUEL REVIEW

When gasoline is stored past its shelf life it can begin to decompose, forming new compounds like
harmful varnish deposits. Un-stabilized fuel can begin to turn stale in as little as 30-days. Proper gaso-
line storage is important.
Outside The Engine – Stale fuel produces a distinctive varnish smell and may turn brownish in
color. When possible, test a fuel sample to confirm gas is stale. Stale gas deteriorates fuel system com-
ponents and plugs fuel filters.
Inside The Engine – An engine that starts and runs on stale fuel will quickly begin to form varnish
deposits inside the engine crankcase. Deposits will spread to the piston and cylinder. Running an en-
gine on stale fuel often causes piston rings to stick. Stale fuel can cause piston and cylinder scoring if
the engine continues to run with stuck rings.
Key Identifying Factor – Sticky engine crankcase varnish deposits are a major factor in identifying
stale fuel failures. Most other failures don’t produce varnish deposits inside the cooler crankcase.

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 UNCERTIFIED 2-STROKE OIL FAILURES

UNCERTIFIED 2-STROKE OIL FAILURE CAUSE

High rpm emissions compliant air cooled 2-Stroke engines require fuel mix oil designed for this application.
requires operators only use 2-Stroke oil that meets or exceeds the following indepen- dent standards: ISO-
L-EGD (ISO/CD 13738) and J.A.S.O. FD. Two-Stroke oil not meeting manufacturer certi- fication can cause
deposits to build up on the sides of the piston, stick piston rings, and can cause excessive combustion
chamber/exhaust carbon. Scoring is possible if the engine continues to run with stuck rings.

AIR COOLED 2-STROKE OIL BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Lubrication – Two-Stroke oil must provide an adequate film of lubri-
cation for all moving parts. Short term, most 2-Stroke oils on the market
can provide enough lubrication at normal engine operating tempera-
tures and engine loads.
Temperature Limits – The additive package in uncertified oil may
not be good enough to protect air cooled 2-Stroke engines at higher
temperature limits. Long term, high temperatures can cause uncertified
oil to breakdown and loose its lubricity.
Engine Deposits – Since 2-Stroke oil is consumed in the combustion cham-
ber with gasoline, the oil’s additive package must minimize the formation of
engine deposits. Over time, uncertified oil builds up combustion chamber and
exhaust carbon deposits that can contribute to engine failure.
2-STROKE OIL STANDARDS
NMMA – N M M A standards are for water cooled outboard boat motors
and personal watercraft. N M M A TC-W3 rated oil should not be used in any
emissions certified air cooled high rpm 2-Stroke engines.
API – API is well known for automobile and truck motor oil ratings, but when
you see an API-TC rating on 2-Stroke oil it’s really a marketing gimmick. Out-
dated API 2-Stroke oil standards have not been improved since 1993 and API
stopped monitoring 2-Stroke oil certifications that same year.
ISO & JASO – The current best 2-stroke oil you can use in high rpm air cooled
2-Stroke engines is oil that meets or exceeds the ISO L-EGD & JASO FD standards.
These are the only standards recommended by OEM.
2-STROKE OIL
PowerBlend X and ONE ® –® PowerBlend X and ONE oils are a blend of
synthetic and petroleum base oil with a quality ad- ditive package that that
improves performance, reduces deposits, and extends the life of air cooled 2-
Stroke engines. On top of that, a fuel stabilizer is added to the oil that helps to
keep fuel mix fresh for up to 3-months.
Red Armor™ Oil – premium Red Armor 2-Stroke oil takes engine protection
to the next level. It has an additive package unlike any other product on the
market and a fuel stabilizer that protects for up to 2-years. Many engine failures
are caused by internal engine deposits and use of Red Armor 2-Stroke oil is one
of the best ways to prevent deposit build up. The detergent package in Red
Armor oil not only helps prevent deposit build up in new engines, it actually
removes deposits/varnishes/carbon from older engines.
PowerFuel™ – PowerFuel is ready-to-use right out of the can. PowerFuel
contains 93 octane, ethanol free gasoline, pre-mixed at a 50:1 ratio with Red
Armor oil. PowerFuel is a high performance fuel that has all the engine
cleaning benefits of Red Armor oil, including the fuel stabilizer that helps keep
fuel fresh up to 2-years.
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 Verify Oil Is For Hi RPM Air Cooled 2-Stroke Engines
– Before accusing an operator of an uncertified oil engine failure,
always try to verify the oil being used meets high rpm air cooled
2-Stroke engine certification requirements. This is because uncerti-
fied oil breakdown symptoms can look very similar to other failure
problems, like overheating.
JASO Registration Code – The operator’s oil bottle should
have I.S.O. L-EGD certification and a J.A.S.O. FD registration code.
If the bottle has no JASO code number, one should be available
from the oil manufacturer. Without a JASO registration code there is no as-
surance JASO standards are really being met.
Oil Breakdown With NO Overheating Symptoms – Be
suspicious of the operator’s fuel mix oil when you see piston oil break-
down deposits without signs of engine cooling system blockage or
engine overloading. Typically uncertified oil will work fine and not
leave any deposits in the cooler crankcase of the engine.
Piston Skirt Deposits – Uncertified oil breakdown deposits often
spread around most of the piston. Since extreme engine heat is not a
factor, a 2-Stroke engine may continue to run a long time on an uncer-
tified oil fuel mixture. More layers of uncertified oil breakdown de-
posits will build as long as the rings stay free and the engine continues to run.
Stuck Piston Rings – Uncertified oil breakdown deposits will
also build inside piston ring grooves causing rings to stick. These
oil deposits collect all around the piston, often causing rings to
stick all the way around as well.
Piston & Cylinder Scoring Possible – Since uncertified oil
deposits form at normal engine temperatures, overheating isn’t an
early problem. Gradually layers of deposits will continue to build,
reducing piston heat transfer to the cylinder, causing overheating.
Piston and cylinder scoring is possible caused by a combination of
high heat cooking off lubrication, excessive piston expansion and stuck
piston rings.
Combustion Carbon Build Up – Additives in quality certified
2-Stroke oil minimize carbon build up when the air/fuel/oil mixture
is burned in the combustion chamber. Uncertified 2-Stroke oil can
build excessive carbon deposits on top of the piston, in the exhaust
port and on the spark screen. Exhaust restrictions can cause excessive
engine heat.

