Why Briggs And Stratton Engine Bogs Down Under Load? Find out and Fix it!

At times you might get in trouble because of your lawn mower engine, specifically the Briggs & Stratton engine, that bogs down and prevents the mower from slicing the grass.

This could involve components like the spark plug, carburetor, fuel filter, and more. The problem might be resolved temporarily by letting the engine rest, but why does it occur?

Is there a reliability issue with the mower? Or has a part just broken down? To know the reason, let’s delve into the problems causing Briggs and Stratton’s engine bogs down under load, and we’ll look at troubleshooting methods to fix them easily.

Despite the Briggs and Stratton engines being known for reliable performance, better fuel efficiency, low maintenance, and easy starting, there are cases when your engine bogs down under load, and that’s a concern to handle in the middle of mowing.

Fortunately, we have covered you with a guide ensuring fixes to meet various users’ needs, whether for residential or commercial equipment using the Briggs and Stratton engine.

Briggs And Stratton Engine Bogs Down Under Load-Why Happened!

Briggs and Stratton engine may bog down under load due to several reasons, including a failed or limited fuel supply from the fuel tank, leaky gaps, low fuel, or excess airflow that causes the engine to stall.

More excess gas in the combustion chamber can also be the reason for the bog down of the engine.

In addition, a faulty, dirty spark plug or excess gap might also cause poor ignition coil leading the engine to bog down. Overheating, debris blockage in a platinum shroud, a stuck choke valve, or faulty electric solenoid can contribute to these engine problems, causing it to bog down.

What causes Briggs And Stratton Engine to Bog Down Under Load- Reason and Easy Fix!

To find the reason for your Briggs And Stratton Engine causing bogging Under Load, Let’s find out and do some repairs to fix the bog-down lawn mower. Check out the table to review at a glance!

The governor, which controls the engine speed under different loads, may not be opening as it should. This could cause your motor to bog down under acceleration.

Problem	Reason	Cause	Fix
Engine bogs down under load	Excess airflow, leaky fuel line	loose bolts & nuts, poor atomization of fuel	Contamination in the fuel line; Fix: Tighten the bolts and gaps, secure leaky junctions.
Engine bogs down	Failed spark plug	High gap, Carbon build-up, dirty, or faulty	Reset, clean, and if worn out, replace it.
Engine bogs down	Low oil level	Overheating, piston ring wear	Check the oil level
Engine bogs down	Overheating	Clogged cooling fans, valve wear, soot build-up	Clean or replace if required
Engine bogs down under load	Overheating	Dirty or Clogged plastic shroud	Clean the shroud
Engine bogs down	Stick choke	Failed solenoid or dirt builds up	Replace the solenoid that is faulty or Clean the choke
Engine bogs down	Fuel restriction	Dirt built up or faulty parts	Clean and replace

Check out the carburetor and fuel lines

At times with the engine components, gap formation lets the air in, causing excess air in the engine carburetor.

Experts suggest that an average gas-to-air ratio is required to run the engine efficiently but incase if either gas or air gets high in the chamber, the engine might stall and be unable to operate. 

Their reason for excess air might be leaky gaps and spaces between components causing the air to enter. The gaps also widen because of the engine overheating, so you must troubleshoot and fix the issue immediately.

The carburetor, or carb, could be plugged or its delivery may be restricted. This can hinder the appropriate fuel-air mix, causing the engine to bog down under load.

To fix the issue, check the carburetor or other internal components. Tighten the bolts, nuts, or site with lossy connected parts allowing excess air. Once tightened, the issue is resolved. 

The quality of the fuel may be poor, leading to inefficient combustion and thus a decrease in power. Always ensure you use high-quality fuel in your Briggs Stratton engine.

Check out Spark Plug 

According to a report, it’s said that for briggs and stratton engine loses power due to under load might be because of the dirty spark; plus, that isn’t initiating good ignition for the mower to run.

Because of an adequate gap between the electrodes, the spark can’t reach the gasoline mix to let it ignite.

Another reason for spark plug failure might be dirt or carbon build-up, unable to initiate a spark for combustion, which is why it affects the engine’s performance and efficiency. 

Sometimes damaged spark plugs may also be the reason for brigs and Stratton engines to bog down. 

To fix the issue, you need first to try resetting the electrode gap, then go for cleaning the plugs, and at the end, if a broken spark plug is an issue, go with replacement parts. 

Check Out Cooling Fans

If your briggs and stratton surging under load due to overloading, there might be an underneath cause of overheating that stops the mower from working or might regularize your work.

In the standard engine, heat dissipates when energy is generated, and heat is removed with cooling fans operational, four-stroke engine, heat dissipates when energy is generated

But during mower, the grass clippings cause the fans to block and prevent heat dissipation. So, what happens? The heat stays in the V-twin engine to heat up, causing overheating, mower gets under load and ends up bogging down. 

