Thanks for this. I got the pull chord destroyer on palm of my hand and middle finger. Couldn't use my hand for 2 days!! Now I know how to fix my baby daddy's lawn mower lol
Thank you. I just bought a used snapper. It started right up when i bought it a week ago. When i tried to start it today, it fought back.. and won. Gonna dig into today too see if this is the issue. Thanks to you, i have a great idea what I'm looking for. By the way, i work on cars, houses, whatever is broken, and this was the best video yet.
I really appreciated this video. I fixed my Husqvarna (briggs&stratton) $5.08 for the new woodruff key and 30 minutes work. I'm going to watch the rest of your work this weekend. Thank you
I've worked on my lawnmowers and never had this problem today it pulled back hard and it is dangerous..I learned something new from you appreciate the help ty
@@ozzstars_cars I will ty..my neighbor has a riding more that would run ,backfire then not start I'm wondering if this could be the problem because I cleaned the carb has a new coil
Thank you! The dealer I brought my NEW mower from this year, denies anything is wrong. I used it 2 months and must have hit some stumps. This is the exact thing that happened to my mower. Thank you for making me right about this. The dealer said he could not find anything wrong. WRONG!
Thank you for showing why the flywheel won't move as the brake is engaged. Thanks for explaining timing and showing how to do things. You have good communication skills and it's easy to learn from you!
😂 deck rotted through when my dad was using our mower and the blade hit the ground, I manage to get a mower from my aunt that she found on the side of the road so I got a donor deck and now I need to get the key off the motor since there both Briggs and look similar to each other, so I'm a give it a go when I get the right socket. I might do a video tomorrow.
@@ozzstars_cars Hello...i put new carb ..started..worked fine.....changed belt and cable.....now it recoil bad.....when i pull, cord go back...why?..(what is this called?) ..how to fix this issue?
Single mom with a pull start push mower. Have a little pump button on the front. Nearly pulled out my shoulder a few months ago, acting up again today. Thank you for your help
Great video.. Mark Nye thefixitguy here in Kaneohe Oahu.. I thought it was the valves but I'll take a look at this on the Troy Bilt mower I'm working on for a customer. It really jerks hard out ofnyiurbhand and the blade was missing when the customer dropped it off and said it just blew up and quit. I got it started and runs at a low rpm but it's really is a nightmare when you try to start it. So I'm probably thinking he hit something since the blade is missing. I also noticed the deck had a crack in it buy the engine so I'm thinking he hit something thank for the video Thanks for the video.
That distinct "clunk" sound you hear over at the neighbors house on a nice sunny Saturday afternoon while he is mowing. Then sudden silence afterwards.
Great video, I will purchase a key for my Toro lawnmower and attempt the repair. Because I had the mower upside down I thought it was really flooded. My fingers are are sore . Like you said the kick back is a large force pulling the starter rope out of my fingers and actually kit my stomach a few times.
Well explained and almost always when you get that violent cord pullback, it’s the flywheel key. On rare occasions , however, you find the key is fine. In my experience, it is then the coil that misfunctioning. Buried inside that hunk of black insulation that is the coil is actually an igniter coil, a primary coil and a secondary coil with a little circuitry and internal insulation between the parts. If anything goes wrong in there, the coil usually just fails to work. But occasionally it will work but be out of timing. That is, the magnet comes around in timing, but the coil does not fire in timing (we are talking fractions of a second here because that magnet is coming around about 3000 times per minute.)
@ Haha… funny you should say that because what I didn’t say is that I tore the whole engine down before I narrowed down the fluke coil thing! I was going out to work with my chipper. About 10AM when it happened and my parts guy closes noon on Saturdays. So I didn’t even look -sheared flywheel key. Figured I’d go grab a key, fix it right there in the woods and get back to work. Two days later, a perfectly good engine disassembled, a LOT of head scratching and I finally narrowed it down.
Thanks for the video!! I replaced the carburetor on my 1995-99 Craftsman mower then it ran about a second making a god awful noise then quit. Next pull about took my arm off! Further pulls with a lighter grip yanked the rope back & backfired through carb. I don't know how it could have sheared, but I'll take the cover (back) off & look. Glad this is pretty common, I thought it was heading for the scrap heap with a new carb! Lol. BTW, the steel key on that aluminum flywheel probably lead to it's demise........
