The Briggs 16hp in my 98' Argo Vanguard suddenly shut off while idling. It started right back up but was making a noise similar to a pressure cooker. I took the belt off and turned the engine over by hand and noticed a metallic scraping and popping noise (a bit like an aluminum can being rubbed against a saw blade). The engine starts and runs about as well as it always did but the noise has me concerned that it might not continue for much longer.
I'm a bit at a loss as what to do next. I suppose I'll check the oil next for shavings. I'd rather someone else get into it if it requires the engine to be taken completely apart. So I'm thinking of pulling the engine out and taking it to my local lawnmower repair shop (I have the only 6x6 in the area I think).
If it's a fatal problem or too much to be worth fixing I was thinking of putting in a Honda GX690 or something similar.