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My old toro mower model #20043 that is 21 years old i have a problem and i need some expert advice. When i pull the cord on my recoiler it stops and wont pull its stuck. Now i had my friend come over and replace the recoiler with a brand new one so its not the recoiler and when we took off the old one that one worked too. When we had the recoiler off it was full of dirt so i blew it off with an air gun and sprayed alot of penetrating oil onto the top where the recoiler goes to lube it up. I figured the engine had seized so i took out the spark plug and squirted alot of penetrating oil into the spark plug hole and left it for 4-5 hours now when i try to move the blade it spins freely with no problem, but when i try to pull the cord its frozen and stuck it wont move. Do you think my engine has died? Do you think its worth to take it to a fix-it place to get it checked out to see if they can get the top part unfrozen? I dont want to spend alot of money fixing this but ive put alot into it already and dont want to give up on it just yet. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Have you. Checked the oil level?

chowchow said:

My old toro mower model #20043 that is 21 years old i have a problem and i need some expert advice. When i pull the cord on my recoiler it stops and wont pull its stuck. Now i had my friend come over and replace the recoiler with a brand new one so its not the recoiler and when we took off the old one that one worked too. When we had the recoiler off it was full of dirt so i blew it off with an air gun and sprayed alot of penetrating oil onto the top where the recoiler goes to lube it up. I figured the engine had seized so i took out the spark plug and squirted alot of penetrating oil into the spark plug hole and left it for 4-5 hours now when i try to move the blade it spins freely with no problem, but when i try to pull the cord its frozen and stuck it wont move. Do you think my engine has died? Do you think its worth to take it to a fix-it place to get it checked out to see if they can get the top part unfrozen? I dont want to spend alot of money fixing this but ive put alot into it already and dont want to give up on it just yet. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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unless this is something other then a regular engine, the top and bottom are two ends of the same crankshaft, if the bottom moves but the top doesnt then you have snapped off the crankshaft completely

it could still be the recoil though so with the plug out try turning the top by hand without the recoil on it to see if it moves or not

i would be shocked if you dont need a replacement engine for it

Scrubcadet10 said:

Have you. Checked the oil level?

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Yes i just changed the oil with 10w-30 yesterday.

keakar said:

unless this is something other then a regular engine, the top and bottom are two ends of the same crankshaft, if the bottom moves but the top doesnt then you have snapped off the crankshaft completely

it could still be the recoil though so with the plug out try turning the top by hand without the recoil on it to see if it moves or not

i would be shocked if you dont need a replacement engine for it

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When i took the old recoiler off of it it was very hard to move and covered with lots of dust/dirt i cleaned that out then put alot of penetrating oil onto it before putting on the new recoiler (i have a toro #20043) regular walk behind mower. Whats that top bolt called under the recoiler? It did moved when i had the recoiler off but was very tight. But whats strange is the engine isnt seized up because the bottom blade i can spin around very very easily with no effort whatsoever. The new recoiler came out of a sealed briggs and stratton box its not the recoiler its that bolt nut thing under the recoiler that im having trouble spinning. But WHY if the bottom blade spins sooo freely why does the top nut/bolt piece so frozen into place(but it does move slightly)

Ah the 20043. I had one my pops gave me. Exhaust valve seat came loose, no compression. I put a new Briggs short block on her. She ran great and mulched like a champion. Then stupid me sells one of the best and lightest mulching mowers on the market. Loved the aluminum deck. So on to your issue.

1.If the blade rotates by hand, one would think the crank and piston is moving. Stick a pencil in the spark plug hole. Rotate the blade. Pencil should move up and down in the bore. If that checks good go to #2.
2.Remove the recoil starter. Hold it in your hand. Pull the rope. Does it extend fully and retract all the way in quick fashion? Is the rope sticky and lazy to retract into the housing? If the rope is lazy, tear it all down. Get the big recoil spring out. Take an oily red rag and scrub it down. Then a dry clean rag, gently wipe off the excess oil. Don't spray any oil on it just to skip a step. You need to scrub the dirt and slime off. Actually you are not supposed to oil it at all. Oil will attract dirt over time. All you want is a tiny oil film on the spring. Rope should snap back in place like new.
3.Next check is the clutch housing with the 6 balls inside that actually rotates the engine. Remove the screen with the small hex headed screws. Then gently lift off the seal (ratchet cover) to get inside the clutch housing. Remove the balls and wipe it all down or blow out. DO NOT OIL anything in the clutch housing where the balls ride. Put some 30w oil on the crankshaft end and inside the clutch ratchet. Inside the clutch ratchet is a felt washer you can give a couple squirts of oil. Put it all back together. Go on Youtube if you need help with this one.

