I just recently purchased a JD lx 188. the guy that I bought it from said that it had a bent push rod and and a bad valve. I replaced the push rod that was bent and was wondering now how to replace the valve. also on the left hand side if you are setting on it is the side that I am working on. I noticed when I changed the spark plugs that the tip on the plug was bent. Also when I put the new plug in and started it it woud run but rough. when I pulled the plug back out the tip was broke off of it. Any help or pics would be great thanks.
Sounds like you need to pull the head. It appears that something may be bouncing around inside the cylinder causing damage. Could be a piece of something like a carb screw or other object that came in through the intake causing damage. May have bent valve also due to foreign object.
You may try searching for a youtube video for you engine on how to remove the head. I work on all types of engine all the time so I just do it. I have even gotten torn down engines with everything thrown into a single box with all the screws and can put them back together correctly without looking at the manual past the torque specs.
Have even got a rear tine mtd tiller disassembled and delivered scattered over the length of a 8 foot truck bed to repair and reassemble. what I hate is having to reassemble them to determine what is wrong then tearing them back down for repair. Like a 5 horse briggs with the piston removed by the customer because it wouldn't start and all it needed was carb cleaned.
