My Lawn Mower Repair Thread (56k warning)

[briggs]

I always enjoy seeing other people's work, do it!

I'm guessing flywheel key too, but it just seems weird since it was fine before I removed it from the original deck months ago, and fine the first couple times I ran it earlier today. The blade is definitely in place properly (and its new).

The other one, I did a quick test to replicate the problem...starts right up when cold, then after a few minutes coughs, sputters, then dies. Try to start it right after and nothing. Give it a few minutes and it'll want to start again. I let it run until it died, then quickly attached plug to teh coil and groundedit...no spark. Seems to me the coil is bad. I only have one "extra" I'll have to seal from another engine I'm rebuilding.

yes coils to i forgot duhhhhhhh lol i will post some pics soon ...I also do small engine repair i should start a thread about some of the carnage i have came across this year unreal what some people do to there EQ this year has been very bad for people braking stuff

 

[afoulk]

yes coils to i forgot duhhhhhhh lol i will post some pics soon ...I also do small engine repair i should start a thread about some of the carnage i have came across this year unreal what some people do to there EQ this year has been very bad for people braking stuff

We would love to see it

 

[hanyoukimura]

Annoyingly, both Brutes came back to me this week...both for the same reason..control cables. One would start but not always stay running. Thought it was the coil, but when I didn't get spark after swapping it, I realized the blade brake wasn't being fully released. Then the other one wouldn't start at all after he had unloaded it and unfolded the handle bars. Being the swell guy I am, I've elected to fix both without charging, since they were both just purchased.

The part number for the cable is 7103977YP...its as near as makes no difference thirty flipping dollars for what is exactly the same as the $12.60 Poulan cable I just bought, but with an extra inch of throw. While I'm willing to eat the cost of the cables, I'm not really wanting to eat that much! So today I brought the mower and the cable down to the small engine dealer and matched up a cable. It's also a Murray cable, part # 672881MA. Same throw, the cable itself is 4 inches or so shorter, but IMO the OEM cable is far longer than it needs to be anyway. Fits perfectly and the mower is good as new...for $8.02!

Meanwhile, I got the Intek powered Craftsman running finally, I wanted to do some work to it today but its just too bloody hot out.

 

[Two-Stroke]

Annoyingly, both Brutes came back to me this week...both for the same reason..control cables. One would start but not always stay running. Thought it was the coil, but when I didn't get spark after swapping it, I realized the blade brake wasn't being fully released. Then the other one wouldn't start at all after he had unloaded it and unfolded the handle bars. Being the swell guy I am, I've elected to fix both without charging, since they were both just purchased.

...

You should do that even if there was no warranty. It's good for repeat business.

I gather you're doing this your of your garage. Have you thought of setting up a shop and doing it as a real job?

 

[hanyoukimura]

You should do that even if there was no warranty. It's good for repeat business.

I gather you're doing this your of your garage. Have you thought of setting up a shop and doing it as a real job?

Oh I know, I always tell people who buy them if there's a problem to let me know and I'll take care of it. I've only had a few ever come back with problems, I can recall two were the results of bad fuel they put in, and the two Brutes with bad cables, my fault for not replacing them, they seemed ok at the time, but oh well One's all set and the other is just waiting on another cable.

Yeah I do it as a hobby. I have thought about it professionally, but there's a lot of logistics and investments needed for that I would think. That and the time needed, which I don't have a lot of, and while my day job isn't exactly great paying or enjoyable, it is steady income and why I've stuck with it.

 

[hanyoukimura]

Didn't do much today besides change the oil in the Intek Craftsman.

I did however, use the Jacobsen to mow the whole lawn, the first real work I've given it. Things I noticed:

It runs like a champ. 2-3 cold start pulls and its off to the races, no smoke at all, no puttering, its a gem of a little engine and all I did was clean the carburetor, fuel tank, replaced the air filter, and change the oil..still using the plug that came with it!

It needs new wheels/axles. A fair bit of wobbly slop in all 4 wheels.

It really needs the front to wheel arms. I've gotten as far as finding part numbers, JA991287 which was superseded by GP031455...the problem now is getting the parts, since they were both discontinued.

 

[64vdub]

I liked reading the thread. I am just starting out trying this. I go to auctions with my dad and saw some of the mowers selling for $130-$200 and they don't looks as good as your pictures. I picked up my 3rd one today. My first one was a troy-bilt and I fixed the brake control cable.
I picked up a craftsman which I am still learning... I think the carb is messed up. it was plastic? and the Scotts today.
I posted in the Murray section, because when I google the model number it comes back Murray, but no one answers the question if it was made by Murray or where to get a owners manual.

Uriah

 

[Grassbandit]

Owner's storage area got flooded and so they brought them for repair. The Karcher pressure washer is shot so gonna use it for parts.
The other two I will look into later this afternoon.

 

[afoulk]

What is that mower in the center? I've never seen anything like that

 

[Grassbandit]

What is that mower in the center? I've never seen anything like that

Its called Red Hawk commercial mower. Only thing commercial about it is the steel frame and the wheels, cause the engine is the same Briggs 6.5 we all know and love.
made in China .......:thumbdown:

Finished getting both mowers up and running, in spite of them spending days flooded in a storage area. The Tecumseh was more troublesome, carb gummed up and the ignittion coil had to be replaced. Both required dead man cables replaced as well because they were frozen.