UNCERTIFIED 2-STROKE OIL FAILURE REVIEW

Uncertified Oil Failure Symptoms – Oil not certified for high rpm air cooled 2-Stroke engines
can cause oil breakdown deposits around piston, stuck piston rings and heavy combustion chamber/
exhaust carbon build up. Uncertified oil breakdown can occur within an engine’s normal temperature
operating range. Piston scoring is possible if the engine continues to run with stuck rings.
Preventing Uncertified Oil Failures – Uncertified oil failures can be prevented by using 2-
Stroke oil or oil that truly meets or exceeds ISO L-EGD or JASO FD certifications.
Diagnosing Uncertified Oil Failures – Uncertified oil engine failures can look similar to other fail-
ures, like overheating. Before diagnosing an uncertified oil failure, confirm the engine has no overheat-
ing symptoms and verify the operator is not using oil certified for high rpm air cooled 2-stroke engines.

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 MECHANICAL DAMAGE FAILURES

MECHANICAL FAILURE CAUSE

Mechanical failure is usually caused by an internal part coming loose inside a running engine. If the
engine is fairly new it’s likely the failure is caused by a defective part or a factory assembly error. When
an internal part breaks on a well-used engine, the mechanical failure is often caused by wear.

OUTSIDE ENGINE MECHANICAL

FAILURE S Y M P TO M S
Locked Up Engine or Low Compression – Catastrophic damage can
occur inside a high rpm engine when a part comes loose. Mechanical failure
damage often causes the engine to lock up or sometimes the crankshaft will ro-
tate only a short distance. If the engine does turn over, expect low compression
caused by damage sticking the piston rings.
INSIDE ENGINE MECHANICAL
FAILURE S Y M P TO M S
Damaged Piston & Cylinder – Mechanical failures on 2-Stroke engines
often causes piston and cylinder damage in line with transfer ports. Loose debris inside
the crankcase is drawn through transfer passages as the air/fuel/oil mixture charge moves
towards the combustion chamber. There’s a good chance the loose part will get jammed
between the piston and cylinder. If the debris makes it to the combustion chamber, it will
damage the top of the piston & cylinder or gouge into the exhaust port. It’s important to
look for the failed part that caused the damage. The most common causes of mechanical
failure are listed below:
Bearing Failures – Needle bearings and bearing cages on both ends of
the connecting rod can fail, damaging the piston and cylinder. Check for
any vertical rod play and look for missing needles or broken bearing cages.
Crankshaft main ball bearing cages can break as well. Confirm main bearing
failure by checking for crankshaft side play. If the engine is like new, suspect
a defective bearing. If the engine is used, check for engine wear or signs of
over speeding.
Broken Wrist Pin Spacer Washers – Wrist pin spacer washers are add-
ed to most engines on each side of the wrist pin bearing. Spacer washers help
prevent wrist pin bearing wear into the softer aluminum piston. The washers
also help to align the connecting rod for proper crankpin bearing clear-
ance. Wear, often caused by dirt ingestion, is the most common cause of
spacer washer failure. Look for broken or missing spacer washers, espe-
cially if there is damage to the side of the piston over the transfer ports.
Wrist Pin Retaining Clips Come Out – Improperly installed
wrist pin retaining clips can come out and jam between the piston and
cylinder. When you see damage to the side of a piston, look for a miss-
ing pin clip. Technicians should always carefully install wrist pin clips
when doing engine work to prevent failures.

MECHANICAL FAILURE REVIEW

Mechanical engine failures are almost always caused by an internal engine part breaking or coming
loose. Debris inside the crankcase moves through the transfer passages, often causing damage to the
sides of piston and cylinder over the transfer ports. If failed parts make it to the combustion chamber,
damage can occur to the top of the piston, the top of the cylinder or the exhaust port.
