Hi all,
I've acquired a Lawnflite Classic 8/30 ride on mower, for free. It's got an 8hp B&S engine, is cosmetically rough, but perfectly useable, but needs a new battery, cylinder head, and fuel tank, but WAS running fine before the dismantle. I saw it running, and know it's OK. The missing bits are now lost, by it's previous owner...Long story, boring, and irrelevant.
A Fuel tank I can sort out no problem, ditto the battery. Which leaves the cylinder head.
So, is it worth my time trying to find the B&S engine number and buying a cylinder head for it? I reckon this engine is early/mid 80's. I'm asking from a cost viewpoint, rather than whether or not I can use it. I can always flog it on if I can't use it. Is it likely to be prohibitively expensive for a new cylinder head?
I can use the mower, but have no real pressing need for it, I just don't want to waste time locating the engine number and preparing the rest of the stuff, only to find the head costs squillions of quid.
I could always hang on, and keep watching ebay, but I just don't want it hanging around in bits while I wait for the day when one might turn up.
Anyone know the costs of similar B&S spares?
Thanks,
GG.
Old Lawnflite ride-on mower - worth the hassle?
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
we may be able too supply a 2nd hand head but wud need numbers off the cowling, & maybe a pic of the top of the negine?.
George. see our website, at,, villierparts
George. see our website, at,, villierparts
if it was running fine , why was the head taken off?
my advise would be to either fit a complete running used engine, find another identical mower and use the first for spares or chuck the whole thing. if you need a ride on mower there are pleanty of running ones available.
my advise would be to either fit a complete running used engine, find another identical mower and use the first for spares or chuck the whole thing. if you need a ride on mower there are pleanty of running ones available.
Have you tried B&S - They are in North east London somewhere (IIRC Romford)
Anyway, I had need of an old part some years ago, they were helpful, 'tho I'm not saying they'll have a cylinder head.
If you 'google' them you'll get the phone number
Anyway, I had need of an old part some years ago, they were helpful, 'tho I'm not saying they'll have a cylinder head.
If you 'google' them you'll get the phone number
Regards
-
Clive.
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Hello,
The B&S engine numbers, usually stamped into the tinwork, are the key to everything with regard spares for their engines...if you find the numbers and then download the parts list to suit from the the B&S website www.briggsandstratton.com thus the part number can be found.
With the part number to hand an enquiry can be made to any one of the many local agents to enquire the price and availability of the part. I somehow suspect it may be quite expensive... but it is no good just guessing...as sometimes the simplest part can be massively expensive and another more elaborate part relatively cheap...
It may well be that a check with a long established agent/repairer may lead to a s/h part being available..which could help the cost effective question.???
It could just be that the head may be the same used on a vertical engine as a horizontal cranked engine.??.not sure, but just maybe??...but again if a donor engine has its original numbers intact then a cross ref of parts numbers will provide immediate answers.
Age of an engine often does not really come into the equation..more its state of health with respect to previous wear and tear and, it seems, abuse in this case.??
We used to have a customer that seemed to delight in dismantling their mower..it would arrive in pieces...we would re assemble it as required and off it would go again..until the next time
Until a bracket that the carb was mounted on was sheared off and that about stopped the sequence..
So do have a very good check that all mechanicals/ threads/fittings etc are fully sound before investing in spare parts.
All the best,
Clive.
The B&S engine numbers, usually stamped into the tinwork, are the key to everything with regard spares for their engines...if you find the numbers and then download the parts list to suit from the the B&S website www.briggsandstratton.com thus the part number can be found.
With the part number to hand an enquiry can be made to any one of the many local agents to enquire the price and availability of the part. I somehow suspect it may be quite expensive... but it is no good just guessing...as sometimes the simplest part can be massively expensive and another more elaborate part relatively cheap...
It may well be that a check with a long established agent/repairer may lead to a s/h part being available..which could help the cost effective question.???
It could just be that the head may be the same used on a vertical engine as a horizontal cranked engine.??.not sure, but just maybe??...but again if a donor engine has its original numbers intact then a cross ref of parts numbers will provide immediate answers.
Age of an engine often does not really come into the equation..more its state of health with respect to previous wear and tear and, it seems, abuse in this case.??
We used to have a customer that seemed to delight in dismantling their mower..it would arrive in pieces...we would re assemble it as required and off it would go again..until the next time
Until a bracket that the carb was mounted on was sheared off and that about stopped the sequence..
