If your riding mower is like mine, it uses a magnetic clutch between the engine and mower deck, so the mower is disconnected from the engine.
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If your riding mower is like mine, it uses a magnetic clutch between the engine and mower deck, so the mower is disconnected from the engine.
You ever hear of the guy who took a air wrench to the bolt holding on to the blade?Originally Posted by 45-70 Chevroner
Vroom. Redneck haircut.
I worked in a ER for 8 years and I saw some oddball stuff come in.
My best was the guy weed whacking with baling wire. And straight in the eyeball it went.
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I'm dealing with basic Toro and Craftsman self propelled walking mowers. Typical suburban lawn commando stuff. I'm gonna walk while I mow as long as I'm able��. I'm only 54.
Not so much starting when your in there fumbling around with the blade as they can 'pop'.
You could be able to turn it through the compression stroke, the plug can fire,
and it could 'pop' like a back fire, and whap! ya real good.
In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.
OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
EVERYONE!
Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.
anybody ever hand started an old johnny popper. some days you could walk right up, spin the flywheel and away you go but if you ever really needed it to start, you would wear yourself out spinning the dang thing. the pony motor sure was nice when it came along.
if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead
I think it has all been said but I'll toss this out there as well.
A lot of the old Briggs & Stratton engines that had the throttle control directly on the carburetor had a "Stop" position for that lever to shut off the engine. There was a detent for that "Stop" position and in that position a wire would ground out the magneto, stopping the engine. After they got a little age and wear on them, about 90% of those controls would move beyond the stop position. When the lever was moved beyond the "Stop" position - the engine would still run. So it would look as if the lever was in the Stop position but the engine would run just fine.
Since we're dealing with things that can cause serious and often permanent damage to humans - a little extra caution is a good idea. Kind of like pulling the bolt completely out of a rifle before sticking your eyeball over the muzzle to inspect the bore. Or putting jacks stands under a car supported by jacks before getting under the car.
Pull the plug. It is simple to do and there is really no reason not to do it.
It is hard for me to believe that anyone working on an engine like this would not remove the plug wire. Probably have been a couple of Darwin awards for stuff like this.
Yes, the principle for pull starting a lawn mower is exactly the same as for the old aircraft engines, crank start cars, or kick start motorcycles. The pull start is just easier to use on these lower compression engines.
Yes, some engines have safety systems. Are you sure it works?
Yes, you are not supposed to move the blade when removing it. But, when the bolt is stubborn and you are pulling hard with both hands engaged can you guarantee that the blade won't move? FWIW, there used to be some 'jigs' out there just for this. Have not seen one for a while.
Yes, I have had an engine kick over with the plug wire removed. I had forgotten to put the plug wire back on and pulled the rope. Engine kicked a couple of times and stopped. The rubber cap was old and was left touching the side of the plug. The spark ignition is a very high voltage which can do strange things.
Yes, this is a rare thing. The engine has to be in the proper rotation spot. A charge of fuel/air mix has to be in the chamber and valves closed. The condenser has to be charged. How (un)lucky do you feel?
Last, please do not go out and 'hand prop' your mower to see if it will start. When hand propping an aircraft there is a very specific method used to make sure there are no injuries, including a particular way to grab the prop and swing. Hand crank cars required a specific method of holding the crank so that 'kick back' would not break bones. Kick start of large motorcycle engines sometimes resulted in leg injuries.
It probably varies by maker. On my Lawn Boy there's a ground switch as well as a brake.
I must disagree about not being able to spin them fast enough to start. There's no gear ratio built into wrapping a rope around the flywheel and giving it a yank. I have personally pull started my old Johnson V4 85HP outboard by wrapping a rope around the flywheel and giving it a yank. I did it literally dozens of times because the starter on that motor would overheat if you cranked it more than a few seconds. The circumference of a big flywheel actually slows the rate of spin, it just makes it easier to pull, so if slow flywheel spin can start it then so can a slow spin of a blade attached directly to the crankshaft.
I doubt anybody does on a rider where the deck and the motor are separate things. As long as the key is off you're safe. I'm pretty sure the OP is talking about a push mower where the blade is bolted directly to the crankshaft.