Common Mechancal Failure Components – The most common causes of mechanical damage
are bearing failures, broken wrist pin spacer washers or wrist pin retaining clips that come out. If the
engine is new the problem is likely caused by a defective part or an assembly error. Check for engine
wear problems when mechanical failures occur on well used engines.

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ENGINE FAILURE REVIEW

ENGINE FAILURE REVIEW

So far this booklet has covered a number engine failures, each with a neat list of symptoms to help iden-
tify the cause of every failure. In the real world engine failure causes are not always that easy to identify.
Sometimes there may be a combination of problems that cause an engine to fail. In addition, many failure
symptoms look similar, especially when the rings are stuck and piston scoring occurs. Around 8 0 % of the
time the symptoms line up accurately with the failure cause. The best chance at determining an accurate
cause of engine failure comes from using all the outside and inside engine checks in this booklet. At the very
least, a full engine evaluation can narrow down the cause of failure.

COMBINATION ENGINE FAILURES

Combination Failures (Outside Engine Checks) – Often
there is more than one cause of an engine failure. This 1-year old
commercially used hedge clipper still ran but had a rat- tling noise
inside the engine. Before the engine is disassembled it’s important
to look on the outside of the machine for clues that might
determine why the engine failed. The melted spot on the muffler
shield indicated the engine was running hot. A check of the engine
cooling intake revealed it was almost completely blocked with de-
bris.
Combination Failures (Inside Engine Checks) – Oil break-
down deposits all around the piston was evidence of overheating in-
side the engine. There was also a slight score on the exhaust side of
the piston. Excessive side ring clearance of .013” indicated high en-
gine wear. The side ring clearance limit for this engine is only .006”.
A check of the connecting rod bearings revealed the wrist pin was
loose in the piston. The worn wrist pin bosses were the source of en-
gine noise. Excessive engine wear was likely caused by high operating
hours and some dirt ingestion. Although the air filter housing was
fairly clean, this hedge clipper was being operated in a dry Southwest-
ern U.S. city and there were signs of dirt in the crankcase.
Combination Failures (The Causes) – It’s likely the accurate
diagnosis of both the overheating failure and high wear failure would
not have been made without doing the thorough list of engine checks.
STUCK PISTON RINGS
Stuck Rings Caused By Scoring – Extreme heat causes piston scor-
ing that welds over the ring, sticking it in the groove. High heat failures
that causes scoring to stick rings are raw gas, lean seize and overheating
failures. If scoring caused the ring to stick, pry a portion of a ring out and
it should be relatively clean inside the groove.
Stuck Rings Caused By Deposits – Combustion deposits can fill
piston grooves causing the rings to stick. Here’s where it gets tricky. If
the engine continues to run with stuck rings combustion will blow-by
the rings causing the piston to overheat and score. The most likely cause
of piston rings stuck by deposits are too much oil in fuel mix, stale fuel,
uncertified oil and rich fuel mixtures. Overheating can also contribute to
combustion deposits in ring grooves. If the rings are stuck by deposits,
peel a portion of a ring out and there should be deposits in the groove.
Stuck Rings & Piston Scoring – Once piston rings are stuck and
the piston scoring begins many engine failures can look alike. Knowing
if piston rings are stuck by scoring or deposits can help narrow the cause
of failure down. However, the combination of stuck rings and piston
scoring increases the importance of doing the full list of inside & outside
engine failure checks.
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 MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE
FUNDAMENTALS