That should be it. If the engine rotates, recoil starter is working and the clutch housing serviced, you should be golden. Holler if this doesn't get you mowing again.

slomo

chowchow said:

Yes i just changed the oil with 10w-30 yesterday.

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Wrong oil weight. Use plain old tried and true 30w. Yes you can use 10w-30. It will burn much quicker and break down a lot faster than 30w. You can get a 2 gallon jug of Supertech 30w for $19.75'ish at Walmart. I wouldn't use any multi-weighted oil in an air cooled engine.

When you checked the oil, did you screw the stick all the way in or park it on the threads? Makes a huge difference. Your mower should have a Briggs Quantum engine. If so, screw the oil dipstick ALL the way in to check the level.

slomo

chowchow said:

When i took the old recoiler off of it it was very hard to move and covered with lots of dust/dirt i cleaned that out then put alot of penetrating oil onto it before putting on the new recoiler (i have a toro #20043) regular walk behind mower. Whats that top bolt called under the recoiler? It did moved when i had the recoiler off but was very tight. But whats strange is the engine isnt seized up because the bottom blade i can spin around very very easily with no effort whatsoever. The new recoiler came out of a sealed briggs and stratton box its not the recoiler its that bolt nut thing under the recoiler that im having trouble spinning. But WHY if the bottom blade spins sooo freely why does the top nut/bolt piece so frozen into place(but it does move slightly)

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Sounds like my step 3 is your ticket. The top bolt as you called it is the clutch ratchet. About as big as your thumb or larger? This one in the picture?

Under that copper looking cap with the hole in it, you need to clean and maybe sand the crank end and oil it. Then some 30w oil under that copper cover piece.

slomo

While you are there, clean off the top of the cylinder block and cooling fins. Do this yearly at a minimum. You might/will find a ton of oil, dirt, grass and bugs packed on the block and fins. Check all around the cylinder block for dirt and oil on the cooling fins.

slomo

WOW thanks man you are very specific about this i really appreciate your help. But this is way way beyond my pay grade im going to have to take this to a shop to get done do you know what a shop might charge me to get this done? Also so you think my engine ISNT seized or finished? So you think theres still life left in the old girl? I dont want to give up on it you know i bought this mower new in 1999 and ive kept it going this far and i hate to get rid of it. I live on long island NY if anybody knows of a good small engine repair guy who isnt expensive (im on a really tight budget) please let me know thanks and thank you Slomo.

Yes Slomo i put the oil dipstick all the way down into the tube. And the new recoiler my friend put on i got from amazon and it was in a sealed briggs and stratton box so its NOT the recoiler. My friend put on new rivits had to snap off the old ones to take off the old recoiler. So id have to get those new rivits off again to do this entire process that you described. Is this a common problem im having or is this just the age of the mower and time caught up with her? YES the clutch ratchet thats it and its a bit bigger than my thumb. Thats the bitch in the bunch thats giving me all these headaches lol.

You can put a new Briggs short block on it for a hundred bucks. Might be higher now.

Ok sounds like you are not familiar with wrenches . Do what you can to repair this mower. You can't buy a better made mulcher new. Those older machines are built way better. Yours needs some love it all.

Try this video. I know it's not the same engine. It's the same principal.


Here's the link with all the ratcheting clutch fixes. Watch them all. You will find this is an easy fix.


slomo

chowchow said:

Yes Slomo i put the oil dipstick all the way down into the tube. And the new recoiler my friend put on i got from amazon and it was in a sealed briggs and stratton box so its NOT the recoiler. My friend put on new rivits had to snap off the old ones to take off the old recoiler. So id have to get those new rivits off again to do this entire process that you described. Is this a common problem im having or is this just the age of the mower and time caught up with her?

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The old girl is 20 plus old now. She has given good service. Time for some love.

Rivets? Mine had screws if I recall correctly. I've seen mowers with rivets like you describe. You you need to remove your rivets again. It's good exercise, character building.

slomo

Yes its time for some real attention they dont make them like this anymore so i dont want to get rid of her. Thanks for all your help man i appreciate it. Do you know what a repair service might charge for the process you described? Hope not more than 40 dollars ive put alot into her already and its draining me.

chowchow said:

WOW thanks man you are very specific about this i really appreciate your help. But this is way way beyond my pay grade im going to have to take this to a shop to get done do you know what a shop might charge me to get this done? Also so you think my engine ISNT seized or finished? So you think theres still life left in the old girl? I dont want to give up on it you know i bought this mower new in 1999 and ive kept it going this far and i hate to get rid of it. I live on long island NY if anybody knows of a good small engine repair guy who isnt expensive (im on a really tight budget) please let me know thanks and thank you Slomo.

