Time for new lawnmower?

[Hookmaster]

I have 12 seasons on a Craftsman rider. It has been burning oil but really started belching smoke last weekend. Are the rings shot? Time to rebuild the motor, replace the motor or buy a new lawn mower?

[givetoget]

hook it is just the head gasket.The web between the cylinder and the valves fails.A cheap easy repair. Good luck

[Tom7227]

The number of years really isn't important - I bet there isn't 200 hours on that engine. The issue is whether you can find the parts. Some of the stuff is low end and not worth fixing.

[delcecchi]

How is the rest of the mower?

[BoxMN]

FYI - I got a relatively new cheapy Yard Machine w/46" deck from a friend who ran it out of oil and blew it up. I thought I could just do a quick rebuild... but as Tom mentions, you can't even get parts for some of the engines. This was one of them.

So I had Eddy at Hugo Feed Mill put a new B&S engine in, V-Twin nice 22 hp, and it is an awesome mower now. Cost me a good chunk, but still WAAAAY cheaper than a new 46" with cheaper engine. If the rest of the tractor is still decent you might want to check into new engine if you can't find parts for yours. I wish I could have gotten new parts, but I gotta say, this engine is aswesome Going on about my 4th or 5th season on it now.

Good luck.