M I X LUBRICATED 4-STROKE ENGINES

79.7cc Belt Drive Overhead Cam Engine 24.5cc Pushrod Overhead Valve Engine
Advantages – introduced the first production mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines for handheld
equipment in 2001. The design combines 4-Stroke & 2-Stroke engine technologies to produce powerheads
that have excellent exhaust emissions & less noise like 4-Stroke engines with lighter weight & unrestricted
all position running like 2-Stroke engines.
Engine Design – utilizes both a belt drive overhead cam design and a pushrod overhead valve
engine design. Since these engines are lubricated with 2-Stroke fuel mix, the crankcase is small and
lightweight. Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines can rev over 10,000 rpm, so the piston assembly, connecting
rod and crankshaft are built like hi-rpm 2-Stroke engines. These engines have high
speed needle bearings on both ends of the connecting rod and ball bearings on both
ends of the crankshaft.
Basic Mix Lubricated 4-Stroke Engine Operation – The basic operating
principles of a mix lubricated 4-Stroke engine are the same as any 4-Stroke engine.
The 4-Stroke engine crankshaft makes two revolutions during the intake, compres-
sion, power and exhaust strokes. The air/fuel/oil mixture induction of a mix
lubricated 4-Stroke engine works like a 2-Stroke engine. All air/fuel/oil mixture
enters the crankcase first to run and lubricate the engine.
Four-Stroke engines produce a power stroke every other revolution
of the crankshaft.

Built like a hi-rpm

2-Stroke engine

MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE ENGINE

OPERATION INTAKE STROKE
(Down Stroke)
Above The Piston – The piston moves down in the cylinder on the intake
stroke creating a vacuum inside the combustion chamber. The intake valve
opens on the intake stroke and the exhaust valve stays closed. Air/fuel/oil
mixture from the crankcase is drawn through the open intake valve into the
combustion chamber.

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Below The Piston – The air/fuel/oil mixture induction of a mix lubricated
4-Stroke engine works like a 2-Stroke engine. Each time the piston moves down
in the cylinder it creates pressure in the crankcase. Air/fuel/oil mix- ture trapped
in the crankcase is forced under pressure up to the intake valve. The pressurized
air/fuel/oil mix charge is then forced into the combustion chamber as soon as
the intake valve opens.
COMPRESSION STROKE
(Upstroke)
Above The Piston – The piston moves up
on the compression stroke with both the intake
and exhaust valves closed. Air/fuel/oil mixture trapped in the combustion
chamber is compressed as the piston con-
tinues to move up.

Below The Piston – Each time the pis-

ton moves up in the cylinder vacuum is created inside the crankcase. Crank-
case vacuum opens the intake reed valve drawing the air/fuel/oil mixture
from the carburetor down into the bottom end of the engine. NOTE: Over-
head cam mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines use piston port air/fuel/oil mix-
ture induction.
POWER STROKE
Above The Piston – Both valves remain closed. The spark plug ignites the
compressed air/fuel/oil mixture inside the combustion chamber just before TDC.
Just past TDC the maximum force of controlled combustion drives the piston
down on the power stroke.

Below The Piston – The down stroke pressurizes the

crankcase jamming the air/fuel/oil mixture into a cham-
ber toward the intake valve. A Power Boost reed valve
closes at the bottom of the power stroke to prevent the
pressurized mixture from leaking back into the crankcase.

EXHAUST STROKE
Above The Piston – On the exhaust stroke, the pis-
ton moves up in the cylinder pushing spent gases out
of the combustion chamber through the open exhaust
valve and into the muffler.

Below The Piston – As the piston moves up

in the cylinder vacuum is created again inside the
crankcase. Crankcase vacuum opens the intake
reed valve drawing more air/fuel/oil mixture from
the carburetor down into the bottom end of the
engine.

