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General Product Question

    Freddie Brock
    I have a riding mower, YTH18542, bought in April 2018....
    General Product Question posted October 21, 2018 by Freddie Brock 
    38 Views, 1 Comment
    Question:
    I have a riding mower, YTH18542, bought in April 2018. Recently I have notice oil dripping on the muffler and appears to be coming from the Valve Cover area. Any thoughts?
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    Answer

     

    • Eugene Rounds

      It appears to have a Briggs OHV engine.

      If purchased new from a dealer have them to reseal the valve cover after checking the valve adjustments.

      If purchased used then the valve cover needs resealing but it must be done correctly or it will leak again in short order. When resealing the valve cover the valves should be checked and adjusted anytime the valve is off. Also both the valve cover and it mating surface on the must be cleaned of the old RTV or gasket material and must be oil free. An RTV surface prep spray must be applied before applying the RTV sealant. The valve cover is then installed with the screws just finger tight for at least 1-2 hours before torquing them to spec. Then engine must not be started for at 24 hrs so the RTV has time to fully cure. Oil will infer with this curing process and actually prevents it from curing. If the above instructions are followed the seal will hold.

      I know this seems to a little overboard but it is what I have learned doing these repairs professionally so I don't need to redo my work because of an improper sealing bond.

      Note: Most auto parts stores has the Permatex Ultra Black (Ultra Grey can be subbed) but don't carry the surface prep spray. I have to special order it here.

       

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