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I drove to Indiana with my brother to be in totality.

Something else that occurred to me is that the design could be improved. The front bolt is at least an inch longer than it needs to be because it has to go through a spacer so the return spring has something to hook onto. You could remove the spacer and spring and use a shorter bolt, which would...

There’s a thin wall version that only requires a 3/8 hole but I thought there would be enough meat around the hole to use the larger one. I’m used to tapping steel so it was almost alarming how easy it was to tap the hole. Imagine how much better it would be if the inserts were installed at the...

It occurs to me that a smart fella might make backing those bolts out and giving them a light coat of anti-seize a part of his annual maintenance routine.

Back in business! Drilled and tapped: Insert installed: Reassembled and adjusted: I replaced the other bolt with a stainless one, but if I ever have to remove it again I'm just going to drill for an insert too.

I’m a little worried about how deep I will need to drill to install the insert, but I‘m hopeful than even if I break through the case the insert will fully seal the hole. That’s one reason I decided on an insert rather than a Heli-coil.

There isn’t an extractor in the hole, just a tiny bit of the old screw. The clearance bit for the insert should remove it completely.

I'm trying to decide if this is a compliment or an insult.

That’s what I’m planning to do. Edit: I’ve decided to drill it and tap it for a threaded insert. That way in the future it will be steel on steel.

Well, I broke it off so I tried to remove it with a LH drill bit and broken screw extractors. The drilled-out stub is still in there. I think I need some better broken screw extractors.

I can’t get enough of a grip on it to turn it out. I’ve soaked it in Kroil for a week but my vice grips just twist on the shaft. I tried jamming two nuts and turning it off with a wrench but it stripped the threads. I‘m starting to think I just need to cut it off flush and use a LH drill bit.

The brakes don’t work on my new used mower with a Peerless transmission. Turns out the pins are frozen with rust, and so was the longer of the two bolts holding it in place. I thought it was turning but it was just the head twisting off. This should be fun. I’m going to remove the bracket and...

I’m amazed they have a complete unit listed for sale. I thought this model was long out of production. I’m going to try adding a lube port before replacing it. From they way it sounds it can’t hurt anything.

The Spicer 4360-140 CH transaxle in my old Craftsman rider is making a whole lot of noise. It dates to 2003 and is the used unit I bought when the original failed. I have two questions: 1) Is a Spicer 4360-197 a direct replacement? I can get a new one at a reasonable price but obviously It’s no...

Every time I drive past a hardware or power equipment store I see rows of riding mowers sitting out in the elements. I know the engines are relatively protected from water but what about the electronic components? I’m specifically thinking about ignition switches and electric blade clutches. I...

This is the first mower battery I've ever bought that didn't last at least six years.

I’m just happy the problem was solved with a $28 battery and two bolts instead of spending 2-3 hours on my knees chasing wires and testing continuity. I do find it interesting (and not in a good way) that my 2021 Ever Start (Walmart) battery didn’t even last two years. I took it in as a core to...

Well, the joke’s on me. My so-called “known good” batteries were anything but. One was putting out a whopping 2V and the other went to zero as soon as I hit it with a load tester. One brand new battery and it fired right up. Just another lesson in the value of verifying your assumptions. One of...

I have a mid 2000s Craftsman mower made by Husqvarna. It has a brand new 20 hp Briggs V-twin engine that I installed last year. It was running when I drove it into the shed for the winter. I tried to start it today and there was nothing, no click no crank, no anything. I assumed it was a dead...

Can this also be caused by a diaphragm failure in the fuel pump? Engine vacuum sucking fuel into the crankcase from the back side of the pump? I know on newer OHV engines the vacuum is pulled from the valve cover but I seem to remember my dad having a fuel dilution problem with an older flathead...

I had to replace the sump gasket on my Briggs Intek twin last fall. While I had it off I went ahead and adjusted the valves. For the last several years it was initially difficult to turn over. By that I mean when the ignition was turned it would crank maybe a quarter rotation and then just...

If your deck and transmission are still in good shape it makes sense to replace the engine. Even if you only get a few more years out of them that gives you a newish engine to swap into a cheap used mower. There’s almost always a decent mower with a blown engine available for next to nothing on...

I need to invest in a video camera so I can have a record of which parts fall off of which others when I pop it open.

Agreed. I wouldn’t have known if the Sears parts site didn’t have both chains in the parts list.

