Mtd OEM-190-766 owners guide

Model Series

Covered in

This Manual

19E400
19F400

19G400

192400
196400
197400
250400
256400
257400

Operating & Maintenance

Instructions

Model Type Code

Note: General M odel Series n umbers n oted a bove include m any s pecific n umbers
like the o n es on your en gi ne. To g et replacement p art s o r technical assistance i n
the future, write your engine Model, Type, Code and date of purchase here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Safety 3-5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Engine Information 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Oil 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fuel and Starting Information 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Starting and Stopping 9-10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Maintenance 11-13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Adjustments 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Parts and Service & Storage 15-16. . . . . . . . . . . .

Warranty Information 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PRINTED IN U.S.A.  Copyright 1999 by Briggs & Stratton Corporation FORM NO. 274268-10/99

Briggs & Stratton does not approve or authorize the use of
these engines on 3-wheel All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), motor
bikes, aircraft products or vehicles intended for use in
competitive events. Use of these engines in such applications
could result in property damage, serious injury (including
paralysis), or even death.

In the USA and Canada our 24 hour hotline is

Briggs & Stratton Corporation
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201

www.briggsandstratton.com

WARNING

1-800-233-3723

Month Day Year

THE POWER IN POWER EQUIPMENT

Thank you for selecting a Briggs & Stratton engine to power your equipment.
Briggs & Stratton is committed to producing a line of engines which will make your life’s chores easier to

perform. We have, at the same time, improved the design of our engines so they are environmentally
friendly. Since 1995, we have succeeded in reducing smog-forming exhaust emissions from our engines
by 70%. Briggs & Stratton’s efforts have not stopped there. We are also committed to designing and
introducing even cleaner engines in the future, while maintaining our reputation for excellent utility and
value.

Briggs & Stratton’s environmental awareness has resulted in the engineering of the “Smart-Fill” gas
can, featuring a spill resistant nozzle which opens only when fully inserted into the gas tank, and which
shuts off automatically when the tank is full. Because refueling spills can harm the environment, the
Smart-Fill container helps preserve a stronger ecosystem by reducing this source of pollution.

We hope you will enjoy your new engine and equipment. We welcome you to our worldwide family of
Briggs & Stratton engine users.

Best Wishes Always,

The Employees of Briggs & Stratton Corporation

2

BEFORE OPERATING ENGINE

• Read entire Operating & Maintenance Instructions AND
the instructions for the equipment this engine powers.*

• Failure to follow instructions could result in serious injury
or death.

THE OPERATING & MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS
CONTAIN SAFETY INFORMATION TO

• Make you aware of hazards associated with engines

• Inform you of the risk of injury associated with those hazards, and

• Tell you how to avoid or reduce the risk of injury.

274268

The safety alert symbol ( ) is used to identify safety

information about hazards that can result in personal injury.
A signal word (DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION) is

used with the alert symbol to indicate the likelihood and the
potential severity of injury. In addition, a hazard symbol
may be used to represent the type of hazard.

DANGER indicates a hazard which, if not

avoided, will result in death or serious injury.

WARNING indicates a hazard which, if not

avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION indicates a hazard which, if not

avoided, might result in minor or moderate
injury.

CAUTION, when used without the alert symbol,

indicates a situation that could result in damage
to the engine.

HAZARD SYMBOLS AND MEANINGS

Fire

Explosion

Toxic Fumes

Kickback

Moving Parts

Shock

Hot Surface

WARNING

The engine exhaust from this prod­uct contains chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer,
birth defects, or other reproductive
harm.

* Briggs & Stratton does not necessarily know what equipment this engine will power. For that reason, you should carefully

read and understand the operating instructions for the equipment on which your engine is placed.

3

SAFETY

WARNING

Gasoline and its vapors are extremely flammable
and explosive.

Fire or explosion can cause severe burns or death.

WHEN ADDING FUEL

• Turn engine OFF and let engine cool at least 2
minutes before removing gas cap.

• Fill fuel tank outdoors or in well-ventilated area.

• Do not overfill fuel tank. Fill tank to approximately

1-1/2 inches below top of neck to allow for fuel
expansion.

• Keep gasoline away from sparks, open flames,
pilot lights, heat, and other ignition sources.

• Check fuel lines, tank, cap, and fittings frequently
for cracks or leaks. Replace if necessary.

WHEN STARTING ENGINE

• Make sure spark plug, muffler, fuel cap and air
cleaner are in place.

• Do not crank engine with spark plug removed.

• If fuel spills, wait until it evaporates before starting

engine.

• If engine floods, set choke to OPEN/RUN position,
place throttle in FAST and crank until engine starts.

WARNING

Unintentional sparking can result in fire or electric
shock.

Unintentional start-up can result in entanglement,
traumatic amputation, or laceration.

BEFORE PERFORMING ADJUSTMENTS OR
REPAIRS

• Disconnect spark plug wire and keep it away from
spark plug.

