How do I Fix an Oil Seal on a Briggs & Stratton Engine?
Briggs & Stratton manufactures a wide variety of small engines, from single-cylinder to V-twins, that are used in everything from lawn tractors to snow blowers. When an engine gets an oil leak, the first thing you imagine is that there's a serious problem that is going to be expensive to fix and take hours of work.
Fortunately, if it's the oil seal on your Briggs & Stratton engine, you won't even need to tear down the engine. You should be able to do the job in half an hour, using basic tools.
Things You Will Need
- Crescent wrench
- Drain pan
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Lubricant spray
- Small rubber mallet
Tip
When installing the new seal, its very important to move slowly. The inside of the seal has a spring that goes all the way around the inside of it. If the seal spring comes off and the seal is put on anyway, the engine will continue to leak.
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Place the engine on a flat work bench. Put a drain pan under the oil plug at the bottom of the engine. Remove the plug with the crescent wrench and drain the oil into the pan. Reattach the oil plug.
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Turn the engine over so that the crankshaft is facing up. The oil seal is at the bottom of the crankshaft, recessed into the engine block.
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Pry out the seal with the flat-head screwdriver. Spray the new seal and the crankshaft with lubricant.
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Push the oil seal slowly into place. Once the lip of the seal is in the recessed part of the engine block, gently hammer all around the seal with the rubber mallet until the seal is firmly seated.
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Turn the engine back over so it's in the upright position. Refill with oil, per the specifications listed in the operator's manual.
The Drip Cap
- Briggs & Stratton manufactures a wide variety of small engines, from single-cylinder to V-twins, that are used in everything from lawn tractors to snow blowers.
- Fortunately, if it's the oil seal on your Briggs & Stratton engine, you won't even need to tear down the engine.
- Remove the plug with the crescent wrench and drain the oil into the pan.
- Turn the engine over so that the crankshaft is facing up.
References
- Ian Gutoskie, Service Manager; Central Florida Power Equipment; Kissimmee, Florida
Writer Bio
Based out of Orlando, Fla., Yvonne Grant has since 1997 done everything from designing and outlining company handbooks to preparing reports for the IRS. She maintains a popular interior design blog where she gives advice and design tips. Grant has bachelor's degrees in both business and interior design from the University of Central Florida and the International Academy of Design and Technology.
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