The chain for the tines is missing (and mislabeled) from the drawing but it’s in the parts list. Part #29 (102134X) in the parts list is the tilling chain and part #50 (106147X) is the ground drive chain. In the diagram #29 is shown as the sprocket the tilling chain turns. On the Craftsman parts...

The diagram and a couple of videos I watched on YouTube both show two separate chains, one for the tines, and one for the wheel drive. It might still be a stripped gear, but it could also be the drive chain. In a perfect world it would be something cheap and easy like a woodruff key.

That thing appears to be working just fine in my unit because I can freely move it between positions. When I move it all the way it does engage the tines, and it does disengage them when in all the other positions. Whatever is broken inside my unit is only effecting the ground drive portion of...

LOL :) I asked about the shifter because Star Tech said it was NLA. All my Craftsman stuff was bought at about the same time and it’s all breaking at about the same time. I had to replace the sump gasket in my riding mower in the fall so I’m getting used to taking things apart.

Which part are you referring to as the shifter?

Which part is the shifter? Is it something that could be fabricated?

According to the parts diagram there are two chains. One (still working) #29 drives the tines and another #50 drives the wheels. Thanks for the link to the manual. That’s a nicer parts diagram than the one I was looking at. I figure it won’t cost me anything to open it up, and I can’t make it...

I have a Craftsman 917.294482 17” rear tine tiller. I understand it was actually made by Husqvarna. I went to till up a patch for some spring flowers and the transmission broke. The belt is fine and the tines will spin but it won’t move either in F or R. I looked at the Craftsman parts diagram...

That's brilliant! Thank you. I don't know why I didn't think of that considering how many boat seats I've replaced over the years. I even have a brand new one in the barn.

I have a couple of Craftsman riders that the seats are in terrible shape. The vinyl is cracked and big hunks of the foam padding is gone. Are their inexpensive cushion replacements or should I just find a lawn chair cushion and tie it in place?

I keep hoping for an update on this. I want to see what the inside looks like.

That would be the route I would try. You could probably do it yourself with a file if you knew the correct position.

When you get the sump cover off there are two locator pins. Be careful if one or both stick in the sump cover because it’s very easy to lose them. I know because I lost one when I was replacing my gasket and had to manufacture a replacement before I put it back together. I doubt it really...

No need to replace the housing, it can set on the flywheel. Just watch out for the dipstick tube. I made a 2x4 frame so I could set mine up or down and not have to worry about the crankshaft or dipstick tube. Putting the screw that holds the dipstick tube just far enough under the flywheel you...

I’m looking forward to seeing pictures once OP gets it opened up.

Ignore the foolishness and fast forward to 6:30

You don’t need to pull the flywheel. After you remove the engine you just need to flip it over and remove the sump bolts. You’ll also need to disconnect the governor.

Most mowers have a dual pulley. The bottom groove is for the blade belt and the top one is for the drive belt. You should see it when you get under the mower.

I did an engine swap on my Craftsman without removing the deck. I just dropped it all the way down and removed the belts. From the bottom all you have to do is remove the pulley and the four mounting bolts, at least in a mower with manual blade engagement. Does your blade engage electrically? If...

The fact one piston isn’t moving suggests a broken connecting rod since the other one presumably still moves. The lack of valve movement suggests either the camshaft is broken or it somehow disengaged from the crank, since it is turned by direct engagement of gear teeth. Either way I suspect...

Just as an FYI in case it’s badly damaged and needs a lot of parts, Small Engine Warehouse has a 20hp on sale now for $499. I don’t know if you can live with four less HP but even with shipping the cost might not be much more than all the replacement parts likely ruined by oil starvation.

As it turns out the worst part was scraping off the old gasket and then trying to get all the bits out of the crankcase. Well, and the part where I lost one of the locator pins. I turnEd one from a section of threaded rod so I could close it back up. We’ll find out tomorrow if I ruined it or...

Unfortunately I don’t have a pressure washer and my garden hose won’t quite cut it. I’m not looking forward to this mess at all lol.

I have to replace the sump gasket on my 22hp V twin. It’s been leaking for a couple of years and the engine is absolutely filthy with oily dirt and grass residue. I have it upside down on my work bench and am severely tempted to give it a spray of engine degreaser and then hose it off but I’m...

Are camshaft failures a common problem?

Thanks for the suggestion. I ordered a set. Since I’m going to the trouble to do the job I might as well do it the best way I can.