@@ozzstars_cars Ya, that's what I was afraid of, it might just end up in the scrap heap! It ran only when I kept pushing the primer, so obviously carb issue. I ran cleaner through there, would still run until losing prime. Then it wouldn't start at all even with prime, just pull & pull & pull. Figured the fuel was bad (70% cleaner) & replaced the carb that I ordered last year. I did turn the flywheel to get to a spot where I could get a wrench onto the mounting nut, but otherwise it was undisturbed. What you think?
Good video. Someone may have already noted this but a woodruff key is half moon shape. The key is square stock but designed for these small engine to shear which is why it is made with a softer metal than standard steel key stock.
I had the same problem on my lawnmower that wouldn't start. Almost knocked my hand off when I tried to start it. So thanks for a well explained video 👍
This is exactly what was wrong with my mower. Used a gear puller to take off the flywheel and bought some shim stock. Thank you for saving me some dollars. Liked and subscribed.
Thank you so much for this video and help me out I cut my neighbor's lawn cuz he can't do it I must have hit something and it shared that pin off told him what happened he said he watched a lot of videos so he know it didn't cost much it was just barely over $20 to put that pin and the blade on so thank you very much you have a good day and have a good video you explained everything
My dad called me to check out his mower and it is having this symptom. I think I almost broke my fingers trying to pull start it. This video should really speed up the repair, thanks!
Thank you so much I have a mower with the same problem and you have explained the solution very well and I think your video was perfect for alive video. I like the fact that you didn't do any editing. Keep up the Great Work! Thanks Again!
For me, it turned out to be a plugged up muffler. I didn't know much about this roadside find mower which was newer than all the other mowers I own! The first thing I checked was the flywheel key and it was OK. Since it was easy to do, I unscrewed the muffler and pulled the cord. NO KICKBACK. And after a couple of pulls it started right up! (Although a little noisy.)
I went to start my 10HP yard man mower and It is doing this. I don't hit things and I take good care of my equipment. The engine is over 10 years old and is on a john deere deck because the yard man deck was rotted. I'm curious if the woodruff key has snapped but how could it snap when I put it away it was running fine and then next time it jerks the cord. I will check mine but I don't have that air hammer.
Some generator engines and pressure washers especially the Honda GC engines have a release mechanism that fails and will make the engine really hard to start. The mechanism is usually plastic and located on the cam. Hope this helps
I haven't seen that too often on push mowers, however, i have on construction equipment. OUCH!! For a little thing like me, that's so painful. One of the worst was the Whiteman concrete buggy..... yeousa! I know your pain Glen! Nice repair!
The funny thing about shear keys is that they don't always work. My current JD lawnmower has an RTV'd head gasket because somehow dead stopping the motor on a rock blew the head gasket. I'm still not even sure how that happened.
Pry bar and air hammer isn't the best for taking the flywheel off but does work sometimes the 2 holes on eitherside of the crank shaft in the flywheel are actually there to help press it off with bolts other option is a 3 jaw puller around the flywheel @8:41 @Ozzstar's Cars
@@ozzstars_cars I got ya bro I'm sure it always works just better ways is all I was saying most people don't have the specific tools made for these motors
Very well explained, you described pretty much exactly what just happened to me (and the large bruise on my left wrist). It’s a bit out of my wheelhouse to fix and I’ll likely be taking it to a shop, but this video was informative nonetheless.
Thank you. I've heard something recently that is very counterintuitive: the less the timing is out (but it IS out), i.e. the smaller the degree to which the key and slot are misaligned, the GREATER the kickback. What do you think? I have a three wheel brushcutter, AS Motor, a beast, which frightened me with its violence. I 've read that kickback can injure people for a YEAR! Well, I looked at the key of this brute and it looked fine to me, but I was looking for an obvious misalignment thinking for a kickback like that it must be seriously misaligned. Some professionals have said you need to pull like a man, man! Erm, no thank you. I like my shoulder just where it is. I've refused even to look at the thing for the past 5 years as I walk past it. Got me an Orec. Thanks again.
Exactly my problem! BUT now I wrecked the threads on the crankshaft by whacking it with a hammer to get the flywheel off. Do you have a video for replacing the crankshaft?
thanks man--- just had mine rip the cord out of my hand with starter fluid as the prime--- that handle whipped my nipple--- OOOOUUUUUUUCCCHHHH..... direct hit--- no puple nurple ever come close to this pain--- and of course i had to try a few more times-- took 20 lashings before utube univrsity to find out the cause
While the replacements are dirt cheap if you don't have one... an aluminum bolt a hacksaw a bench grinder and a fine file for final fitting can make one in about 5 minutes. If you don't have an impact wrench wedging a wood block between the blade and mower deck works while you loosen that nut.
