I think I just grenaded my mower motor!

[Ignacio]

Pulled the trusty old Craftsman 21" push mower out of the shed, sharpened the blade, changed the oil, and general seasonal looksie. Getting the oil level is always sketchy because of the relatively small amount in it 700ml and I thought I got it right.

Started it up, it did it's belch of smoke for a couple seconds, and started to idle....but then started knocking.

Shut it off and pondered for a minute. Checked the oil again and think I had too much after all...maybe half a dipstick band and it was good and frothed up.

Drained out some, let it settle, and triple checked the level. Fired back and up and still knocking like a bitch and won't stay lit like it's popped an aneurysm or something

Am I one of THOSE people that trashed a perfectly good Briggs and Stratton engine and now going to make that choice whether to tear it apart and try and fix it....or just go back to Sears and buy me another $250 mower and be good for 7-10 more years?

 

[madjackdog]

Apparently.

 

[Jeff Q]

I grenades several sears BS motors like that, got tired of it and bought a Honda, havent looked back.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

Plastic cams, plastic gears

Think I'm kidding?

<Link>

 

[LDRydr]

Not that it will help the knocking, but you did drain out all the old, stale gasoline before filling it with fresh new, right? This gets me each spring. Fresh gas and it starts on the first pull each time.

And speaking of mower engines, I just received the following in the snail-mail yesterday. Others here also may be affected.

Submit your online claim HERE.

 

[El Toro]

I got the class action suit notice on Wednesday, and it was timely for me, because I have been covering SAE certification of engine power measurements in the IC Engines class. I read it to the students on Thursday, explained that the mowers were being sold with HP as a major descriptor and justification for price differences, and then was able to point out that misrepresentation of HP figures appears to have been construed as a form of consumer fraud, leading to the class action suit.

In any event, if you want a mower that will last forever, get one powered by a commercial grade Kawasaki engine. I have had a couple of these, and the engines NEVER give up. My primary mower right now has a water cooled 745 cc Kawasaki 90 degree V-Twin, weighing 128 pounds. It will outlive me.

If you're using $250 craftsman mowers, you might as well just buy another one. It doesn't cost much to resurrect a B&S engine most of the time, but it does take some time, and the grass continues to grow. We're getting about 3/4" of growth per day right now, and that's without extra fertilizer. I'd have to pay someone to mow mine if I took a week off from doing it myself.

 

[FJRBluesman]

Geez Mayor Ig, lawn mower troubles? Start a special task force to investigate.

Seriously, your carb could be all munched up with goo from storage over the winter. Make sure it's all cleaned up, and new plug installed. Make sure said blade is on correctly, etc.

BTW - There are many power power push mowers for well under $200.

Good luck.

Sure wish this came up last Friday...

 

[Patriot]

Pulled the trusty old Craftsman 21" push mower out of the shed, sharpened the blade, changed the oil, and general seasonal looksie. Getting the oil level is always sketchy because of the relatively small amount in it 700ml and I thought I got it right.
Started it up, it did it's belch of smoke for a couple seconds, and started to idle....but then started knocking.

Shut it off and pondered for a minute. Checked the oil again and think I had too much after all...maybe half a dipstick band and it was good and frothed up.

Drained out some, let it settle, and triple checked the level. Fired back and up and still knocking like a bitch and won't stay lit like it's popped an aneurysm or something

Am I one of THOSE people that trashed a perfectly good Briggs and Stratton engine and now going to make that choice whether to tear it apart and try and fix it....or just go back to Sears and buy me another $250 mower and be good for 7-10 more years?

check the compression, and of course pull the CCT...that spring could be weak... :yahoo:

what kind of oil are you using and what octane gas ??? :clapping:

have you changed the wheels on it and what brand did you go with ??? :blink:

<enquiring minds want to know> <I've always wanted to see a chief admin to have to move his own thread to NERPT !!!>

 

[johnny80s]

You would think some one of your status would have some one to mow the lawn for you.

 

[madmike2]

Maybe it's the Moto-God's way of telling you to ride....not mow.

Jes' offerin' anuther point-uh-view.

 

[Aasland]

Is it possible to kill these things?

I've got a 21" Craftsman too, bought it on Craigslist for $24 five years ago. All I do is gas in it. Two tanks of gas per year, stabil in the fall. Starts on 1st or 2nd pull, run full throttle the 30 mins it takes to mow the lawn.

Never changed the oil. Once tried to remove the blade to sharpen it but can't get the bolt off so I sharpen it on the mower, never balance it.

I'm sort of hoping that some day it will sieze up and die so I can get a mower with a bag or at least a mulcher so I have an excuse to stop raking. But it just keeps going ....

 

[dcarver]

Why don't you just rent sheep from BustaNut? I mean, you get double benefit, according to Bust.... lawn mowed, seed sowed, oh, jeesh I've fallen to the base level!

 

[Ignacio]

I don't think it's a fueling issue....it was running fine for 20 seconds and kicked over on the second pull. I run it dry each Fall. There's something mechanical that sounds very wrong.

 

[LDRydr]

Maura put a hex on it when you didn't show up in Chilliwack. It's done for....best get a new one. And you'd better hope you can get right with Maura or your feejer might be next.

 

[Brodie]

I wonder if APE makes a manual cam chain tensioner for that model?

 

[Crash Cash]

I got tired of the yearly "why won't the mower start?" dance and got an electric one. This was the 3rd season where I just went out to the garage, squeezed the grip, and it started, no sweat.

 

[Patriot]

I got tired of the yearly "why won't the mower start?" dance and got an electric one. This was the 3rd season where I just went out to the garage, squeezed the grip, and it started, no sweat.

I don't think it'll cut the St. Augustine "Jungle" here... :blink:

 

[juniorfjr]

6 years ago I came home and told my then 15 year old that I bought her a shiny new red Honda and we could pick it up tommorow. She was not pleased when she saw it. However she still uses it every tuesday and it has worked flawlessly.

 

[38 Ford]

Have you checked the blade to see if you put it on wrong? :blink: