Hey guys, hope I can get some help and suggestions here. I just acquired a 23HP Vanguard Longtail. It starts, idles and revs up just fine. However I hear some grinding sounds, sounds metal to metal, almost like a blender grinding sound coming from lower crank case area. I disconnected the shaft and u joints to eliminate that as a source of the noise but I am still hearing it. Almost scared to keep starting this thing. Whats the usual culprit for this kind of sound and problem? I plan to open up the engine this weekend to investigate, I just wondering if there is anything in particular I should know or be looking for.

Thanks

Thank you. I am about to pull the rear crank case but a guy I work with warned me against that saying its all pressed together onto the crank. Is this true? Or does this cover just unbolt and come right off?

cover unbolts and comes off, nothing is pressed

thanks guys much appreciated.

Im stuck.... Got everything unbolted and housing about 3/4" backed off but its like its hung up on the crank shaft.. is there a retaining ring I am missing? It slides freely back and forth for 3/4" but wont come any further past that..

Be careful with it, it'll keep coming, you have to work it a lil, if you still have trouble, push it all the way back on, get you a piece of emory cloth and clean the shaft up real good and try again

Thanks man, that worked perfect, it was just hanging up on the shaft. Looks like my crank shaft bearings are shot. I guess I am about to learn how to change these bearings.. Anyone done this before? Any other wear inside the block I should be looking for?

When you say outer bearing? Is that the one on the crank case cover? I am also thinking the majority of the sound is coming from behind the flywheel. There is also substantial play in the crank so it looks to be the flywheel side bearing. The bearings on the crank case cover looked good, were smooth so I am hoping this is a good sign.

Now I am trying to figure out what it takes to pull this flywheel off. Any pointers?

So I finally managed to pull my flywheel.. Low and behold I find a pin from a shackle that was getting beat up between the block and flywheel. The guy I bought it from used a shackle to lift it and put it in the back of my truck, I guess he dropped his pin. After digging deeper and removing heads and crank and pistons I found that the cylinder walls are scared up a little bit so it looks like its time to bore it out and replace pistons. Anyone know of anyone who can bore and hone the cylinder around Lafayette? Any pointers, suggestions, or other things I should know or be looking for before taking the next step and sending block to a machine shop? I am learning as I go...

If your spending the money, get better heads