Thanks for this, I've definitely discovered the pain of a slap from the pull cord yesterday and have been trouble shooting. Now I have something new to check on it. I was also wondering if anyone can tell me what that rubber piece is at 10:38 sitting on the deck. I found the identical piece wedged between the block / carb area and fished it out. I haven't found a parts list for my old mower yet but I'll go looking now.
Ozzstars cars: I checked the key on my lawnmower and it's not broken but it still pulls the chord back when I'm trying g to start it😢..maybe it's hydrolocked
i’ve had the same problem but what i’ve heard, other reasons the cord can be ripped back could be to bad valve adjustment or the coil is in the wrong position. I would check those to see if they are in the wrong positions.
Happened to me two days ago it broke my left hand pointer finger. Mine was the overhead valves were out of adjustment. My pointer finger is triple it's normal size. I can't even move it .
When I pulled to start the engine, the handle on the pull cord was ripped out of my right hand, As it retracted, it hit my left hand right where the thumb is attached. It swelled up immediately and has a football-shaped cut. Lots of blood. For a minute there, I wondered if anything was fractured. But I iced it for 20-30 minutes, disinfected it, and wrapped it in gauze. I'll check the Woodruff key. If I can't fix it, that mower is headed for the shooting range.
could the cracks in the deck be welded to get it back in shape? Or brassed. I cannot weld - need special equipment. but I think a good torch ( not oxy-ac. ) but others - might be hot enough to brass .
My Honda did this to me earlier. I've never had my brigs and Stratton do it. Hopefully I never do, but my haunted it to me earlier. And now my hand is all swallowed up. But what if I take that key out? Will it help and like make it to where? It will never like yank back again? And what will happen. If I take the key out and it runs perfectly. Is the key only there for like when it hits stuff?
Hi. I have a older Craftsman pushmower with B &S 550 series engine. Been having problems lately like higher oil consumption, spark plug tip getting gunked up with oil, running normal at first and then slows down, and recently when i pull the starter rope the engine wouldn't turn. Do you think the problem i am having is due to a sheered off crankshaft key, like the push mower in your video? I know over the years i have hit a few large rocks, and maybe a small stump or two.
Well, even though I was 90 percent sure that the key was the culprit, I took it apart and the key was fine. The key has no marks and isn't deformed or sheared at all! The only other place that could be the problem would be on the underside of the engine if there's a plastic timing part that might have cracked. I started up the mower and heard a horrible knocking sound coming from the engine. Took off the head and the cylinder walls aren't scored or damaged, which is good, but I'm not running it until I've drained the oil and split the crankcase open to check out the guts. Any thoughts on something I might have missed?
@@ozzstars_cars That would make sense. I just tore it apart because last time I started it I heard a banging/knocking sound inside. Like metal hitting metal. On inspection none of the plastic parts are broken. Piston seems decent and tight, no marred bearing surfaces. No egg shaped thru holes. This is a real head scratcher. I turned the crankshaft slowly and watched the piston and the valves and they all seem to be working in time too. TDC both valves are closed. Intake opens, exhaust is closed. Exhaust opens, intake is closed. Lobes are smooth and undamaged. I checked the valves with feeler gauges and they are about .008 and .009, so I'll adjust those tomorrow by lapping the seats till they're at .005". Still can't figure it out. I'll just do one thing at a time until I hear or see a change.
I hit a piece of rebar that the neighbor kid had driven in the ground and sticking up a couple of inches. When I hit it with the push mower and it shear the key but bent the crank too. ☹
What else could cause it to kick back? My key is still perfect and in position in the shaft. I had it all apart today...and it still kicked me.It's a troy bilt 11A-542q711 with a Honda motor GCV160 Thank you
Trying to figure out why mine is doing that and I checked and the key is fine so i went to look at the valves and they are set too and seem fine kinda stomped. Any ideas?
Only two other things to check after that one being check and see if it's hydro locked and lastly check and see if the gaps on the rocker arms for the exhaust and the intake needs to be adjusted correctly? Good luck!
Thanks for moving away from cars today for your mower engine work. Helped me. You are meticulous and thorough.
