Vanguard twin 25 HP on SImplicity ZT oil leak

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I recently purchased a used Derby Ferris (Simplicity) Zero turn that ran great when I checked it out and for the first 10 hours or so. Now it drips oil like nobody"s business. I cleaned it up thoroughly to find the leak, first thought it was valve covers and sealed them up as well as changed oil and filter (old one was loose too) and it was fine for about 15 minutes, then all of a sudden I see smoke from the oil hitting the exhaust...Looks like it is dripping off the case bolt heads that join the bottom of the case to the rest...It also seems to be spitting blue smoke out the exhaust at the same time...

Any thoughts on what to look for? We just got about 10 inches of rain here in Texas so I expect to be needing it real soon...Googling "Vanguard Oil leak" found me several guys that say head gaskets, but I can"t figure how a bad head gasket would do this...Others say the case bolts loosen up...

Anyhow, while it was cooling down I thought maybe someone at YT has had this problem before...??

Thanks for any help!!
 
OK, I found out it is an INTEK, not a vanguard...took some lower covers off and took a good look, decided the head gasket area appeared to be leaking oil. So I cleaned that area up and tried running it again.. it seemed at first that all was well, just a bit of minor bubbling. Then......I saw it.. Oil coming from the base of the cylinder itself, right near a head bolt hole....Looked like a crack there in the cylinder....

What the heck would have caused that? I used the mower for about 10 hours in the hot Texas sun but it wasn't that hot. Looks almost like someone overtorqued a head bolt and broke the case and I am the lucky one to find it.

Time to call the dealer I bought it from tomorrow, I can't see any cure except replacing the engine. (Cylinder casting is available but with all the other parts needed to install it it is only about $200 less than a complete engine. )
 
On my intech motor the head gasket had blown in between the cylinder and the push rod valley so the oil was being pushed out of the motor leaking at the head gasket. I would pull the head and check the gasket. Hope this helps. Since changing mine it is perfect not using any oil
 
I beleive you are correct, were it not for the visible crack in one of the head bolt holes...I have a feeling this motor is junk. The crack itself is leaking oil and I don"t think that bolt is holding or will hold when torqued properly.
 
I could only wish it was a vanguard...After investigating the engine number I realize it is one of the poorly reviewed INTEKS. Lots of head gasket/oil leak issues.

Looks like a replacement motor will cost me anywhere between 750 and 1000, unless I go with a Kohler for an additional 500. OUCH!

At least the rest of the machine is in decent shape.
 

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