• Disconnect battery at negative terminal (only
engines with electric start).

WHEN TESTING FOR SPARK

• Use approved spark plug tester.

• Do not check for spark with spark plug removed.

WARNING

WHEN OPERATING EQUIPMENT

• Do not tip engine or equipment at angle which
causes gasoline to spill.

• Do not choke carburetor to stop engine.

WHEN TRANSPORTING EQUIPMENT

• Transport with fuel tank EMPTY or with fuel shut-of f
valve OFF.

WHEN STORING GASOLINE OR EQUIPMENT
WITH FUEL IN TANK

• Store away from furnaces, stoves, water heaters or
other appliances that have pilot light or other
ignition source because they can ignite gasoline
vapors.

Starting engine creates sparking.
Sparking can ignite nearby flammable gases.
Explosion and fire could result.

• If there is natural or LP gas leakage in area, do not
start engine.

• Do not use pressurized starting fluids because
vapors are flammable.

4

SAFETY

WARNING

Engines give off carbon monoxide, an odorless,
colorless, poison gas.

Breathing carbon monoxide can cause nausea,
fainting or death.

• Start and run engine outdoors.

• Do not start or run engine in enclosed area, even if

doors or windows are open.

WARNING

Running engines produce heat. Engine parts,
especially muffler, become extremely hot.

WARNING

Rotating parts can contact or entangle hands, feet,
hair, clothing, or accessories.

Traumatic amputation or severe laceration can
result.

• Operate equipment with guards in place.

• Keep hands and feet away from rotating parts.

• Tie up long hair and remove jewelry.

• Do not wear loose-fitting clothing, dangling

drawstrings or items that could become caught.

WARNING

Severe thermal burns can occur on contact.
Combustible debris, such as leaves, grass, brush,

etc. can catch fire.

• Allow muffler, engine cylinder and fins to cool
before touching.

• Remove accumulated combustibles from muffler
area and cylinder area.

• Install and maintain in working order a spark
arrester before using equipment on forest-covered,
grass-covered, brush-covered unimproved land.
The state of California requires this (Section 4442
of the California Public Resources Code). Other
states may have similar laws. Federal laws apply
on federal land.

Rapid retraction of starter cord (kickback) will pull h and
and arm toward engine faster than you can let go.

Broken bones, fractures, bruises or sprains could
result.

• When starting engine, pull cord slowly until
resistance is felt, then pull rapidly.

• Remove all external equipment/engine loads
before starting engine.

• Direct coupled equipment components such as,
but not limited to, blades, impellors, pulleys,
sprockets, etc., must be securely attached.

5

ENGINE PARTS

5

4

3

2

1. Rope handle

2. Blower housing

1

3. Carburetor

4. Air cleaner

5. Stop switch (if equipped)

6. Fuel fill

7. Fuel tank

8. OIL GARD (if equipped)

9. Engine Model Type Code

xxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxx

GENERAL INFORMATION

ENGINE MODEL

This is a single cylinder, L-head, air-cooled engine. It is a
low emissions engine.

MODEL SERIES 190000

Bore 3 in. (76.20 mm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stroke 2-3/4 in. (69.85 mm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Displacement 19.44 cu. in. (318.5 cc). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

MODEL SERIES 250000

Bore 3-7/16 in. (87.31 mm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stroke 2-5/8 in. (66.68 mm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Displacement 24.36 cu. in. (399.3 cc). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note: For practical operation, the horsepower loading s hould
not exceed 85% of rated horsepower. Engine power will de­crease 3-1/2% for eac h 1,000 feet (300 meters) above sea
level and 1% for each 10 ° F (5.6° C) above 77° F (25° C).
Engine will operate satisfactorily at an angle up to 15°.

6

7

8

9

16

15

14

10. Spark plug wire

11. Extended oil fill/Dipstick (if equipped)

12. Muffler/(Muffler guard, if equipped)/

(Spark arrester, if equipped)

13. Oil fill plug

14. Oil drain plug

15. 12 V electric starter (if equipped)

16. Fuel shut-off valve

THE INTERNATIONAL SYMBOLS USED

ON THE ENGINE OR

IN THIS MANUAL INCLUDE:

Safety Alert

On Off

Fuel Shutoff

Oil

10

11

12

13

Read Owner’s

Manual

Stop

FuelChoke

TUNE-UP SPECIFICATIONS

Armature air gap 0.010 – 0.014 in. (0.25 – 0.36 mm). . .

Spark plug gap 0.030 in. (0.76 mm). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Valve c learance with valve springs installed and p iston 1/4 in.
(6 mm) past top dead center (check when engine is cold).
See Repair Manual P/N 270962.

Intake 0.005 – 0.007 in. (0.13 – 0.18 mm). . . . . . . . . . . . .

Exhaust 0.007 – 0.009 in. (0.18 – 0.23 mm). . . . . . . . . . .

6