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Should be an hour or two labor maybe.

If the blade rotated, you should be fine.

Mine was one of those "I wish I never sold" items LOL. Smack self in face with cast iron skillet. I loved the Personal Pace. So easy to use compared to a back-ho like Honda with multiple levers you have to hold. That mower is a superstar.

slomo

chowchow said:

Yes its time for some real attention they dont make them like this anymore so i dont want to get rid of her. Thanks for all your help man i appreciate it. Do you know what a repair service might charge for the process you described? Hope not more than 40 dollars ive put alot into her already and its draining me.

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Depending on labor rates......... 100 or 200 bones???

Watch all those videos I posted links on. Try it yourself. If you can't get it going then look for a repair shop. Cleaning the clutch basically costs nothing.

slomo

chowchow said:

Yes Slomo i put the oil dipstick all the way down into the tube. And the new recoiler my friend put on i got from amazon and it was in a sealed briggs and stratton box so its NOT the recoiler. My friend put on new rivits had to snap off the old ones to take off the old recoiler. So id have to get those new rivits off again to do this entire process that you described. Is this a common problem im having or is this just the age of the mower and time caught up with her? YES the clutch ratchet thats it and its a bit bigger than my thumb. Thats the bitch in the bunch thats giving me all these headaches lol.

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Bitch in the bunch? Freakin' hilarious. Never heard of that one.

slomo

Check this out too. Look at parts 70 and 76 for starters.


slomo

I watched the entire video yea this is something i dont have the skills/knowledge or tools to do this job. But do you think if i got this done she would be back to normal?

chowchow said:

I watched the entire video yea this is something i dont have the skills/knowledge or tools to do this job. But do you think if i got this done she would be back to normal?

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You don't have sockets and wrenches? I must ask, are you female? I would fix it for free if I was in NY.

I think you will be fine once my big three steps are looked at. Hopefully the engine has good compression and such.

slomo

LOL no im male im just not that handy with engines.

Slomo do you think it could be a faulty flywheel brake assembly? My buddy in FL said it might be this too does that sound right? Or it could be both?

chowchow said:

When i took the old recoiler off of it it was very hard to move and covered with lots of dust/dirt i cleaned that out then put alot of penetrating oil onto it before putting on the new recoiler (i have a toro #20043) regular walk behind mower. Whats that top bolt called under the recoiler? It did moved when i had the recoiler off but was very tight. But whats strange is the engine isnt seized up because the bottom blade i can spin around very very easily with no effort whatsoever. The new recoiler came out of a sealed briggs and stratton box its not the recoiler its that bolt nut thing under the recoiler that im having trouble spinning. But WHY if the bottom blade spins sooo freely why does the top nut/bolt piece so frozen into place(but it does move slightly)

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thats why i suspect a broken crank since that nut/bolt under the recoiler is what holds the flywheel on the top end of the crankshaft and should turn in unison with the blade

what i am talking about is, with the recoil off the engine, you should be able to turn the engine from the top by using the flywheel. thats what im talking about when i say the top and the bottom should turn the same amount of effort since they are one solid shaft sticking out of both ends of the engine. if the blades spin easy then so should the flywheel but if you have some sort of built in clutch or brake on top of the flywheel, that sounds like where you could have an issue, but the blade should also be stopped by the same flywheel clutch and/or brake

bottom line is, remove the clutch brake thing on flywheel and then see if its free, that will tell you what to do next

Ok will do thanks.

There is a flywheel brake connected to the engine kill lever. When you grab the handlebar lever, it releases the flywheel brake and does NOT ground the coil so the engine starts.

slomo

I'm going to put an ad in my local paper to find help with this matter im NOT paying some repair shop 100-200 to do this thats Nuts!!! I can get a new mower for 200. Thanks to all who answered my questions i appreciate it.

keakar said:

thats why i suspect a broken crank since that nut/bolt under the recoiler is what holds the flywheel on the top end of the crankshaft and should turn in unison with the blade

what i am talking about is, with the recoil off the engine, you should be able to turn the engine from the top by using the flywheel. thats what im talking about when i say the top and the bottom should turn the same amount of effort since they are one solid shaft sticking out of both ends of the engine. if the blades spin easy then so should the flywheel but if you have some sort of built in clutch or brake on top of the flywheel, that sounds like where you could have an issue, but the blade should also be stopped by the same flywheel clutch and/or brake

bottom line is, remove the clutch brake thing on flywheel and then see if its free, that will tell you what to do next

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So if the blade moves freely with no problem and the clutch bolt or whatever its called moves but its very tough to get it to move(the bolt on top,under the recoiler) i have a broken shaft? I used this mower like 3 days ago this is insane all i did was change the oil i tilted the mower onto its side and drained the oil i replaced it with new oil then i went to start it and that when all this crap happened. I dont get it ive done quite a few oil changes on this machine and that never happened before.