Thank you Bradley, greatly appreciate your comment and generosity! -Glen (Ozz)
The only video that clearly explains why and how to fix this issue
Zt
Thanks for this. I got the pull chord destroyer on palm of my hand and middle finger. Couldn't use my hand for 2 days!! Now I know how to fix my baby daddy's lawn mower lol
Glad it helped!
Thank you. I just bought a used snapper. It started right up when i bought it a week ago. When i tried to start it today, it fought back.. and won. Gonna dig into today too see if this is the issue. Thanks to you, i have a great idea what I'm looking for.
By the way, i work on cars, houses, whatever is broken, and this was the best video yet.
Great to hear, thanks Amy!
@ozzstars_cars i took the thing apart, the key is fine but flywheel still does not turn freely. Ideas
@AmyWalker-zl1iw stuck valves?
@@ozzstars_cars how would i know. It started and ran when i bought it. The flyqheel does not spin freely even though the key is intact.
@AmyWalker-zl1iw you have to start taking things apart and looking deeper.
I really appreciated this video. I fixed my Husqvarna (briggs&stratton) $5.08 for the new woodruff key and 30 minutes work. I'm going to watch the rest of your work this weekend. Thank you
Thanks for the support Stephen!
I've worked on my lawnmowers and never had this problem today it pulled back hard and it is dangerous..I learned something new from you appreciate the help ty
It can be real painful when the cord snaps back! Let us know what you find Ben.
@@ozzstars_cars I will ty..my neighbor has a riding more that would run ,backfire then not start I'm wondering if this could be the problem because I cleaned the carb has a new coil
Best reason to keep all the old mowers you can for parts and quick fix
Thank you! The dealer I brought my NEW mower from this year, denies anything is wrong. I used it 2 months and must have hit some stumps. This is the exact thing that happened to my mower. Thank you for making me right about this. The dealer said he could not find anything wrong. WRONG!
Thank you, your video got my 'lost cause' mower working great again.
Awesome Paul!
my lawnmower has been fixed thanks sir
That's awesome Luis! Good news.
Mowers always break when you’re ready to cut the grass. Nice work Glen to get her back to working. Have a great week! 😀👍
I'm happy to give my son everything he needs to mow the lawn. lol Thanks
Thank you for showing why the flywheel won't move as the brake is engaged. Thanks for explaining timing and showing how to do things. You have good communication skills and it's easy to learn from you!
I appreciate your comment, thank you.
well done , everything you said made sense to me , i'm so glad i watch this first
Well done great explanation helped me and my hands say thank u cheers man
😂 deck rotted through when my dad was using our mower and the blade hit the ground, I manage to get a mower from my aunt that she found on the side of the road so I got a donor deck and now I need to get the key off the motor since there both Briggs and look similar to each other, so I'm a give it a go when I get the right socket.
I might do a video tomorrow.
Wow...doesn't sound good.
@@ozzstars_cars ye
Thanks for this vid. I picked up a mower at the dump last week with this issue. Gonna fixer up. Cheers!
Make sure the flywheel doesn't have any micro cracks.
Thank you! Just had this happen twice on a mini bike and thought I broke my two middle fingers
That is painful. Hopefully you figure the problem Luke.
@@ozzstars_cars Hello...i put new carb ..started..worked fine.....changed belt and cable.....now it recoil bad.....when i pull, cord go back...why?..(what is this called?) ..how to fix this issue?
Single mom with a pull start push mower. Have a little pump button on the front. Nearly pulled out my shoulder a few months ago, acting up again today. Thank you for your help
You're welcome Lacy!
I'll start checking this on all my mowers from now on. Great video ..thanks
Good idea!
Glen always enjoy your videos so down to earth and common sense’!
Thanks man, I appreciate your comment!
I love this channel. You are a great teacher and still a little goofy like me. Thank you! I have same engine and same problem.
Thanks Doran!
Great video.. Mark Nye thefixitguy here in Kaneohe Oahu..
I thought it was the valves but I'll take a look at this on the Troy Bilt mower I'm working on for a customer.
It really jerks hard out ofnyiurbhand and the blade was missing when the customer dropped it off and said it just blew up and quit.
I got it started and runs at a low rpm but it's really is a nightmare when you try to start it. So I'm probably thinking he hit something since the blade is missing. I also noticed the deck had a crack in it buy the engine so I'm thinking he hit something thank for the video
Thanks for the video.
