another new guy!

So the emails prompted me to actually post, rather than just read. Got the mower bug after a freebie I picked up, fixed up, and sold, newer craftsman one, but mistreated! Been trading around, go thru a few a month, clean 'em up, get 'em running, make enough to do it again. Scored an older snapper few weeks back, but I think I'll keep it, somebody else would probably just treat it like a malwart special. I'll get some pics up later, photobucket work well here for image uploads? Nice to see y'all, though!

That's it for now, what's your restore or build-up section called?

Nice to have u with us. Looking foreward to those pics!

Hey snapperfreak, I see a 21401P listed in your sigline. Like it? That's what mine is. Parts still available thru snapper, or is it the 'ol dig around and use OEM stuff? I know for carb bits, b&s has stuff.

O yes parts are still available. Lawnmowerparts dot com I usually use, but ebay has tons of parts too. Yep yours looks just like mine. Mine was built in 1986, can't remember the month and day from date code on engine, it's out in the garage...with the others. Later this week I'll post an updated pic of my fleet since there's been some changes since the last pics. My sigline is accurate but I need to post some pics.

Right now the 21401P isn't running, needs carb cleaned but yes I really like it! It's not a full-commercial unit like some of the others but it's still perfect as far as I'm concerned. I got it a few months ago from the original owner, he bought it for $500 he told me. It had been sitting in his garage for the last few years as he had been using a lawn service. It had always been garage-kept. He just wanted it out of the garage and he let it go for FREE! That made it worth the 45 minute drive to get it.

So yes if u need parts I would start with lawnmowerparts dot com and if they don't have it in stock they get it from Snapper. Blount is another good parts place, I think they're in Oregon.

Finally someone on the forum from my side of the country!

Looks like your recoil needs replacing

Yeah, the recoil mechanism is totally done. The guy I got it from tried to fix on it, I guess the clutch doohickey is frozen solid, he pulled the string, it grabbed the rope, pulled it back in, and snapped it off. Then not knowing the issue, or how to fix, pulled out the spring and spool. So the spring is history, and the spool is chewed up. Fortunately, I have a 3.5 b&s that's toast, but the rewind set is good, so I'll put it in the snapper, carefully! I remember trying to "fix" mine as a kid, and that spring shot out, took forever to get right. Like I said though, I'll keep it, even though I don't need it. Too awesome to sell!
So I didn't know you could date b&s engines, googled around, mine's built 5/1/87. Things purtnear old as me!

:welcome: to the forum Combatcarl. Glad your here. We can't help you with the mower bug, as we all have it too! :cool2:

Sounds good. Yep the Briggs have the date codes, usually near the spark plug. I wish my Wisconsin robin engines did, no way to really accurately date those. Heck ya that snapper of yours will last u darn near forever with a little care. Welcome again and looking foreward to more conversations.

combatcarl said:

Yeah, the recoil mechanism is totally done. The guy I got it from tried to fix on it, I guess the clutch doohickey is frozen solid, he pulled the string, it grabbed the rope, pulled it back in, and snapped it off. Then not knowing the issue, or how to fix, pulled out the spring and spool. So the spring is history, and the spool is chewed up. Fortunately, I have a 3.5 b&s that's toast, but the rewind set is good, so I'll put it in the snapper, carefully! I remember trying to "fix" mine as a kid, and that spring shot out, took forever to get right. Like I said though, I'll keep it, even though I don't need it. Too awesome to sell!
So I didn't know you could date b&s engines, googled around, mine's built 5/1/87. Things purtnear old as me!

Click to expand...

I always thought people who collected average every day stuff were kinda weird...
Well I guess I'm kinda weird now, too. Ha!