Why are Tecumseh engines so problematic, finicky and extremely unreliable?
I recently purchased two late 1970s Tecumseh engines that were NOS "new old stock", still packed in their boxes. I realize that NOS engines can be suspicious, as often there is a very good reason why some engines have been shelved for 50 years and never used. But in both cases the engines ran for me. Then after a few days problems began to appear. Failure to start. Erratic running. Idling but not picking up. I think I've made millions of adjustments, even reset the timing, which seems to keep changing like the weather. Now they will not run at all, and worse still, they are leaking oil badly out of the governor levers. I had two earlier Kirby-Lauson VK-30 engines which both broke down shortly after being reconditioned. One ran for a total of half an hour then died. I've never had this problem with the many Briggs and Stratton and Southern Cross engines I have restored.
Is there something I am not aware of? Did Tecumseh start taking short cuts with their parts by the mid to late 1970s? In one case the crankshaft actually broke off below the key taking the flywheel with it. The metal in the crankshaft looks extremely brittle and crumbly. I think I could actually break this crankshaft in two with my bare hands if I tried. Extremely weak material. Also I have yet to see a Kirby or Tecumseh engine casing that is not as thin as paper and does not have thousands upon thousands of cobweb flaws that you just never see in other engines from the period. These engines were clearly made fast and cheap.
Anyway I'm not sure if I am just cursed when it comes to Tecumseh, or if there are other factors I am not aware of? Whatever is the case I am through with Tecumseh forever! After spending over a thousand dollars on old Tecumseh engines and parts, I still have not actually had one running for more than half an hour. I note on many other internet forums that Tecumseh have developed a bad name generally. Many people will no longer touch them with a ten foot barge pole. And I now join their ranks! The worst thing is I have tried to sell parts and get no offers. Clearly I am not the only one who is not interested! I will have to dump the lot, including a stack of old obsolete VK-30 parts. Nobody wants them.