Let us know what you find Mark. Sounds like you are on the right track!
I appreciate your knowledge, especially regarding the Woodruff key. I now have a project. Thanks!
Hope it goes well, let us know what you discover! -Ozz
cheers Mr, greeting from London.
Cheers mate from the State of Delaware, USA. 👍
Yep it hit something real hard to spin a key like that . Good stuff Glen 👍
That distinct "clunk" sound you hear over at the neighbors house on a nice sunny Saturday afternoon while he is mowing. Then sudden silence afterwards.
Great video. I think this is the problem I've been having with my Roto-Tiller. Gonna check it out tomorrow. Thanks for the great explanation.
Glad it helped Will
Manxie. Good job sir
Thank you David
Great video, I will purchase a key for my Toro lawnmower and attempt the repair. Because I had the mower upside down I thought it was really flooded. My fingers are are sore . Like you said the kick back is a large force pulling the starter rope out of my fingers and actually kit my stomach a few times.
Yes it can be painful.
Well explained and almost always when you get that violent cord pullback, it’s the flywheel key. On rare occasions , however, you find the key is fine. In my experience, it is then the coil that misfunctioning. Buried inside that hunk of black insulation that is the coil is actually an igniter coil, a primary coil and a secondary coil with a little circuitry and internal insulation between the parts. If anything goes wrong in there, the coil usually just fails to work. But occasionally it will work but be out of timing. That is, the magnet comes around in timing, but the coil does not fire in timing (we are talking fractions of a second here because that magnet is coming around about 3000 times per minute.)
@frankvucolo6249 good point. Also a stuck (closed) valve because of a broken spring can be an issue.
@ Haha… funny you should say that because what I didn’t say is that I tore the whole engine down before I narrowed down the fluke coil thing! I was going out to work with my chipper. About 10AM when it happened and my parts guy closes noon on Saturdays. So I didn’t even look -sheared flywheel key. Figured I’d go grab a key, fix it right there in the woods and get back to work. Two days later, a perfectly good engine disassembled, a LOT of head scratching and I finally narrowed it down.
Thanks for the video!! I replaced the carburetor on my 1995-99 Craftsman mower then it ran about a second making a god awful noise then quit. Next pull about took my arm off! Further pulls with a lighter grip yanked the rope back & backfired through carb. I don't know how it could have sheared, but I'll take the cover (back) off & look. Glad this is pretty common, I thought it was heading for the scrap heap with a new carb! Lol. BTW, the steel key on that aluminum flywheel probably lead to it's demise........
@bobt897 also check for proper valve operation. 👍
@@ozzstars_cars Ya, that's what I was afraid of, it might just end up in the scrap heap! It ran only when I kept pushing the primer, so obviously carb issue. I ran cleaner through there, would still run until losing prime. Then it wouldn't start at all even with prime, just pull & pull & pull. Figured the fuel was bad (70% cleaner) & replaced the carb that I ordered last year. I did turn the flywheel to get to a spot where I could get a wrench onto the mounting nut, but otherwise it was undisturbed. What you think?
Awesome video big help...Thanks
I just punched myself in the stomach when the rope snapped in. Great explanation! 👍👍👍
Ouch!
Good video. Someone may have already noted this but a woodruff key is half moon shape. The key is square stock but designed for these small engine to shear which is why it is made with a softer metal than standard steel key stock.
I had the same problem on my lawnmower that wouldn't start. Almost knocked my hand off when I tried to start it. So thanks for a well explained video 👍
You're welcome Rich.
Nicely explained
@@jackperlmutter5957 thanks Jack!
This is exactly what was wrong with my mower. Used a gear puller to take off the flywheel and bought some shim stock. Thank you for saving me some dollars. Liked and subscribed.
Thanks for your comment Stephen. Glad the video helped you out.
Thank you so much for this video and help me out I cut my neighbor's lawn cuz he can't do it I must have hit something and it shared that pin off told him what happened he said he watched a lot of videos so he know it didn't cost much it was just barely over $20 to put that pin and the blade on so thank you very much you have a good day and have a good video you explained everything
Glad the video helped you Richard. Buenos diaz.
I've never seen a key fail like that. But now we know how to change it if needed. Hope you and your family are well.
Doing okay thanks Wyatt. Take care
great advice thank you, cheers from NZ
I am having the same problem with my lawn mower. Thank you so much for your video, now I could check to see if out of timing.