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 MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE OUTSIDECHECKS

SPECIAL TOOLS
(Mix Lubricated 4-Stroke)
Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines are built much like 2-Stroke engines and share most of the same diagnostic
tools as 2-Stroke engines. Several special tools needed to service mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines are in-
cluded in the #91102 Tool Kit. All tools in the kit can be purchased separately. For details on all tools,
download the on the Distributor and Dealer Website.

#91102 Service Tool Kit

OUTSIDE ENGINE CHECKS & TESTS
Before the engine is disassembled
Most failure analysis outside checks and tests for mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines are the same as those used
on 2-Stroke engines. This section will only point out 4-Stroke engine check differences and tests unique to
mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines.
3ENGINE COMPRESSION
10mm Gauge Adaptor Required – Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines are equipped with special 10mm
threaded spark plugs. Test compression using the #91037 Compression Gauge. Remove the standard
compression gauge hose with 14mm plug adaptor and install the #91074 Compression Gauge Hose with
10mm plug adaptor.
Compression Test Procedures – Compression test procedures are the same as 2-Stroke engines: Test
only cold engines. Turn the ignition switch off, open the throttle & choke, and keep pulling the starter rope
until the gauge needle stops rising. Pushrod engines have a built in compression release. To get accurate
compression readings on pushrod engines, be sure to pull the starter rope briskly to overcome the compres-
sion release. The belt drive overhead cam engines do not have a compression release.

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 3CYLINDER LEAK DOWN TEST
If a mix lubricated 4-Stroke engine has low compression, a cylinder leak down test will help diagnose
whether the leakage is an exhaust valve, intake valve or the piston rings and cylinder.
Special Tools – To perform this test you will need a leak down tester equipped with a 10mm spark plug
adaptor (not sold by). Pictured is a #5609 OTC Tester available from independent tool suppliers. You will
also need a starter pulley removal tool to hold the piston in place (#91083* for pushrod engines or
#91084* for overhead cam engines). *Both starter pulley tools are included in the Tool Kit.

Performing A Leak Down Test – To perform the test, remove the rocker arm cover, position the
piston at top dead center on the compression stroke, and hold the piston in place with the starter pulley
remover tool. Slowly apply 90 psi to the combustion chamber. TAKE CARE, the starter pulley wrench might
want to move once you start applying air pressure. Combustion chamber leakage over 1 0 % may affect
engine performance. Leakage over 2 0 % indicates major problems with the valves or piston and cylinder.

Leak Down Test Results – Air leakage out the muffler outlet indicates exhaust valve leakage. Air
leakage out of the intake valve port in the rocker arm area, indicates intake valve leakage. Air leakage out
of the carburetor on the overhead cam engine indicates piston and cylinder leakage. Pushrod engines have
an intake reed valve preventing piston/cylinder leakage out the carburetor. On pushrod engines, check for
piston/cylinder problems by checking for air leakage out of the pushrod tubes in the rocker arm area.

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 MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE OUTSIDECHECKS

3CRANKCASE PRESSURE/VACUUM
A mix lubricated 4-Stroke engine must have a sealed crankcase to draw the correct air/fuel/oil mixture into
the crankcase. A crankcase air leak will cause lean running conditions, increase engine heat and build more
combustion chamber carbon. Because 4-Stroke engines fire every other revolution of the crankshaft, lean
seizures & overheating failures are less likely to occur on mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines. A crankcase pres-
sure/vacuum test is still recommended because air leaks can contribute to engine failure.

Pressure/Vacuum Test Procedure – Use the same 2-Stroke engine pressure/vacuum test procedures
on mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines. To perform the test you will need to install the smaller #91081 (10mm)
pressure plug adaptor. The adaptor is included in the Tool Kit. Remember, leaks around the valve cover
or cam cover are also crankcase air leaks.

3VALVE CLEARANCE
Check the valve clearance. Valve adjustments are recommended every 135 hours of use. Excessive valve
clearance is an indication of high wear or poor maintenance. Long term excessive valve clearance can lead
to valve train failure.

