18HP? Horizontal Briggs Opposed refresh

SO, a few years back I acquired 3 Briggs and Stratton engines I figured all were 18HP.  Two of the 3 had all the covers with their respective model info.  The 3rd, I got to run as well but since I was missing parts and the use of a vertical sump gasket on the PTO side of the Horizontal engine. (Not the same as you see below)



Engine looked terrible on the outside due to the oil leak and just basic corrosion.  

With all that said, I decided that I would tear it apart, check it over and maybe play around with the Power secrets @Wheelinhorse mentioned in his video series.  Nothing too aggressive or crazy but at least get some more engine experience.

Let's just say I was greatly surprised when I took the heads off.





Uh..... those pistions look new!  Valves are clean! The head gaskets didn't even tear?  Granted they are graphite junk but I've never removed one and not tear.

I'm actually excited of the prospect of this specimen to play with and experiment.

Plans at this point.

• Total breakdown.
  
• Check current parts and see if they are in speck.
  
• Removing the governor
  
• need to add a drain tube.  It only has plugs.
  
• clean the whole engine up.
  
• obvious all new gaskets
  
• I'm pretty sure I will swap it to copper head gaskets.
  
• I'll drill out oil returns that seem to hold all the old oil in a pocket.
  
• I'll need a carburetor for it.  The one I have on hand I think is bad.
  
• New tins for the engine. I'll need to dig in my stuff, but I don't think I have any spare.
  
• sky is the limit
  

I think this will be a fun activity for the much of the rest of the year.

So, forgive me.  I was reviewing old video; I realized this engine was freshly rebuilt back when I got them.



That is all the parts I had for this engine.  I did scavenge the new coil and starter from the engine I used to start it.

It's the naked one on the tailgate from this old picture.

So, engine is torn down to block.  



It's my starting point.  Boy, I have some surprises in this block.  It is a roller coaster of... What?  Goods, Bads... what was the *PO thinking???

The Good stuff...

The cam looks new. The piston, rings, and rods look Brand new.


Rod bearings and Crank look great!





First oppy that I ran into a ball bearing in the crank!  Guessing that is a horizontal thing?  You can still see the assembly grease on the bearing and tip of the cam!



OK.. Here's where it gets weird...

All these new parts...

Why not do the job right?

Cylinder 1... looks good.


WHAT IS GOING ON WITH Cylinder 2?!?!?!  Hope I can clean some of that mess up.

That scratch looking area looks bad... but my fingernail barely if at all catches which is amazing by the looks of it.  Those lower pits are below the ring line on the bottom stroke.  Should have little to no effect.  The Bore lip area is stains not pitting.


The inside of the block is filthy.... Just terrible, check out the sump!!



Aye!  Again, If I screw this up... I already have the parts removed for another engine if needed.

Let the fun begin!

*PO = Previous Owner for those that didn't know.

Ugh.... not sure what I was thinking but wallor'd out the exhaust on one side instead of the intake.  I think it will be fine.  I smoothed it down more and matched it on the other side.  Otherwise, using Scott's info, I did do some cleaning up of the intake port and smoothed up the exhaust some. (Not finished there) I didn't clean the back side of the intake ports; I did take out the ridges and cleaned up that sharp bend on the short side.  That really seems to make a difference.  I did go ahead, and power wash the block since it was pretty nasty with oily sand residue.  I should have videoed it because when I was blowing the pressure sprayer through the intake port, it was making a cool water vortex out the port on the piston side.  I take that as a good thing.    That is all for now.