Let us know what you find. 👍
Thanks buddy, really helpful
My dad called me to check out his mower and it is having this symptom. I think I almost broke my fingers trying to pull start it. This video should really speed up the repair, thanks!
Yeah, it's painful when the rope snaps back!
Thanks for your video i found the the problen wi my [mighty mac]
Same issue?
Yes . Thank you
Thanks! I learned something. You handsome whiz kid!!
😂😁😂
Excellent example, I would have been on the wrong track, checking valve lash.
Very informative and well taught great job and thank you sir!
You're welcome John
Thank you so much I have a mower with the same problem and you have explained the solution very well and I think your video was perfect for alive video. I like the fact that you didn't do any editing. Keep up the Great Work!
Thanks Again!
Thanks Mike for the words of encouragement!
Thanks
Thanks for sharing. Both my brother and I injured ourselves with machine doing just that
That snap back can be painful. Ouch!
Thank you for a great informative video !!
EXACTLY what happened to me just now and ripped my middle finger too! OUCH. Thank you thank you for explaining!
Not fun! Ouch
For me, it turned out to be a plugged up muffler. I didn't know much about this roadside find mower which was newer than all the other mowers I own! The first thing I checked was the flywheel key and it was OK. Since it was easy to do, I unscrewed the muffler and pulled the cord. NO KICKBACK. And after a couple of pulls it started right up! (Although a little noisy.)
That's a good trick to know!
I went to start my 10HP yard man mower and It is doing this. I don't hit things and I take good care of my equipment. The engine is over 10 years old and is on a john deere deck because the yard man deck was rotted. I'm curious if the woodruff key has snapped but how could it snap when I put it away it was running fine and then next time it jerks the cord.
I will check mine but I don't have that air hammer.
Let us know what you find!
You answered my question....thanks !! 👍
👍
Nothing worse than having the cord rip out of your fingers from a sheared key.
It hurts that's for sure.
The plastic handle came back hard enough to hit my other hand and break it lmao
@@satan7816Same thing happened to me but no breaks thankfully. Just bleeding and intense swelling / bruising
Yup that hurts the hand for sure! Great video! Liked!
👍
I have a Firman P03607 208cc Generator that does that.
Very hard to pull start
Time to check it out.
Some generator engines and pressure washers especially the Honda GC engines have a release mechanism that fails and will make the engine really hard to start. The mechanism is usually plastic and located on the cam. Hope this helps
I haven't seen that too often on push mowers, however, i have on construction equipment. OUCH!! For a little thing like me, that's so painful. One of the worst was the Whiteman concrete buggy..... yeousa! I know your pain Glen! Nice repair!
Thanks Cuba
Thanks, this is exactly what is happening when I pull the cord. It happened after the blade hit something hard. Now I know what to check first.
Let us know what you find!
@@ozzstars_cars yes, it was sheared off. Turned about 90 degrees past where it was supposed to be.
@@seanile the smoking gun!
@@ozzstars_cars fixed it, it's purring like a kitten. Thanks again
@seanile you're welcome, nice work! - Glen
Been awhile Glen glad your well bro
Good to see you stop by. Thanks
@@ozzstars_cars anytime brother
The funny thing about shear keys is that they don't always work. My current JD lawnmower has an RTV'd head gasket because somehow dead stopping the motor on a rock blew the head gasket. I'm still not even sure how that happened.
Wow, that's crazy!
Pry bar and air hammer isn't the best for taking the flywheel off but does work sometimes the 2 holes on eitherside of the crank shaft in the flywheel are actually there to help press it off with bolts other option is a 3 jaw puller around the flywheel @8:41 @Ozzstar's Cars
Makes sense but have never had an issue using an air hammer to remove a flywheel.
@@ozzstars_cars I got ya bro I'm sure it always works just better ways is all I was saying most people don't have the specific tools made for these motors
I just prefer a puller and tapping the holes
After all what’s the big hurry anyway???
Very well explained, you described pretty much exactly what just happened to me (and the large bruise on my left wrist). It’s a bit out of my wheelhouse to fix and I’ll likely be taking it to a shop, but this video was informative nonetheless.
Thanks for the comment John. Hope you heal up soon, that's painful! Ouch.
I work at a go-karting place and I'm surprised I haven't pulled a muscle yet the amount of times this happened me 😂 so frustrating 😡
Yeah, it's painful.