My friend said since there is no compression when i put my finger over the spark plug hole and spin the blade that yes my crank shaft is broken. I dont get it i used the mower the other day to cut my entire lawn. Then yesterday all i did was change the oil then i went to start it up and pulled it 1 time and this happened HOW? How can a crank shaft break by me trying to pull it one time? I'm amazed are crank shafts that easily broken or can crank shafts deteriorate after 21 years?

slomo said:

There is a flywheel brake connected to the engine kill lever. When you grab the handlebar lever, it releases the flywheel brake and does NOT ground the coil so the engine starts.

slomo

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Can you believe that i broke the crank shaft with one pull never heard of that before lol oh well my friend said with the age of that mower it would cost WAY more to get a new crank shaft than the mowers worth. Damn looks like i have to sell her off for parts. Thanks for all you help man.

Have you tried spinning the flywheel by hand? check to see if the blade moves too,.

No i havent tried that yet i have to remove the new recoiler and the rivits to do that. I'm just disappointed i kept this mower going for soooo long i hate to get rid of her. I've been looking at new mowers and they mostly all look very cheaply made with alot of plastic just garbage. It seems you have to spend like 500+ to get anything halfway decent. I might just put some more money into this to see if i can get it to work again it might be worth it in the long run i just dont know.

That's odd the the new Briggs recoil came with rivets, the new Briggs recoils I usually get come with Nut and bolt.

Lol my mower is from 1999 that im trying to fix its not the new ones, i was saying that the new ones i was looking at looked cheaply made compared to mine. Have you heard of a crank shaft just breaking by pulling it 1 time? I used it three days ago and the mower worked great i just dont get this.

No i haven't, it's a very odd deal.

I just had one more thing to say and i dont think this should matter but this all happened right after i did my oil change. I bought some full synthetic 10w30 engine oil it was penzoil ultra synthetic and i tipped the mower onto its side and did a usual oil change and let it drain for 5 min then i put the new oil into it. After it was filled up to the proper line i went to pull the starter cord and thats when this entire thing went south and the mower wouldnt start and people say my crank shaft is broken. This couldnt have anything to do with anything right? Just a coincidence right?

chowchow said:

I just had one more thing to say and i dont think this should matter but this all happened right after i did my oil change. I bought some full synthetic 10w30 engine oil it was penzoil ultra synthetic and i tipped the mower onto its side and did a usual oil change and let it drain for 5 min then i put the new oil into it. After it was filled up to the proper line i went to pull the starter cord and thats when this entire thing went south and the mower wouldnt start and people say my crank shaft is broken. This couldnt have anything to do with anything right? Just a coincidence right?

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Have you tried pulling it with the spark plug out?

Scrubcadet10 said:

Have you tried pulling it with the spark plug out?

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Yes i did try and the new recoiler i put on still wont move with the plug out. I tried spraying penetrating oil into the plug hole thinking my engine froze and let that sit for a few hours but thats not the case it has to be the flywheel/clutch ratchet.

Well there's always hiring a lawn crew. You have no tools to fix anything. Sounds like you are in a tight spot.

slomo

chowchow said:

My friend said since there is no compression when i put my finger over the spark plug hole and spin the blade that yes my crank shaft is broken. I dont get it i used the mower the other day to cut my entire lawn. Then yesterday all i did was change the oil then i went to start it up and pulled it 1 time and this happened HOW? How can a crank shaft break by me trying to pull it one time? I'm amazed are crank shafts that easily broken or can crank shafts deteriorate after 21 years?

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ya its very strange but if i were to guess i say a tiny fracture finally let go over time, maybe at some point you hit something to fracture it but it never completely separated until now. i just bought a twin cylinder the guy said he was cutting grass with it last week when it stopped like the key was turned off and would never restart for him. he had a mechanic friend look at it and was told neither cylinder has compression. i find that near impossible both cylinders fail completely at the same time in the middle of cutting grass but i suspect its a valve train failure more then bad engine for the one i just bought.

but i must emphasize im not familiar with your particular engine, and you never gave us any pictures of it, so im speaking in general terms about all engines

one thing for certain, if its a push mower then the blade and shaft should not spin free and easy, you should feel the engine compression stroke as you turn it. your friend was right, pull the plug and put your finger over the hole and as you turn the blade, you should feel a noticeable suction and exhaust pressure coming from the plug hole.