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MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE INSIDE CHECKS

INSIDE ENGINE CHECKS

After the engine is disassembled
Four-Stroke engines have a power stroke every other revolution of the crankshaft, so expect to see less
overheating engine damage and less piston scoring engine failures compared to 2-Stroke engines. Howev-
er, mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines can have valve train failures. High rpm mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines
are designed similar to 2-Stroke engines. Most inside engine checks and tests are the same as 2-Stroke
engines. Only valve train engine checks are covered in this section.
3CHECK FOR CAM WEAR OR DAMAGE
Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines operate in similar engine rpm ranges as 2-Stroke engines (7,000rpm to
10,000rpm). 4-Stroke engine camshaft lobes are designed to last the life of the engine. Howev- er, cam
lobes can suffer from wear or damage from long term excessive valve clearance, dirt ingestion and valve
stem deposits. Closely inspect cam lobes for any problems. On pushrod engines, check the nylon cam
gear and metal compression release counter weight for any damage.

3CHECK VALVES FOR DEPOSITS & DAMAGE

Check valve faces and stems for deposits that can indicate maintenance problems. Valve stem deposits can
cause sticky valve operation, increasing the load on cam lobes. Excessive valve clearance causes valves to
really take a pounding at high engine rpm. It’s pretty rare to see a broken valve but when it occurs, exces-
sive valve clearance is the usual cause.

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 MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE DIRT INGESTION

M I X LUBRICATED 4-STROKE
DIRT INGESTION FAILURE CAUSE
High rpm mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines are susceptible to the same kind of dirt ingestion wear to pistons,
rings and cylinders as 2-Stroke engines. The difference is that dirt also causes 4-Stroke engine valve com-
ponent wear and causes valve deposits. In fact, dirt ingestion valve train failures are more common in mix
lubricated 4-Stroke engines than dirt ingestion piston/cylinder failures. As with all engines, poor air filter
maintenance is the most common cause of dirt ingestion failures.

Dirty Air Filter & Air Filter Housing – To prevent dirt ingestion
failures all current models with mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines have dense
foam pre-filters and heavy duty main filters. No matter how good these air
filter systems are, some dust will pass through poorly maintained, plugged
up and damaged filters.
Low Engine Compression – Evidence of dust in the air filter housing
combined with a low engine compression reading are the early clues that
an engine has suffered a dirt ingestion failure. A cylinder leak down test
will help determine where the leakage is at.
INSIDE ENGINE DIRT INGESTION SYMPTOMS
Cam Lobe Wear – Always inspect the cam lobe for wear before pull-
ing the cylinder or cylinder head. Premature cam lobe wear is most likely
caused by dirt ingestion. Lobe wear results in excessive valve clearance.
Combustion Chamber Dirt Carbon – Dirt forms scaly carbon depos-
its, sometimes tan in color, on top of the piston and on the top of the cylinder.
Valve Deposits – Valve deposits can be caused by many things including,
uncertified oil, rich fuel mixture, stale fuel and dirt. An engine that has ev-
idence of dirt ingestion will usually have valve deposits. Valve face carbon
prevents the valve from sealing. Valve stem deposits can restrict movement
of the valve in the valve guide and sometimes stick valves open.
High Piston, Rings & Cylinder Wear – Dirt ingestion will cause pis-
ton skirt wear, ring groove wear and piston ring wear on both 2-Stroke and
4-Stroke engines. High wear can lead to internal damage to the piston and
cylinder. Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines have plated cylinder liners. Once
wear extends through the lining, the cylinder will need to be replaced.
Valve Train Problems Cause Most Failures – Mix lubricated 4-Stroke
engines are more likely to suffer dirt ingestion valve train failures than dirt in-
gestion piston or cylinder failures.
Melted Nylon Cam Lobes – Valve stem deposits cause sticky valves that
put extra load on valve train components. This extra load can cause melted
nylon cam lobes on pushrod engines.

M I X LUBRICATED 4-STROKE DIRT INGESTION REVIEW

Dirt ingestion causes cam lobe wear, resulting in excessive valve clearance that can develop into valve com-
ponent breakage. Dirt carbon valve deposits can cause poor sealing or sticky valves that can damage nylon
cam lobes. Dirt ingestion typically causes more valve train issues than piston and cylinder damage on mix
lubricated 4-Stroke engines.
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MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE RAWGAS

4-STROKE RAW GAS FAILURE CAUSE

Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines require a 50:1 ratio of gasoline mixed with 2-Stroke oil to lubricate all moving
parts. Raw gas failures are caused by running these engines without any mix oil. Heat is less of a factor in most
4-Stroke engine failures. This is because 4-Stroke engines have a power stroke every other revolution of the
crankshaft compared to a 2-Stroke engine with a power stroke every crankshaft revolution. Raw gas can cause
mix lubricated 4-Stroke engine failures from either piston & cylinder scoring or damaged valve train components.

