Briggs twin

Not to sure if it's an opposed or a v twin, but it has ISSUES. First problem is easy solving, the battery doesn't charge. ThAts the alternator, next come the tricky part, what would cause the negative terminal on a battery to melt? Literaly, the nut and bolt melt up through the terminal. Next comes hard starting, I can turn it over pretty easy by pulling out a single spark plug (dual magnetos) and turning it over normally. Any ideas to fix this? Lastly, can anyone locate the stator block for this engine? I desperately need one at this point. Engine model is 407777 0171 oddly, there are 2 diferent engines with this number one has 2 bolts on the air cover and the other has 4. Mine is the 2 bolt.

The hard starting problem can usaully be fixed with a 500amp battery or you might need a new starter. Almost every one with that engine has that problem.

Good luck

Thanks, this engine is gold to me so I'd love to have it in peak condition again

The only possible thing that can cause a terminal to melt is a dead short or high load on a loose terminal.

Fortunatley you're battery probably died before it delivered enough amps to cause an arc. Or, you cut the circuit before hand. probably had a loose negative terminal

Despite the fact that these are generally only 12 volt systems, some are 6 volt.

Amperage is amperage. 600 volts or 12 volts amps are amps.

Simple fact is loose connections cause resistance, which causes heat, enough heat and the lead melts. Amps cause heat. The more amps, the more heat. The only time your system draws serious amps, is during the start up cycle.

Logic dictates, as Tuvok would say, that you had a loose negative post connection during the start or, some thing shorted out.

If the stator block died, would that kill the battery before it drew the amps? Or could the terminal melting through generate a positive shock (since for a split second, nothing was grounded) to blow the stator? all my electrical problem (besides hard starting and charing) happened around the same time.

To help most. A opposed twin is 180 degree cylinders on the motor. They are on each side. A v twin is alot closer together up front. The cylinders form a v. V twin, 180 degree cylinders. Opposed twin. I love my opposed twin

Thanks for clarifying, mine is a V twin.