| Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > Tecumseh Engines Prone to throwing Rods 
| Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions |  |  
| SnowRemover 
    
 Toro 828LXE
 
 Location: Near Albany, NY
 Joined: Jan 11, 2005
 Points: 139
 
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	|  | Tecumseh Engines Prone to throwing Rods Original Message   Jan 31, 2005 4:48 am
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OK, my snowblower has a Tecumseh engine, so when I read this I thought it could be either BS, correct, or old news. You can't go wrong with a Briggs and Stratton engine. Tecumseh engines are prone to throwing piston rods through the crankcase wall if the oil level drops at all. The Tecumseh speed control is not nearly as robust as the Briggs and Stratton either. Briggs & Stratton is now back in the snow blower engine business in a big way with overhead valve engines ranging from 6.5 through 13 horsepower. Given prices, contracts and market inertia it's anybody's guess how quickly they will regain market share. However if you shop around machines can be found with these engines. Anyone with any knowledge care to comment?  Here's the link .http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/snowbuying.html --SnowRemover 
	This message was modified Jan 31, 2005 by SnowRemover 
  It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!  --Friedrich Nietzsche |  
	
 
| SnowRemover 
    
 Toro 828LXE
 
 Location: Near Albany, NY
 Joined: Jan 11, 2005
 Points: 139
 
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	|  | Re: Tecumseh Engines Prone to throwing Rods Reply #20   Jan 31, 2005 4:52 pm
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 the moral of the story is URBAN LEGAND. 
 Actually this happened to my cousins sister's boyfriend. --SnowRemover
 
  It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!  --Friedrich Nietzsche |  
| 18Degrees 
    
 Joined: Jan 18, 2005
 Points: 111
 
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	|  | Re: Tecumseh Engines Prone to throwing Rods Reply #24   Jan 31, 2005 9:24 pm
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     The moral of the story............. You can lead a Yak to water, but you can't teach an old dog to make a silk purse out of a pig in the poke.                                                                                                                                                       18 degrees
 
 
18 Degree driveway - 928 Honda track drive - Fertilizer spreader for dispensing salt |  
| Majorxlr8n 
     
 Location: Freehold NJ
 Joined: Aug 5, 2003
 Points: 1092
 
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	|  | Re: Tecumseh Engines Prone to throwing Rods Reply #26   Feb 2, 2005 1:38 am
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Run ANY OPE low or out of oil, regardless of the engine brand on it, and you're looking for an engine failure to occur. Tecumseh's do have a tendency to be LESS TOLERANT to low oil conditions but they will last if you care for them. This is a classic case of laziness/ignorance meets accountability or "saving of face". "It ain't my fault the darned thing crapped out on me - them Tekumsens are just plain JUNK!!" Don't blame yourself, blame someone else (or blame the engine in this case).  Marty  
 
 
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