M I X LUBRICATED 4-STROKE RAW

GAS SYMPTOMS
Cam Lobe D a m a g e
Pushrod Engines – Nylon cam lobes remain slick with the
slightest amount of residual lubrication. Mix lubricated 4-Stroke
pushrod engine cams are rarely damaged by running the engine
on raw gas. When raw gas does damage a nylon cam, usually
both the inner and outer portion of the lobe will melt. Melting
can be caused by raw gas washing all lubrication off the cam.
Raw gas may also restrict valve stem movement in the valve guides causing the sticky valves to overload
and melt the cam lobe.
Overhead Cam Engines – Mix lubricated 4-Stroke overhead
cam engines are large displacement backpack blower engines.
These engines have larger valve springs that apply heavier rocker
arm pressure to metal cam lobes. Running overhead cam engines
on raw gas can cause metal rocker arms to quickly wear metal cam
lobes. Raw gas metal cam lobe wear will have a rough scratchy
appearance. Metal filings from the worn cam will coat the inside
of the valve rocker cover.
Lubrication In Crankcase & Rocker Cover – Expect to find
some lubrication inside the crankcase of a mix lubricated 4-Stroke
engine run on raw gas. These engines usually don’t run hot enough
to cook out all oil.

Piston & Cylinder Scoring

Minimal Piston Damage Likely – Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines inherently
run cooler than 2-Stroke engines. Mix lubricated 4-Strokes
may run a very long time on raw gas before there is any dam-
age to the piston and cylinder, especially with light engine
loads. When scoring does occur, if may be minimal.
Heavy Piston Scoring Possible – Heavy wrap around
piston and cylinder scoring is possible, depending how long
the engine runs on raw gas. Engines with high constant loads,
like blowers, are most vulnerable to heavy raw gas scoring.
Stuck Piston Rings – Raw gas failures will cause piston rings to stick in ring
grooves wherever heavy scoring occurs.

M I X LUBURICATED 4-STROKE RAW GAS REVIEW

Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines inherently run cooler than 2-Stroke engines. Residual lubrication will
remain in the cooler crankcases and valve covers of most mix lubricated 4-Stroke engine raw gas failures.
Raw gas rarely damages nylon cams on pushrod engines but raw gas can quickly wear metal cam lobes
on overhead cam engines. Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engine raw gas failures may cause scoring all around
the piston. The severity of the scoring depends on engine load and how long the engine runs on raw gas.

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 MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE STALEFUEL

M I X LUBRICATED 4-STROKE STALE FUEL FAILURE CAUSE

Stale fuel mix lubricated 4-Stroke engine failures are caused by running engines on old decomposing fuel.
It’s possible for sticky stale fuel varnish deposits to coat most of the interior of a mix lubricated 4-Stroke
engine. The severity of the deposits depends on how stale the fuel is and how long the engine runs on the
stuff. The detailed cause of stale fuel failures and preventing these failures are exactly the same as 2-Stroke
engine stale fuel failures.

M I X LUBRICATED 4-STROKE STALE FUEL SYMPTOMS

Crankcase Varnish Deposits – Like 2-Stroke engines, all of the air/
fuel/oil mixture enters the crankcase of mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines
first. Some non-volatile components of the mixture, including varnish
deposits, are left behind inside the crankcase. Crankcase deposits are a
key factor in identifying stale fuel failures. Most other failures will not
form deposits in the cooler crankcase.

Valve Train Varnish De-

posits – The air/fuel/oil mixture
moves from the crankcase and cir-
culates around all valve train com-
ponents on the way to the intake valve. If the fuel is very stale, the
mixture may leave varnish deposits on cams, cam followers, pushrods
and rocker arms. Most other failures will not form deposits on valve
train components.

Intake & Exhaust Valve Varnish Deposits – Stale fuel varnish

builds deposits on both intake and exhaust valve stems of mix lubricated
4-Stroke engines. Valve stem varnish deposits are usually worse on the in-
take valve stem where stale fuel enters the combustion chamber. Most
other engine problems will build more deposits on the hotter exhaust valve
stem. If the operator is lucky, stem deposits may stick a valve open causing
the engine to quit running before more damage occurs.