@@ozzstars_cars is there anyway I can prevent it from happening
Thanks!
Surging means carb jets, all Of them, Need to be cleaned. DonyBoy73 will show you how it's done. Nice job on the fly wheel.
Great explanations and Diag!!
Thanks Will. Now if I can just get my son to mow the lawn!! haha Have a good weekend buddy.
Thank you. I've heard something recently that is very counterintuitive: the less the timing is out (but it IS out), i.e. the smaller the degree to which the key and slot are misaligned, the GREATER the kickback. What do you think? I have a three wheel brushcutter, AS Motor, a beast, which frightened me with its violence. I 've read that kickback can injure people for a YEAR! Well, I looked at the key of this brute and it looked fine to me, but I was looking for an obvious misalignment thinking for a kickback like that it must be seriously misaligned. Some professionals have said you need to pull like a man, man! Erm, no thank you. I like my shoulder just where it is. I've refused even to look at the thing for the past 5 years as I walk past it. Got me an Orec. Thanks again.
Like the saying goes, sometimes a little bit is a lot! Electric start for the win? Thanks for your comment John.
Exactly my problem! BUT now I wrecked the threads on the crankshaft by whacking it with a hammer to get the flywheel off. Do you have a video for replacing the crankshaft?
No I don't. Most of those old mowers aren't worth that fix.
thanks man--- just had mine rip the cord out of my hand with starter fluid as the prime--- that handle whipped my nipple--- OOOOUUUUUUUCCCHHHH..... direct hit--- no puple nurple ever come close to this pain--- and of course i had to try a few more times-- took 20 lashings before utube univrsity to find out the cause
Oh man that hurts. 😫🤣
YOU SAVED MY GOKART
Good news Alex
While the replacements are dirt cheap if you don't have one... an aluminum bolt a hacksaw a bench grinder and a fine file for final fitting can make one in about 5 minutes. If you don't have an impact wrench wedging a wood block between the blade and mower deck works while you loosen that nut.
That's a good hack.
You were very helpful,thank u
You're welcome.
Cool video. Isn't that flywheel set up so that you can use a puller? Sure looks like it. Your crankshaft would be happier with a puller.
A puller would work. A few light raps won't hurt the crank.
You should be a lecturer in trade school. Well done!
Yes I was a trades teacher. Did it for one year and then went back into the field.
Thanks for this, I've definitely discovered the pain of a slap from the pull cord yesterday and have been trouble shooting. Now I have something new to check on it. I was also wondering if anyone can tell me what that rubber piece is at 10:38 sitting on the deck. I found the identical piece wedged between the block / carb area and fished it out. I haven't found a parts list for my old mower yet but I'll go looking now.
I believe that rubber piece is the spacer that slips over the long bolt for the fuel tank.
Ozzstars cars: I checked the key on my lawnmower and it's not broken but it still pulls the chord back when I'm trying g to start it😢..maybe it's hydrolocked
i’ve had the same problem but what i’ve heard, other reasons the cord can be ripped back could be to bad valve adjustment or the coil is in the wrong position. I would check those to see if they are in the wrong positions.
@@rowenbukow203 Which coil are you talking about?
@@rowenbukow203what about a generator😢
@@melissateaford2326what about a generator?
I just hurt my wrist and hand yesterday real bad from starting a rototiller with the same problem
Not good. Is the tiller out of timing?
Happened to me two days ago it broke my left hand pointer finger. Mine was the overhead valves were out of adjustment. My pointer finger is triple it's normal size. I can't even move it .
Ouch! Hope you heal up fast, those pull cords can be dangerous!
When I pulled to start the engine, the handle on the pull cord was ripped out of my right hand, As it retracted, it hit my left hand right where the thumb is attached. It swelled up immediately and has a football-shaped cut. Lots of blood. For a minute there, I wondered if anything was fractured. But I iced it for 20-30 minutes, disinfected it, and wrapped it in gauze.
I'll check the Woodruff key. If I can't fix it, that mower is headed for the shooting range.
could the cracks in the deck be welded to get it back in shape? Or brassed. I cannot weld - need special equipment. but I think a good torch ( not oxy-ac. ) but others - might be hot enough to brass .
Yes it could be repaired if welded correctly.