Last edited by Elkins45; 04-17-2020 at 10:33 AM.
NRA Endowment Member
Armed people don't march into gas chambers.
When I was growing up we had a Mighty Mite tractor. It did not have a starter but just had a pulley wheel with a notch on it on the front of the engine at the end of the crankshaft. You took a knotted rope and wound it around the pulley wheel to start it after the gas cock was turned on. Learned to be very cautious about backfires which could pull your hand into the pulley wheel.
Britons shall never be slaves.
I agree with those that say it's highly unlikely to start, but it's not worth a risk. Modern stuff has safety stuff that SHOULD prevent a start if it hasn't been defeated or changed. I can understand why companies say you should never do it. They just can't have the liability.
Sometimes an engine will surprise you how easily it will start.
Years ago I used to ride dirt bikes a lot, usually miles from anywhere in the mountains of Colorado. One time our group was getting ready to start riding after a few minutes of rest on the side of a really steep hill. It was in such an awkward spot I couldn't get a good kick on my bike (Yamaha IT 490) so I kinda wiggled my foot and ankle to get it past compression and the thing started right up! It never ever started easily but it did that time! My BIL thought I was showing off and just shook his head.
In my entire time working on small engines that used a pull starter, I have never seen a gear reduction/multiplication type pull starter. Every one was a system of "dogs" or similar system that when pulled would engage the flywheel. and when released, would retract free from the flywheel. Speed of magneto is a minor factor as physics don't pay much attention to RPM. While remote, all that is needed to produce voltage is for the permanent magnets in the flywheel to pass the induction coil. Early hot rod engines used magnetos because they were lighter and more efficient than a battery, ignition coil, points system...
My Anchor is holding fast!
When I was little (1960s) my dad had a Montgomery Ward mower that had a folding crank on the cowel above the flywheel. You would unfold it and give it several cranks which wound a coil spring, then fold it back town and twist a trigger on the side that released the spring and cranked the engine. As I recall it gave the engine a much faster spin that you could ever get using a pull rope starter.
NRA Endowment Member
Armed people don't march into gas chambers.
You can check if you're getting spark by holding on to the wire while someone pulls the rope. Guaranteed to make your eyes sparkle!!!!!
Co worker and I were lit up by a small engine motor with a crack in the plug wire. We were checking for spark and both had a turn at it. Spark was there all right!
At least I was first and not dumb enough to be the verifier.
Condenser has to be charged??? Condenser does not 'hold' the charge in the system as some folks assume...
My old rider mower needs a big electric drill to start,thats what I use anyway.....But that reminds me of the crazy old woman used to live nextdoor.....she was running up and down the slope at the back of the house .....trying to push start the mower....Or her indoors says .....yer always fooling with old motorbikes ,why dont ya fix that poor womans mower?....I says.....better fix our own first ,and I aint done that yet.
Reminds me of a certain old 1920's bulldozer that had the crank handle at the front of the engine. If you weren't paying any attention to what the engine was doing and it kicked over, usually a broken arm was the result. But once started ran like a top. real PITA to start in winter when the roads needed to be plowed. Frank
The Caterpillar D7 s had the crankhandle up through the top of the engine hood.....Half swing at a time ,but if the donkey was in good tune ,you d have black smoke in no time.....Use to love the sound of the old D7s working ,made me want to buy one when I was six.
When teaching me small engine troubleshooting my Dad showed me how to test for ignition spark. I removed the plug, but he suggested I hold the plug wire while he pulled the starter rope (and this was before retractable starters were popular, just a fat pulley shaped "cup" with a slot on the edge on the end of the crankshaft. Tie a knot in the end of a cord/rope and wound the rope around the cup and pull, and don't stand behind Dad when he's starting the lawnmower). Taught me a few things; even on a small engine, ignition voltage can very high ("shockingly high"), think about something before asking/trusting Dad, and always have clean underwear available. I was mebbe 12...
My Anchor is holding fast!
I've pushed the blade around and have had it finish the turn with a big lurch. If the blade hit me it would hurt.
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