if its a 2 stroke motor they have reeds that can be an issue with compression, but i dont think they still have many 2 stroke mowers in use today

but with all i have said above, as a final confirmation of whats happening inside the engine, i would still pull the plug and stick a screwdriver in the hole to feel the top of the piston and then turn the blade and see if the piston moves, if the piston does go up and down or in and out when turning the blade then the crank shouldnt be broken, yet im still at a loss to help you find out whats going on with it. i have never had one with a flywheel brake to know how to disable the brake to turn the flywheel

No its a 4 stroke engine, i think what im going to have to do is one of slomos suggestions im looking at at 165 dollar 7hp briggs engine on amazon to slap onto it, thats the best and easiest fix imo. I looked at these cheap made lawn mowers from 200 to 400 bucks and alot are just crap very cheaply made. This way i get to keep my old mower and put on a decent engine. Thanks guys for ALL your help its much appreciated.

keakar said:

but with all i have said above, as a final confirmation of whats happening inside the engine, i would still pull the plug and stick a screwdriver in the hole to feel the top of the piston and then turn the blade and see if the piston moves, if the piston does go up and down or in and out when turning the blade then the crank shouldnt be broken, yet im still at a loss to help you find out whats going on with it. i have never had one with a flywheel brake to know how to disable the brake to turn the flywheel

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I just went downstairs and tried what you said with the screwdriver in the plug hole and nothing happened didnt move and the blade spins very, very freely in both directions. I didnt see the screwdriver move at all and it was hard getting it in there because the piston was blocking it i think. I'm trying to get the bolts off the cover to get to my recoiler i just bought,but my friend stripped one of the bolts yesterday are there ANY suggestions on how to remove a 5/16 bolt thats stripped?(i borrowed my friends tools) the other 2 i got out fine but the last one near the gas tank keeps spinning and im sure its stripped i want to try and take off my recoiler so when i get rid of this engine i can keep the new recoiler and any other parts i can strip off it for parts.Would a picture help at this point? If so i can upload one to the chat.

slomo said:

Well there's always hiring a lawn crew. You have no tools to fix anything. Sounds like you are in a tight spot.

slomo

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Yea im screwed (no pun intended) i borrowed my friends tools for now and im trying some other stuff but i think im just going to put on a new $165 briggs motor i saw on amazon. Best bet imo.Do you know how to remove a stripped bolt 5/16 that keeps spinning around im trying to get to my new recoiler to take it off for future needs. I've removed the other 2 bolts no problem but the last one im sure is stripped near the gas tank. I gotta get this off so i can take my flathead screwdriver and pop those rivits off my recoiler.

I had a thought dont think this has any relevance but a few days ago after i had used the mower to cut the lawn for the last time i turned it on its side cleaned under it and i put on a new blade then i sprayed penetrating oil under it and all around the belt drive (its a self propelled mower) do you think this could have had any factor into what happened? I dont know im just trying to make sense of this whole thing. Also do you think if i get a new 7hp engine to replace the old one that, thats the best bet or just get a cheap new one and deal with that. Because im sure if i put a new engine on a 21 year old mower that many more things will go wrong,whats your opinions?

I'm looking to put this motor> Briggs & Stratton Vertical Engine 7.25 TP 25 mm x 3-5/32" 128M02-0007 onto my toro #20043 model mower would these two be compatible? I tried looking myself but im lost lol. P.S. sorry about the huge letters it just happened.Also would the shaft be the same size so i dont have to change the new blade i just installed?

According to small engine warehouse, that engine will work on the toro.

chowchow said:

I just went downstairs and tried what you said with the screwdriver in the plug hole and nothing happened didnt move and the blade spins very, very freely in both directions. I didnt see the screwdriver move at all and it was hard getting it in there because the piston was blocking it i think. I'm trying to get the bolts off the cover to get to my recoiler i just bought,but my friend stripped one of the bolts yesterday are there ANY suggestions on how to remove a 5/16 bolt thats stripped?(i borrowed my friends tools) the other 2 i got out fine but the last one near the gas tank keeps spinning and im sure its stripped i want to try and take off my recoiler so when i get rid of this engine i can keep the new recoiler and any other parts i can strip off it for parts.Would a picture help at this point? If so i can upload one to the chat.

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Those parts you are trying to save will only fit THAT style of engine. Unless you are a collector of used parts??

slomo

chowchow said:

I'm looking to put this motor> Briggs & Stratton Vertical Engine 7.25 TP 25 mm x 3-5/32" 128M02-0007 onto my toro #20043 model mower would these two be compatible? I tried looking myself but im lost lol. P.S. sorry about the huge letters it just happened.Also would the shaft be the same size so i dont have to change the new blade i just installed?