My Honda did this to me earlier. I've never had my brigs and Stratton do it. Hopefully I never do, but my haunted it to me earlier. And now my hand is all swallowed up. But what if I take that key out? Will it help and like make it to where? It will never like yank back again? And what will happen. If I take the key out and it runs perfectly. Is the key only there for like when it hits stuff?
Dang thing flew out of my hands and hit me in the nuts
Ouch.
My 13hp pressure washer does that. not sure if experincing a fire cracker going off in hand is worse.
It hurts!
If you hit some things while mowing please tell your mechanic
Will save you money and his time
Thank You 🙏
Good point Phillip.
Hi. I have a older Craftsman pushmower with B &S 550 series engine. Been having problems lately like higher oil consumption, spark plug tip getting gunked up with oil, running normal at first and then slows down, and recently when i pull the starter rope the engine wouldn't turn.
Do you think the problem i am having is due to a sheered off crankshaft key, like the push mower in your video? I know over the years i have hit a few large rocks, and maybe a small stump or two.
@Slim1423 do a compression test. Check factory specs. Worn piston rings or failing valve seals.
@@ozzstars_cars Thanks for the info.
great job
Thanks Bob!
Well, even though I was 90 percent sure that the key was the culprit, I took it apart and the key was fine. The key has no marks and isn't deformed or sheared at all! The only other place that could be the problem would be on the underside of the engine if there's a plastic timing part that might have cracked. I started up the mower and heard a horrible knocking sound coming from the engine. Took off the head and the cylinder walls aren't scored or damaged, which is good, but I'm not running it until I've drained the oil and split the crankcase open to check out the guts. Any thoughts on something I might have missed?
A valve that isn't opening can causes that hard pull.
@@ozzstars_cars That would make sense. I just tore it apart because last time I started it I heard a banging/knocking sound inside. Like metal hitting metal. On inspection none of the plastic parts are broken. Piston seems decent and tight, no marred bearing surfaces. No egg shaped thru holes. This is a real head scratcher. I turned the crankshaft slowly and watched the piston and the valves and they all seem to be working in time too. TDC both valves are closed. Intake opens, exhaust is closed. Exhaust opens, intake is closed. Lobes are smooth and undamaged. I checked the valves with feeler gauges and they are about .008 and .009, so I'll adjust those tomorrow by lapping the seats till they're at .005". Still can't figure it out. I'll just do one thing at a time until I hear or see a change.
I did exactly that with a Craftsman mower. A new blade and key and it was back to work.
Being out of time causes a nasty kickback for sure.
I hit a piece of rebar that the neighbor kid had driven in the ground and sticking up a couple of inches. When I hit it with the push mower and it shear the key but bent the crank too. ☹
That's serious sabotage. Did you get revenge?
I just fixed it,it wasn't the key..I took the spark plug off then pulled the chord nothing came out but it did the trick
What else could cause it to kick back? My key is still perfect and in position in the shaft. I had it all apart today...and it still kicked me.It's a troy bilt 11A-542q711 with a Honda motor GCV160 Thank you
Cord snaps back harshly? Can you get the engine to start at all?
@@ozzstars_cars Very harsh. I end up punching myself in the breast lmao. But other than that it runs great.
@@ozzstars_cars Sorry if that was a bit vulgar, but it gets old. Do you have any other recommendations that could cause this snap back?
Check valve lash
At the end its defenitly running rough sounds like the carb super dirty
Stay tuned to see the mower go kaboom.
@@ozzstars_cars oh really intriguing 🤔
Does the same solution work for a chainsaw that pulls your arm out of its socket without any sign that it wants to start?
Could be though 2 stroke engines are designed differently.
I had this same problem and I replaced the key but it’s still hard to pull any other things that can make it snap out of your hand?
Valves out of adjustment a possibility. Good luck!
Most likely a bent crankshaft. There are videos on straightening them.
Thank u…
The nice thing about winter was no mowing... 😂
That's a very good point!
Trying to figure out why mine is doing that and I checked and the key is fine so i went to look at the valves and they are set too and seem fine kinda stomped. Any ideas?
What else can it be. It’s not the key, not the plug
Only two other things to check after that one being check and see if it's hydro locked and lastly check and see if the gaps on the rocker arms for the exhaust and the intake needs to be adjusted correctly? Good luck!
Hi I got a stump grinder the pull coil started are hard to pull to stared if the ignition coil is bad it will make the engine not start? TYIA
Must have spark, fuel, compression and air for an engine to run.
What would cause a 4wheelers flywheel to break the key like that?