Toro Mower Engine

There ya go! Great trick with the lye or quick heat!
I wanted to do some forensics! You guys are regular CSI Investigators! ( Crancase Shot Inside )

Perp Evidence:: The owner isn't handy, always seems a little sheepish about it. [ Pick a career, handyman or distinguished Federal Judge with landmark decisions ]. His other buddy told me he starts the mower and instantly revv's it up to full speed and starts mowing. Never checks the oil. Mower is a '98.
Physical Evidence:
1.Serious mouse nest found in the typical area between the engine shroud and the cooling fins; complete with two dead mice. No necropsy conducted due to budget cuts. Conclusion based on evidence, engine baked mice a la SAE sauce.
2. This engine has a 3 qt. oil capacity. Unable to determine actual cause of low oil level due to quarter sized shrapnel hole in upper crankcase.
3. Cylinder not heat damaged or scuffed.
Conclusion: either lack of oil to the rod bearing or connecting rod failure.
Conclusion: This all started when, once again, I opened my fat mouth and said, "I can fix your mower."
lol
I think it might have been low oil + overheating. This is a splasher engine, since it's vertical I think maybe the rod failed after the bearing started to lose lubrication and began dragging.
Would definitely use Smallenginewarehouse again, as long as I don't get the "cranky" guy. I think his name is "Rod."

I've been there before!

Yeah if he never changed the oil (most don't) it's entirely more likely that the big-end seized to the journal -- actually with the aluminum welded to it, that evidence points in that direction.

Keep us posted on your progress. I still have to tear down my ol' man's Craftsman rear-tine tiller that internally snapped the shift shaft -- less than 2 years old too! Craftsman builds quality, as they say!

Project complete. Only snafu was the new engine cover had four nuts spot welded on indents on the outside of the hole, to attach the recoil housing to. They interfered with the flywheel screen. I just turned the cover upside down and peened the nuts flush with the underside by placing the nut over a socket on the bench.

Tim Padgett at smallenginewarehouse.com was outstanding, very helpful.