Strange Engine Issue - Wont Start put chord will pull

BenJoeM · Jan 1, 2016

Hello friends, been searching the forum for awhile and can't seem to find this one. My mower died in mid-mow this morning. I wear sound proof headphones to protect my ears but I thought I heard a faint clicking sound just a few seconds before and almost like a line or rope was cut inside and then then the mower died.

I have checked the gas, oil, filter and spark plug and all looks well. But when I try to start it, the flywheel seems to move and make kind of an old fire engine siren sound and nothing happens. I am attaching a video and picture. If anyone can give me some direction here that would be great. Thanks in advance.

It is a Poulan Pro Briggs & Stratton 450e 125cc

Please let me know if you need any more info to help me diagnose this issue.

reynoldston · Jan 1, 2016

The very first thing I would do is check the compression.

BenJoeM · Jan 1, 2016

Progress. I used my leaf blower to blow out the dust and had no affect then used wd-40 to oil it up. After three or four pulls the wheel is now engaging the motor. Still won't start but I have tension and can hear it trying. But something is rattling around inside when I try to start it. Still no start, yet but I can now hear the wheel engaging the motor.

bertsmobile1 · Jan 1, 2016

Start by tipping out the oil and look at what comes out.
If you see bits of metal then stop right there go look for a new mower

Oil clean then remove the spark plug and checking the piston is going up & down.
Then pull the rocker cover off and check the valves are going in & out as the piston goes up & down.

That all looks good then take off the top cover & remove the nut on the top of the flywheel.
You should see the key hole which is dead square. If it is in two parts then pull the flywheel off and replace the key.

BenJoeM · Jan 2, 2016

bertsmobile1 said:
Start by tipping out the oil and look at what comes out.
If you see bits of metal then stop right there go look for a new mower

Oil clean then remove the spark plug and checking the piston is going up & down.
Then pull the rocker cover off and check the valves are going in & out as the piston goes up & down.

That all looks good then take off the top cover & remove the nut on the top of the flywheel.
You should see the key hole which is dead square. If it is in two parts then pull the flywheel off and replace the key.

Ok, drained the oil and saw no metal in it, and then removed the nut on top of the flywheel, the key was still in place. With the fly wheel nut off I was able to get a can of compressed air into some of the wholes around the flywheel and spray. I heard something move inside and now the wheel and blade move freely without issue. Engine now seems like it is trying to start but won't 100% turn over. (yes I put new oil in the engine). I did take off the spark plug and replace it; but that is my only thought now to why it won't start. The major issues seems to have maybe fixed itself as some sort of debris inside the engine that I freed up.

Not sure...more thoughts.

bertsmobile1 · Jan 2, 2016

Was the piston going up and down in the cylinder and were the valves going in & out ?

BenJoeM · Jan 6, 2016

bertsmobile1 said:
Was the piston going up and down in the cylinder and were the valves going in & out ?

Well took it to a small engine repair shop, thrown rod...life is bad for me...very strange since there was plenty of oil and was only 4 months old.

bertsmobile1 · Jan 6, 2016

Not if the engine was as dirty as you have described.
It is essential to keep the air paths clean to allow cooling air to blow directly over the metal.

Oil supply to the bearings in these motors is not the best either and there is always the possibility it was a faulty engine from the start.
if you can do the work yourself then a rod replacement is not a big job, but it is a 3 hour of chargable time job so becomes expensive if the shop does it.

BenJoeM · Jan 16, 2016

bertsmobile1 said:
Not if the engine was as dirty as you have described.
It is essential to keep the air paths clean to allow cooling air to blow directly over the metal.

Oil supply to the bearings in these motors is not the best either and there is always the possibility it was a faulty engine from the start.
if you can do the work yourself then a rod replacement is not a big job, but it is a 3 hour of chargable time job so becomes expensive if the shop does it.

Good news is I live in Latin America and a Briggs and Stratton factory is here local, they said they could get me parts at wholesale and I found a small engine guy will will fix it for $50. So we will see what happens. I went a head and got a new mower, better horsepower and clearance for my lawn and in the end I will end up with two mowers. Which is good since my 10 year old son will now be helping me more in the lawn.

Strange Engine Issue - Wont Start put chord will pull

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