Piston Varnish Deposits – Stale fuel

varnish deposits will quickly begin to bake all around the piston skirt and
eventually coat the entire piston. If the engine continues to run with stale
fuel, varnish deposits may cause the piston to stick to the cylinder, locking up
the engine.

Stuck Piston Rings – It usually doesn’t take long for heavy stale fuel var-
nish to fill ring grooves and stick piston rings all the way around.

M I X LUBRICATED 4-STROKE STALE FUEL REVIEW

Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines that run on stale fuel can coat almost all internal engine parts with sticky
varnish deposits. It’s rare for any other engine failures to form deposits in the cooler crankcase or on valve
train components. Stale fuel forms varnish deposits on both intake and exhaust valve stems. The engine
may quit running if stem deposits stick a valve open. Stale fuel forms varnish deposits on piston skirts and
inside ring grooves, usually causing rings to stick. The engine may lock up if varnish deposits build up to
the point the piston sticks in the cylinder.

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VALVE TRAIN FAILURES

MIX LUBRICATED 4-STROKE VALVE TRAIN FAILURE SYMPTOMS

mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines have a very sound valve train design. When valve train failures do occur,
most can be attributed to a lack of maintenance, excessive valve clearance or heavy valve deposits. Valve
clearances should be checked every 135 running hours. Heavy valve deposits are most often caused by dirt
ingestion, too much oil in the gas, uncertified oil or stale fuel.

VALVE TRAIN FAILURE SYMPTOMS

Low Engine Compression – Valve train failures often result in low engine com-
pression readings. The location of the combustion leakage can be verified by a cyl-
inder leak down test.
Valve Component Breakage
Excessive Valve Clearance – Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines with proper valve
clearance causes cam lobes to push valves open. Excessive valve clearance causes cam
action to pound valves open. The constant pounding of valves at high engine speeds of
up to 10,000 rpm, puts tremendous stress on all valve train components. Running mix
lubricated 4-Stroke engines for many hours with excessive valve clearance can cause
broken valves, broken cam followers and damage to other valve train components.
Dirt Ingestion – Premature excessive valve clearance is usually
caused by dirt ingestion wearing cam lobes and cam followers. When-
ever valve train component breakage occurs, look for dirt in the air
filter housing, dirt carbon in the combustion chamber and valve train
component wear.
Routine Valve Adjustments – Over time, some wear of valve
train components is normal. Routine valve adjustments at recom-
mended 135 hour intervals will correct for normal wear. Valve compo-
nent breakage on high hour mix lubricated 4-Stroke engines is usually
caused by a lack of regular valve adjustments or no valve adjustments.
Melted Nylon Came Lobes– Heavy valve stem deposits can cause
melting of nylon cam lobes on mix lubricated 4-Stroke pushrod engines. When stem
deposits build up to the point that valve movement is restricted in the valve guide,
it increases load on the valve train. Metal cam follower pressure can increase to the
point that the nylon lobe melts. Stem deposits are most likely to build
on the hotter exhaust valve, resulting in damage to only the outside
exhaust portion of the lobe. The inner intake portion of the cam lobe
usually remains unaffected.
Cause Of Valve Deposits – Major causes of valve deposits include dirt
ingestion, too much oil in the fuel, rich carburetor adjustments and stale
fuel. Uncertified 2-Stroke oil can cause excessive valve deposits as well.
Prevention Of Valve Deposits – Try to verify the operator is
using approved ISO L-EGD and JASO FD certified 2-Stroke oil. Red Ar-
mor 2-Stroke oil is highly recommended as a way to protect against
valve and combustion carbon build up.

M i x L u b r i c a t e d 4-STROKE VALVE TRAIN FAILURE REVIEW

Mix lubricated 4-Stroke engine valve component breakage is usually caused by excessive valve clear-
ance. Most often, excessive clearance is from premature wear of cam lobes & cam followers caused by
dirt ingestion. Over time, normal wear can cause excessive valve clearance if valves are not adjusted at
recommended intervals. Heavy exhaust valve deposits on pushrod engines can cause the outside por-
tion of the nylon cam lobe to melt.

2013 Engine Failure Analysis - 43

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THANK YOU

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