700 HD blows white smoke

[mac]

I have a 700 HD with the Aegis 26Hp engine, model year 2011.
It's had little use, and I ran it 3x this summer with little problem after de-gumming the carb.
Today I went to start it & it started reluctantly with white smoke & moisture/condensation out the exhaust. It would run for 30-40 seconds at full throttle then quit, when I reduced throttle.
I checked the radiator and no oil that I could see but some whitish deposits around the filler cap/neck.The antifreeze was green, normal more or less, the overflow bottle is low but was that way since new.
My first thought is that a head gasket has blown, but it has had such little use....what a bummer.
I am good at mechanical things, do my own work like brake lines, timing belts, Etc,but never pulled the heads on an engine before.
The most pressing issue right now is that it's in front of my tractor/snowblower and I need it out to deal with a incoming storm....any hints on moving these machines with a non-running engine? I have a winch.

[mac]

I managed to squeeze the snowblower/tractor out of the garage. It's proof that being lucky trumps being smart, eh?.

[mac]

I pulled the plugs after supper and cranked it over.
The front cylinder was full of gas, the rear was dry, more or less.
It was running on one cylinder, I guess I'm not very good at de-gumming/rebuilding carbs, now it runs fine
until it floods again.
The oil's probably diluted, have to change that out....it beats changing head gaskets I suppose.

[ARGOJIM]

If the carb keeps acting up buy one of the China carbs, heck buy 2 that's what I did. If you have a carb with an accelerator pump it could be sticking but the flooding is usually the needle hanging up on the bore to the seat.
As far as white smoke, there is probably water in your gas, this also effects the float level along with runability.

[mac]

If the carb keeps acting up buy one of the China carbs, heck buy 2 that's what I did. If you have a carb with an accelerator pump it could be sticking but the flooding is usually the needle hanging up on the bore to the seat.
As far as white smoke, there is probably water in your gas, this also effects the float level along with runability.

That's a good idea. I tried rebuilding the Keihin carb on the Kohler twin in my tractor....gave up and bought a chinese carb as the old carb kept flooding.Kohler wants a mint for their carbs!

[john swenson]

just had to replace the carb on my briggs vanguard . the needle bore seat was worn and apparently it's not replaceable. gas was leaking into the cylinders and causing hydrolock plus it just did'nt run well . new carb is like a new engine now . johnboy

[mac]

just had to replace the carb on my briggs vanguard . the needle bore seat was worn and apparently it's not replaceable. gas was leaking into the cylinders and causing hydrolock plus it just did'nt run well . new carb is like a new engine now . johnboy

That's good to hear! Many manufacturers have stopped making the brass insert for the needle valve seat available any more, a shame as we could pull the old sleeve out with a jury rigged puller in most cases & tap the new seat in. My Chinese carb ran well for a summer and now I have to prime it with a few drops of gas, the choke plate probably needs adjusting.