Those clippings behave like an insulating barrier, so unless they aren’t removed, the problem persists. To know if overheating is the cause, check the mower engine; if it’s hotter than usual, try to stop the mower and check the cooling area; if you found grass clipping preventing heat dissipation, you got the cause. 

Try to clean the fans and in case of worn out replace them. Once done, check the engine; hopefully, it won’t bog down. If still an issue, check out other reasons. 

Check Out The Plastic Shroud 

The shroud function as a protective element at the engine top, but what makes it enlisted here is that it can entrap the particulates or clippings, causing a blockage.

With a blocked shroud, some heat is again prevented from dissipating, causing the engine to heat up and bog down. If the problem persists without fixing, you might suffer an accidental burn, so what’s the fix? 

To make the engine cooler stop it and find the shroud. (engine top) now clean it and remove the entrapped debris. After cleaning the shroud, the engine would run cooler without the casing big down. 

Check out the Choke

If the issue persists after reviewing the previous problem, your choke might get stuck, causing the engine to stall and bogs down.

But how? Do you know that choke plays a pivotal role in dealing with engine power because, as a carburetor component, it is set to open and closed at desired gasoline rates to enable the engine to run efficiently? 

On average, when the mower is set to start, the choke is off, providing rich fuel for a quick start-up, but once started, the coke is opened, and the fuel-air mixture lets the mower able to run, but what happens next? If the choke remains closed, there is a chance the mower bogs down and stalls, and that is where you need to focus. 

The reason can be dirt built up or not servicing over time, making the choke sticky. Therefore, try cleaning the choke to let the choke open and close generally as per the case. 

Another reason includes failed solenoid because if it fails, it cannot handle the hoke function, causing choke failure. Try to check the electric solenoid; if worn out or faulty, replace it with a new one.

Why Briggs & Stratton Lawn Mower Losing Power

The issue of a Briggs and Stratton lawn mower losing power can be due to various reasons. One of the common culprits is a clogged or malfunctioning carburetor, which could restrict fuel flow and consequently reduce engine power.

It’s also possible that the air filter is dirty, limiting the amount of air necessary for proper combustion.

If the spark plug is worn out, it might not be providing a strong enough spark to burn the fuel-air mixture efficiently, leading to power loss.

Poor quality or old fuel can also cause the engine to underperform. Lastly, a damaged or failing governor could prevent the engine from maintaining power under load.

It’s advisable to thoroughly check these potential issues to address the problem.

Other Common Briggs and Stratton Engine Problems

It’s also worth noting some common issues specific to Briggs and Stratton engines:

1. V-Twin Problems: The Briggs & Stratton Intek V-Twin engines are known for their performance, but they can have issues with carburetor flooding or governor assembly.
2. Throttle Linkage Issues: Issues with the throttle linkage can cause your engine to run rough or lose power.
3. Decompression Valve Problems: A faulty decompression valve in your Briggs and Stratton engine can cause hard starting or backfires under load.

In these cases, it might be necessary to refer to Briggs and Stratton parts diagrams, such as a Briggs and Stratton 31p677 parts diagram, to help identify the problem and corresponding parts.

Some Quick Troubleshooting Briggs and Stratton Engines

You can start your Briggs and Stratton engine troubleshooting with a diagram, which would help you identify the key components and their locations. When your lawn mower stalls under load or keeps bogging down, follow these steps:

1. Check the Fuel System: Ensure that there’s enough fuel in the tank and the fuel is fresh. Clean or replace your fuel filter, and consider rebuilding or replacing the carburetor if needed.
2. Inspect the Air Filter: A dirty air filter can starve the engine of the necessary oxygen for combustion, leading to power loss. Clean or replace the air filter if necessary.
3. Examine the Spark Plug and Ignition Coil: Replace the spark plug if it’s fouled or damaged. If the ignition coil is faulty, you’ll need to install a new coil on your Briggs and Stratton engine.
4. Adjust the Governor: Ensure that the Briggs and Stratton governor is correctly set to manage the engine speed under load. You can refer to the governor linkage diagrams for assistance.
5. Look for Other Issues: Check for other potential issues such as a malfunctioning throttle, a stripped starter gear, or problems with the choke linkage.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

To know who’s behind “Briggs and Stratton’s engine bogs down under load,” all you need is to check our handy guide, and we hope you found the culprit with the easy fix as enlisted.

The Briggs and Stratton engines are designed to deliver a certain power output. If the engine is put under a load greater than its design, it may result in the motor bogging down.

Briggs and stator engines provide durable, robust, high-efficiency engines added to your lawn mower. Still, at times they might cause an issue because of underlying causes, so find it ad fix it to let the engine work with high performance and efficiency.