My Lawn Mower Repair Thread (56k warning)

When you replace the Poulan Pro's flywheel key, put a different flywheel on as well. It should have spark regardless of the timing. I'm suspecting you might have weak magnets in the original flywheel.

Great work on the Craftsman and Yard Machines! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Hi, I'm a new guy to the forum and I just want to say, this is an awesome and really entertaining thread to read with awesome pictures. I am learning a lot about fixing mowers from this thread, and I appreciate it! I have a John Deere X324 tractor, a Toro SuperRecycler, and I just picked up a Honda HRR216SDA for free that I am trying to get running (posted question about that in the Honda forum). This thread already has me thinking about trying to find more free mowers to fix!

I joined this forum just because of this thread. You do amazing work. What rubbing compound do you use? Thank you for the great pictures

wow. very impressive. i think i found a new hobby...

i never knew anybody put so much time in mowers.

Hanyoukimura has created a tutorial on the paint restoration process, including what rubbing compound he uses.http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/32696-How-to-Restore-Fuel-Stained-Faded-Paint

primerbulb120 said:

Hanyoukimura has created a tutorial on the paint restoration process, including what rubbing compound he uses.http://www.lawnmowerforum.com/showthread.php/32696-How-to-Restore-Fuel-Stained-Faded-Paint

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Thanks for the link and thank you Hanyoukimura

Well the Yard Machines is gone. Interestingly, this is the second person this season to be a return buyer. He too bought a mower about 5 years ago. He was happy with it, but the starter rope broke this year and opted to just buy another. He came back while I was out and left me the I had sold him half a decade ago.



Curious to know if it runs or not. Supposed to rain, of course, for the next couple days. I'll probably check it out Thursday.

New guy here. I've read through this site for a few years on and off and finally decided to join. I recently acquired an old lawnmower with a 1969 92908 B&S with very low hours. It was (is) my grandfathers that had been sitting about 10 years. Outside. I got it home, put some gas in it and gave it a shot of carb cleaner in the carb intake and first pull off it went. I have no idea what brand the mower body is but it's in pretty nice shape. Cleaned the points and readjusted them, new carb diaphragm and air filter element, plug and oil change, new governor spring too and it runs like new. I can see crosshatching on the cylinder wall when I look through the sparkplug hole with a flash light. Sat all that time and didn't even smoke when it started.


Would anyone be able to determine the brand of this thing by the shape of the body? I don't see any tags or stickers on the mower deck anywhere although I need to wash it so maybe one will pop up.

GrassSlicer said:

New guy here. I've read through this site for a few years on and off and finally decided to join. I recently acquired an old lawnmower with a 1969 92908 B&S with very low hours. It was (is) my grandfathers that had been sitting about 10 years. Outside. I got it home, put some gas in it and gave it a shot of carb cleaner in the carb intake and first pull off it went. I have no idea what brand the mower body is but it's in pretty nice shape. Cleaned the points and readjusted them, new carb diaphragm and air filter element, plug and oil change, new governor spring too and it runs like new. I can see crosshatching on the cylinder wall when I look through the sparkplug hole with a flash light. Sat all that time and didn't even smoke when it started.


Would anyone be able to determine the brand of this thing by the shape of the body? I don't see any tags or stickers on the mower deck anywhere although I need to wash it so maybe one will pop up.

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I'm not so good with identifying older models besides pretty distinct ones like Toros and Lawn Boys, but that's a cool old mower you've got! When you get it cleaned up, post some more photos it!

hanyoukimura said:

I'm not so good with identifying older models besides pretty distinct ones like Toros and Lawn Boys, but that's a cool old mower you've got! When you get it cleaned up, post some more photos it!

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I definitely will. I also have a similar mower that my dad bought new in 1977. It was originally a Lawn Chief 60-207 with a black 92908 B&S. That deck took a dump about 10 years ago and we decided to take the engine apart out of curiosity. That mower has mowed a ridiculous amount of grass and we estimated by the yearly amount of hours it had around 1000 hours then. Nothing in that engine was worn. No ring ridge in the aluminum bore and crosshatching still present. No crank/bearing/rod or valve wear. I still use it weekly and its now mounted on a 1987 MTD deck that's similar to the original. I didn't replace anything in that engine when I put it back together other than the lower sump gasket and crank seal. Really the only things that's failed are the points and plug at 23 years, coil wire going to the condenser rotted off at 30, carb diaphragm needed replaced at 30 and anything else was my stupidity when taking it apart. It's only got 8% leakdown now. Estimated today around 1300 hours and doesn't even use oil. Those 92908 B&S engines sure are some tough engines. It's still got it's original starter rope! about 14 years ago we hit some underground power wire that got tossed in the grass. Stopped it dead in its tracks, and we did it twice. Fired right up and kept on mowing never phased it. Crank is only 7/8" long luckily.

I guess this turned into a B&S testimonial lol.

As for what the trick to longevity was. 2 oil changes a year, never let it get below full, clean the cooling fins every several years and don't mow over 80 degrees. That's all. It's been run pretty hard at times.