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Make sure the crankshaft sizes match up for any pulleys to bolt on. Sounds like Scrubcadet10 checked it out for you.

slomo

slomo said:

Those parts you are trying to save will only fit THAT style of engine. Unless you are a collector of used parts??

slomo

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I can put them on ebay slomo can you tell me how to remove a stripped bolt that wants to be stubborn lol? Also do you think i should go the new engine on old mower route or buy a new cheap piece o crap and see how that works out? Because things can go wrong with a 21 year old mower even if it has a new engine right?

So if i get that motor should it be any easy process putting it back on with no foreseeable problems? I just want to put this motor on and get mowing my lawn looks like a vietnamese jungle. Thanks for all you guys support really appreciated and maybe this thread can help somebody else out.?

I look at it this way.
Every year mowers get cheaper, flimseyer and have a reduced service life.
Planned obsolessance
IT is always better to repower an old mower than spend the same money on a new one.
The caveat on that is the transmissiom.
Sealed Hydros are throw away and very few will go better than 1000 hours.

bertsmobile1 said:

I look at it this way.
Every year mowers get cheaper, flimseyer and have a reduced service life.
Planned obsolessance
IT is always better to repower an old mower than spend the same money on a new one.
The caveat on that is the transmissiom.
Sealed Hydros are throw away and very few will go better than 1000 hours.

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Is the tranny good on a toro model 20043? Yea and new mowers are crap. I can always change out the belt if it snaps,but yea have to think a new engine and old tranny.?

Scrubcadet10 said:

According to small engine warehouse, that engine will work on the toro.

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Thanks alot man for checking that out for me so the shaft size is perfect i wont have to buy a new blade to fit onto the new shaft?

Well, blade Adapter.

Scrubcadet10 said:

Well, blade Adapter.

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So i need a blade adapter? Is that the tiny blade that the main blade goes into? If i dont need to replace the main blade why should i need to replace the blade adapter? Arent they the same size holes?

chowchow said:

So i need a blade adapter? Is that the tiny blade that the main blade goes into? If i dont need to replace the main blade why should i need to replace the blade adapter? Arent they the same size holes?

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Yes. And,
No you don't need a new blade Adapter.

Scrubcadet10 said:

Yes. And,
No you don't need a new blade Adapter.

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yes and no what does that mean? ?

chowchow said:

yes and no what does that mean? ?

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Just forget I said what I said. I should have worded it differently.

Scrubcadet10 said:

Just forget I said what I said. I should have worded it differently.

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ok

chowchow said:

I can put them on ebay slomo can you tell me how to remove a stripped bolt that wants to be stubborn lol? Also do you think i should go the new engine on old mower route or buy a new cheap piece o crap and see how that works out? Because things can go wrong with a 21 year old mower even if it has a new engine right?

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Repowering that mower would be a good start. Getting bolts out is tricky if you are trying to save the threads on the piece the bolt goes in. You need to drill out the broken bolt. Maybe use an easy-out also. The smaller the bolt the harder it is.

slomo

No not trying to save the thread on it just want it out and i dont have a drill lol i know big surprise. So do you think its wise to buy a $170 motor and put on a 21 year old mower with a 21 year old transmission?

slomo said:

Repowering that mower would be a good start. Getting bolts out is tricky if you are trying to save the threads on the piece the bolt goes in. You need to drill out the broken bolt. Maybe use an easy-out also. The smaller the bolt the harder it is.

slomo

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No not trying to save the thread on it just want it out and i dont have a drill lol i know big surprise. So do you think its wise to buy a $170 motor and put on a 21 year old mower with a 21 year old transmission? I dont want to put the motor on and in 2 weeks the tranny goes

A quick Google search shows toro trans from $50 to$100 new

Scrubcadet10 said:

A quick Google search shows toro trans from $50 to$100 new

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If my mowers tranny did go would i still be able to use the mower? Its a self propelled mower so thats the tranny right? It would just turn into a push mower i really dont need self propelled i dont mind pushing a mower and my lawn isnt that large.

