Earlier this year I broke down and bought one of those cheap, Chinese import Harbor Freight electric impact guns. Was on sale, plus an additional 20% off..so after using a friend's..I thought...oh well..if I use it on a dozen or so mowers it'll be worth it to save shoulder, arm, and knuckle busting strain and damage! I'm getting too old to be lugging on these frozen up blade bolts. I used it yesterday to remove the pan bolts on that 19.5 B&S motor. Didn't go back with it but tightened them by hand. I block the mower blades with a 2X4 and let the electric impact do the work for me.
rope tip
- Thread starter impalass
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Two-Stroke
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Blocking the crankshaft with a tool inserted into the spark plug hole is not only recommended by the Lawn-Boy manual but Stihl recommends that method as well in a couple of their manuals that I have. I haven't had a problem doing it that way.
Carscw
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So you all are telling me that you pull the spark plug and jam up the piston just to change the blades?
Man if you use a impact you can just hold the blade with your hand.
I don't care what the book says if you use something to stop the piston from moving then take you breaker bar and push on it to get the blade nut off your putting un necessary strain on the rod and rod bearings. Same thing if your doing a flywheel bolt.
Not to mention your doing things the hard way.
Talked to my engine builder he said he would kick my azz if I do this to any engine.
(( cowboy up and get over it ))
Man if you use a impact you can just hold the blade with your hand.
I don't care what the book says if you use something to stop the piston from moving then take you breaker bar and push on it to get the blade nut off your putting un necessary strain on the rod and rod bearings. Same thing if your doing a flywheel bolt.
Not to mention your doing things the hard way.
Talked to my engine builder he said he would kick my azz if I do this to any engine.
(( cowboy up and get over it ))
If your telling me that a person with a breaker bar or impact wrench can put more strain on a connecting rod and bearing than when the piston is forced down by a repeated explosion in the cylinder, I don't believe it. I have used this trick in the past when I have to do a service call and did have an impact or before cordless impacts were around. Never had a problem. Engine manufacturers are not going to put something in their manuals which they will not stand behind. Just because you will get kicked, does not mean that doing it as the manufacturers say is wrong or will do harm.
Mad Mackie
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You are referring to a piston stop which works fine in an engine where the spark plug is in line with the piston direction. On engines where the spark plug is at an angle to the piston top, then it is not a recommended practice.
Mad Mackie in CT
Carscw
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(( cowboy up and get over it ))
Carscw
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The explosion covers the whole top of the piston a bolt or whatever screwed into the cylinder hits the piston in one little spot most the time to one side.
Have you never Saw that someone put A plug in that was to long and punched a hole in a piston just from the stater turning the engine?
Again I will ask WHY would you do all this just to change a blade?
(( cowboy up and get over it ))
swampman57
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My 0.2.....The guy I worked for many years ago(Journeyman Mechanic) did this for 30+ years.
I only had mixed luck with it and only use it as a last means.
I only had mixed luck with it and only use it as a last means.