Predator Help

[catldavis]

Hello everyone,

I have a Predator 212 engine. I had it on a Baja Mini with a centrifugal clutch. The engine is the hemi model and has maybe 4 hours on it. My son was driving it and it slide out from under him as he dumped it on the clutch side. When it hit the ground, the engine stalled. I tried to restart it, and the pull cord was very difficult to pull and would snatch back in my hand. I took the plug out and it turns over easily. I thought it was the timing key, but it was fine. I then went to check the valve lash and this is what I found:

I don't know how well you can see it, but the push rod is no longer supporting the rocker arm. I took the push rod out and it isn't bent. I'm by no means an expert on small engines and haven't taken the cover off of the crank/cam shaft to inspect. Is there a way to fix this? Is this an indication of a bent valve or bent crankshaft?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Joe-405]

Nope just put it back on and let it idle. I bet it's fine. Just when it hit on its side it fell sideways off the rocker arm.

I get riding lawn mowers that do that all the time at my work. And they work just fine after. As long as the pushrod is ok it's ok. The pushrod will always fail first then something else.

---------- Post added at 11:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:44 PM ----------

You could probably even push the other side of the rocker by hand and just slide the pushrod back in. But I would adjust the valves while your there still.

 

[Hellion]

He needs a new valve cover gasket while he's at it; either a factory/OEM replacement or a homemade one cut from paper/card stock (cereal box?).

Or can he use an RTV gasket maker in a tube?

 

[bob58o]

I have used tubed gasket maker for the valve cover.
0.003" inches for the lash on both intake and exhaust.
Harbor Freight has feeler gauges for less than $5

 

[bob58o]

For some reason I think I had to pull the stud/nut thing off or remove the rocker arm completely.

I fought those dang rockers and pushrods many times.
Maybe cause I have an aftermarket cam?

 

[Hellion]

It kind of cheesy that the pushrod can just let go like that with a decent knock to the block. No such thing can happen with our flathead forebears. Lacking tools and broke-down in the middle of nowhere could really cost you some shoe leather...

Let that be a lesson to us all!

 

[catldavis]

Thanks for the help guys. I was able to get the pushrod put back by compressing the spring with my hand. I didn't check the lash (didn't have my gauges with me), but I buttoned it back up and gave it a couple tugs on the rope. It's doing the same the thing it was previously, I can't even pull the rope out more than 8" to a foot and it basically becomes too hard to pull. Would that be caused by the lash being out?

 

[Poboy kartman]

Not likely...time to crack open the case.

 

[bob58o]

I'm guessing the lifter and push rod aren't set correctly.
I'd open the crankcase.

Just guessing here

---------- Post added at 08:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------

Probably cause by valve not opening.

 

[Joe-405]

Hydrolocked it maybe but I doubt it. Sounds like a broke cam gear or.something internal.

If you bought new i would just return it and get another one.

 

[KartFab]

didnt check lash, but asks what to do? Check lash.

If you dumped it over you probably got oil in the head so you gotta yank the pull cord with no plug in the head until oil stops spewing out. Replace plug. It will burn the oil out with a bunch of white smoke. Try those two things first.

If it's not that, then pop side cover and have a look inside. Lifters, cam, crank gear, governor.

I'd also check out the valve (exhaust?) that had the issue with the pushrod to make sure it's straight/moves.

 

[courts94s]

I opened an engine up with zero knowledge of what was inside it. Put it back together, and it did the same thing that you're describing. The push rod also popped out like yours did. Many hours of googling and I discovered that the Cam Shaft has a little timing mark on it. Yours may have thrown the cam shaft out of whack, or broke it completely. You should definitely open it up, and look at that shaft.... and line those marks up, when you put it back together.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[catldavis]

Thanks everyone for your help. It's not hydrolocked. The first thing I did was take the plug out and pull the rope quite a few times. No oil in the cylinder and the plug looks fine.

When I put the pushrod back in, I pulled the rope the little it would allow and both valves moved up and down as they should.

I think my plan now is to ensure the pushrod is setted correctly and set the lash. If that doesn't fix it, I'm going to crack the case and take a peek. I'll return and report.

 

[catldavis]

Okay, I checked the lash and got the engine going. It is running very rough, here's a video:

http://vid1114.photobucket.com/albums/k530/catldavis/VID_20160905_122234883_zpseeqbrk2l.mp4

Anyone have an idea as to the problem?

 

[catldavis]

Update

Okay, finally had time to pull the side cover on the motor. (Thanks Hurricane Matthew!) Nothing really jumped out at me as an obvious problem, but there was a piece of metal that is the size/shape of a transmission key. Anyone have any idea as to what this may be? My only guess would be part of the piston skirt, but I don't think that would stop the pull rope from being almost impossible to pull.

 

[Poboy kartman]

Carefully check the compression release on the cam for foreign objects.

BTW: I have a clutch in my truck to work the transmission....and a key to start it...but no "transmission key"?

 

[catldavis]

Sorry, meant timing key not transmission key.

 

[Bbqjoe]

Opened the case?
I would have just taken it back.
Then again I suppose they couldn't even tell you had opened it.

 

[catldavis]

I'm sure it's out of warranty at this point.

 

[Justin9]

I wonder if the little piece of metal was one of the weights found in the governor gear...