Yes, you would *probably* have to remove the tranny, since it may cause extra resistance when pushing. But I'm not sure. Probably regular push mower wheels would bolt right up. But as a lot of people say "we'll cross that bridge when we get to it"

Scrubcadet10 said:

Yes, you would *probably* have to remove the tranny, since it may cause extra resistance when pushing. But I'm not sure. Probably regular push mower wheels would bolt right up. But as a lot of people say "we'll cross that bridge when we get to it"

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I think im going to get this 300 dollar push mower i saw at home depot with tax. Its not self propelled but has a rear bag and a honda engine. I really want to keep that old mower but it will cost me 200 right away with engine and labor etc then if something goes wrong its more headaches. I just want to be done with this lol. If i could get a decent motor for it for 100 that would be a different story but with everything i think ill just go the new route even though the new ones are shit, and to get a halfway decent one you have to spend at least 400-500 dollars. But the 300 dollar one i saw is halfway decent and i never had a honda engine but i heard theyre good. In the past i only had techumpsa and briggs engines.

chowchow said:

I think im going to get this 300 dollar push mower i saw at home depot with tax. Its not self propelled but has a rear bag and a honda engine. I really want to keep that old mower but it will cost me 200 right away with engine and labor etc then if something goes wrong its more headaches. I just want to be done with this lol. If i could get a decent motor for it for 100 that would be a different story but with everything i think ill just go the new route even though the new ones are shit, and to get a halfway decent one you have to spend at least 400-500 dollars. But the 300 dollar one i saw is halfway decent and i never had a honda engine but i heard theyre good. In the past i only had techumpsa and briggs engines.

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Honda GCV /GXVengine?

Dont know it didnt say scrub.

chowchow said:

I just went downstairs and tried what you said with the screwdriver in the plug hole and nothing happened didnt move and the blade spins very, very freely in both directions. I didnt see the screwdriver move at all and it was hard getting it in there because the piston was blocking it i think. I'm trying to get the bolts off the cover to get to my recoiler i just bought,but my friend stripped one of the bolts yesterday are there ANY suggestions on how to remove a 5/16 bolt thats stripped?(i borrowed my friends tools) the other 2 i got out fine but the last one near the gas tank keeps spinning and im sure its stripped i want to try and take off my recoiler so when i get rid of this engine i can keep the new recoiler and any other parts i can strip off it for parts.Would a picture help at this point? If so i can upload one to the chat.

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if the blade turns and pistons didnt move then no sense wasting time on it the crank and/or piston rod is broken

its cheaper to buy another used and/or new mower then try to fix a broken engine, its just simple math

keakar said:

if the blade turns and pistons didnt move then no sense wasting time on it the crank and/or piston rod is broken

its cheaper to buy another used and/or new mower then try to fix a broken engine, its just simple math

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Ok thanks man.

keakar said:

if the blade turns and pistons didnt move then no sense wasting time on it the crank and/or piston rod is broken

its cheaper to buy another used and/or new mower then try to fix a broken engine, its just simple math

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Do you think i should get a new engine and slap it on or get a new mower and start out fresh. They sure dont make em like they used to but if i put a new engine on i dont know what other problems ill run into down the line.

chowchow said:

Do you think i should get a new engine and slap it on or get a new mower and start out fresh. They sure dont make em like they used to but if i put a new engine on i dont know what other problems ill run into down the line.

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me i would go buy any pretty looking cheap mower with the same or higher hp rating that i can find and buy for $150 or less and put that engine on the mower you love most. facebook marketplace is full of them and if its the same mfg brand you might get a spare set of tires and seat as well, just make sure the engine starts and runs before you buy it so you dont have to trust anyones word that its a good engine that runs and doesnt smoke or burn oil

in most cases, engines are bullet proof if you change oil regularly as required, some of the most pathetic looking mowers out there have engines that start easy and run smooth and will last you another 10 years

keakar said:

, some of the most pathetic looking mowers out there have engines that start easy and run smooth and will last you another 10 years

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Why have you been prowling around looking at my mowers!!?? LOL.

Scrubcadet10 said:

Why have you been prowling around looking at my mowers!!?? LOL.

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i had 3 parts mowers show up for sale the other day, the ads were 6 minutes, 12 minutes, and 16 minutes old and all 3 had already been sold that damn fast lol

i got lucky when one buyer backed out and i was #2 in line so i did get it but man them vulchers are fast snapping up any mower with a good engine being posted for under $200

i managed to buy a pretty decent craftsman from a guy yesterday that he had changed the engine but the mower wouldnt stop choking out as soon as he tried to cut grass with it. he removed the broken 19hp engine and replaced it with a 15.5hp engine. i had to bite my lip not to laugh in his face but took my newly bought mower home with me. he was giving it away for free but his wife insisted he get something for it (women love to ruin things) so we agreed on $20 for it. just needs a full set of tires and the right sized engine since he already replaced the belts idlers and spindles on it thinking that was the problem

