1641 with blown engine
 

I've got a 1641 with a blown engine that I'm trying to decide what to do with. The engine only has 460 hours on it, but the previous owner had abused it pretty bad. The blower housing and all under the tin was caked with a greasy mess. The engine had a rear seal leak and they just used it that way. It's got a broken connecting rod in one cylinder but it still runs somehow. I of course have not run it since I discovered the broken rod. Grill housing is also shattered.

I haven't opened up the engine yet but I would suspect the damage extends beyond the broken rod. Trying to decide if i should repower, buy a new rod and use, sell the whole thing for parts, or part it out myself. Anyone have any advice?

If you have use for it, then repower. Looks like the fender pan is clean, straight, has a 48" mower deck. Although I can't drive two at once, a reliable spare that takes the same accessories, is always useful. I vote to save.

I'd save that one. Open the engine and see how bad it is. Otherwise drop a new or good used engine in it. I've saved a lot worse. :beerchug:

If you have not opened it up how do you know it has a broken rod?

Thanks guys. I have another 1641 with 1800 hours so it's getting tired and a spare would be good.

Sam, I turned the crank and could see the piston not moving through the spark plug hole and I could just push the piston down with a screw driver

The piston seemed to be near TDC and it had spark and the plug was wet with gas. Don't know how that was happening.:bigthink:

Well for what it's worth I picked up a 1641 a couple years ago engine turned out to be bad, I put a new Vanguard 16 in it then patched up the old engine and put it in my pressure washer.

Keep an eye out for a Cub Cadet 2160 with a good engine and swap it over. I get Kohler CH18's pretty cheap from 2185's that way.

Good call. :beerchug:

Thanks for the tip. I didn't realize the 16 hp briggs was used in anything else except the 1641. I'll have to do some research for any other models to watch out for.

Confirmed my suspicions tonight. Blown up rod and the crank is junk too. It looks like the other rod is scored inside the end that attaches to the crank too. The guy ran it out of oil and sold it to me as needing some TLC.

It's a frustrating and humbling experience for me to know that I couldn't even identify a blown up engine. :bash: The guy was an @#$%#@ to deal with and I hope karma catches up with him in the future.

The 16 was used in the 2160, 2165 and some others 2180 has the 18HP Vanguard and probably others do. If you plan on keeping the tractor for a long time the extra $$ that a new engine with a warranty will cost may be $$ well spent.