So do have a very good check that all mechanicals/ threads/fittings etc are fully sound before investing in spare parts.
All the best,
Clive.
Thanks folks, good stuff.
I can't find the engine number - I suspect it was on the cylinder head which has now disappeared.
B&S say "contact Lawnflite" and Lawnflite say "contact B&S".....my patience is wearing thin.
GG.
I can't find the engine number - I suspect it was on the cylinder head which has now disappeared.
B&S say "contact Lawnflite" and Lawnflite say "contact B&S".....my patience is wearing thin.
GG.
-
Clive.
- KG Regular
- Posts: 1888
- Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:01 pm
- Location: East Lincolnshire.
- Has thanked: 11 times
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Briggs and Stratton engine numbers are almost always stamped into the tinwork..mainly the engine cowling. Somtimes rust will try to obscure the numbers but a bit of careful cleaning and perhaps paper and pencil tracing usually comes up with the goods. There are other bits of tinwork on the engine...often a piece which is located in place by the head bolts which direct the blow of cooling air over the head fins...I don't think the numbers would have been on that piece.???... still more likely to be on the full cowling...I hope 
Usually, only if the cowling has been replaced with a brand new one at some stage will the numbers be absent...a sticker was always provided with a new cowling to scribe the numbers onto and stick on.
The only other thing that can blur things is when a s/h cowling has been fitted from another engine..thus giving an incorrect number set for the actual block etc, etc.
The numbers will be Model, Type, Code....
The Model is made up of a series of numbers based on cubic capacity(inches), then the design series and then incremental numbers which denote fitments such as type of crank, carb type bearings, starter type, etc, etc.
The Code will give the actual day of manufacture....reading Year, Month, Day, Factory.
Even when the mower was brand new enquiries about the engine would have been with the engine manufacturer and their agents...all local mower repair shops should be able to oblige with full info on the engine, its spares and prices of....
B&S engines numbers really are the key to all info'....the parts list that you can freely download will be the very same one that is used by engine/ garden machinery agent...also an original operators manual can be freely downloaded..however, workshop manuals require purchasing.
All the best,
Clive.
Usually, only if the cowling has been replaced with a brand new one at some stage will the numbers be absent...a sticker was always provided with a new cowling to scribe the numbers onto and stick on.
The only other thing that can blur things is when a s/h cowling has been fitted from another engine..thus giving an incorrect number set for the actual block etc, etc.
The numbers will be Model, Type, Code....
The Model is made up of a series of numbers based on cubic capacity(inches), then the design series and then incremental numbers which denote fitments such as type of crank, carb type bearings, starter type, etc, etc.
The Code will give the actual day of manufacture....reading Year, Month, Day, Factory.
Even when the mower was brand new enquiries about the engine would have been with the engine manufacturer and their agents...all local mower repair shops should be able to oblige with full info on the engine, its spares and prices of....
B&S engines numbers really are the key to all info'....the parts list that you can freely download will be the very same one that is used by engine/ garden machinery agent...also an original operators manual can be freely downloaded..however, workshop manuals require purchasing.
All the best,
Clive.
Last edited by Clive. on Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
AS I SAID THE KEY TO FINDING PARTS IS TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER ON THE ENGINE COWL, GEORGE AT, WWW.VILLIERSPARTS.CO.UK +OTHER MAKERS PARTS.GaGa wrote:Thanks folks, good stuff.
I can't find the engine number - I suspect it was on the cylinder head which has now disappeared.
B&S say "contact Lawnflite" and Lawnflite say "contact B&S".....my patience is wearing thin.
GG.
Thanks Clive/Pockets.
Further investigation has revealed that chunks of engine cowling seem to be missing - probably gone the same way as the cylinder head.
I've tried Briggs & Stratton, who quite rightly say they can't really help or supply part numbers without the engine type number. That's fair enough.
Lawnflite don't seem willing to look in their records and tell me what engine type was used in their Classic 8/30 models, even though I have the exact serial number of the mower itself.
Note to self - never buy a Lawnflite product in future!
Further investigation has revealed that chunks of engine cowling seem to be missing - probably gone the same way as the cylinder head.
I've tried Briggs & Stratton, who quite rightly say they can't really help or supply part numbers without the engine type number. That's fair enough.
Lawnflite don't seem willing to look in their records and tell me what engine type was used in their Classic 8/30 models, even though I have the exact serial number of the mower itself.
Note to self - never buy a Lawnflite product in future!