I almost bought a murray mower several months ago, good deck with a blown Opposed twin, (I have a good one sitting) for $100..
By the time I got up from the chair, grabbed the phone, and clicked on th Ad, it was gone. It is only been up 30 minutes

keakar said:

i had 3 parts mowers show up for sale the other day, the ads were 6 minutes, 12 minutes, and 16 minutes old and all 3 had already been sold that damn fast lol

i got lucky when one buyer backed out and i was #2 in line so i did get it but man them vulchers are fast snapping up any mower with a good engine being posted for under $200

i managed to buy a pretty decent craftsman from a guy yesterday that he had changed the engine but the mower wouldnt stop choking out as soon as he tried to cut grass with it. he removed the broken 19hp engine and replaced it with a 15.5hp engine. i had to bite my lip not to laugh in his face but took my newly bought mower home with me. he was giving it away for free but his wife insisted he get something for it (women love to ruin things) so we agreed on $20 for it. just needs a full set of tires and the right sized engine since he already replaced the belts idlers and spindles on it thinking that was the problem

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Yea im going to get this 300 dollar mower with tax included at home depot with a honda engine and rear bagger(not self propelled) but i have a small lawn so i dont mind pushing a mower lol. I think it should last 5 years at least because my old girl gave me 21 years but i think its time to let go. Man they make things like crap now days its built to break! I still drive around in my 1995 ford explorer i bought new 25 years ago. ?

chowchow said:

Yea im going to get this 300 dollar mower with tax included at home depot with a honda engine and rear bagger(not self propelled) but i have a small lawn so i dont mind pushing a mower lol. I think it should last 5 years at least because my old girl gave me 21 years but i think its time to let go. Man they make things like crap now days its built to break! I still drive around in my 1995 ford explorer i bought new 25 years ago. ?

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well if you have one of those inbetween yards where its too much to push but not really enough to need a big mower, then you could pick up a used snapper rear engine rider for it so your not walking the yard in august heat and those snappers will last 30 years easy

they are pretty much like a push mower you ride on and fit right through walk through gates because they come in 25", 28" and 33" deck sizes

i have a small yard and after just one year with push mower i went get a rer snapper and man that was the best decision ever

keakar said:

well if you have one of those inbetween yards where its too much to push but not really enough to need a big mower, then you could pick up a used snapper rear engine rider for it so your not walking the yard in august heat and those snappers will last 30 years easy

they are pretty much like a push mower you ride on and fit right through walk through gates because they come in 25", 28" and 33" deck sizes

i have a small yard and after just one year with push mower i went get a rer snapper and man that was the best decision ever

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Yea with my fat ass i NEED a push mower ?

chowchow said:

Yea with my fat ass i NEED a push mower ?

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OK, I'm with you on the fat part. Shoot, I need scissors instead of a mower. LOL

slomo

keakar said:

well if you have one of those inbetween yards where its too much to push but not really enough to need a big mower, then you could pick up a used snapper rear engine rider for it so your not walking the yard in august heat and those snappers will last 30 years easy

they are pretty much like a push mower you ride on and fit right through walk through gates because they come in 25", 28" and 33" deck sizes

i have a small yard and after just one year with push mower i went get a rer snapper and man that was the best decision ever

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I've only seen Snapper RER's with 28, 30 and 33" decks. I have a 33" deck Hi-Vac. Like you said, it's like riding a push mower. Best transmission and drive system on any mower. Very easy on the wallet to keep Snappers running. But everyone has to have a Honda these days.......

slomo

slomo said:

OK, I'm with you on the fat part. Shoot, I need scissors instead of a mower. LOL

slomo

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Is that why they call you slomo lol

OP should use their Trump money and get a Toro Super Recycler with electric start. I almost bought one this season. Only if it had ball bearing wheels and the Professional Series Briggs with 8.75 ft lbs of torque. Now that would be a mower.

slomo

I use a John Deere SRX75 for the big parts of the yard, then the old Poulan pusher finishes the small parts around the house. The JD has a Kawasaki FC290, with a sharp blade, thing wouldn't bog down in the Amazon jungle.

I think were getting a second check in late june/july my friend in canada gets 1200 a month for 6 months.

chowchow said:

I think were getting a second check in late june/july my friend in canada gets 1200 a month for 6 months.

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I bet it's from Trump. The US funds every country out there in one way or another. Then neglects our veterans, roads, schools, police,fire, health care and 300 more. We'd rather help others than our own people. There would be huge changes if I were elected. As in stop all those lifetime appointed Senators and House of Reps losers that get to vote on their own pay raises. Have you seen one of them vote NO on their pay raise? LOL We have career Senators and Reps in our jacked up government. Jail all the lobbyist and sick the IRS on them for back taxes and money spent on them that should of went to "We The People". This forum isn't big enough to list all our issues LOL.

slomo