Snapper push mower--repair or replace?

ctm25 said:

How challenging would a replacement be---would I be in over my head as a first timer?

And how long might I expect the rest of the mower (the deck, transmission) to last?

Thanks for the advice.

Another issue is I like to mow fast, but notice sometimes I miss blades of grass when doing so. Would a better engine help? Also, would I find a noticeable improvement in smoothness of the engine, as well as less emissions, with something like a honda ohv?

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ctm25 said:

Thanks for the input. I would be greatly appreciative if someone could chime in regarding how feasible a do it yourself engine replacement would be for someone who hasn't tried it before.

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ctm25 said:

Thanks. So maybe this is doable.

I'm thinking I could get several more years out of the mower this way, and since the deck and drive seem to be good quality, I would save substantially compared to buying new or paying a repair shop.

Any thoughts on what engine I should be looking at? Are there any particular compatibility issues to be concerned with, such as location of the wires, engine power/speed, etc? Any brand or seller recommendations?

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ctm25 said:

Looking for some advice here:
I have about a 6 1/2 year old snapper self propelled push mower with a Briggs 125k02 0141 engine. I've done some work on it myself, including replacing the carburetor, but the mower starts after about 10 pulls. I've replaced the primer bulb, but it doesn't seem to pull any fuel for some reason.

In addition, the mower doesn't seem to burn fuel that cleanly--perhaps I need to clean the cylinder head?

Just based on the cost of professional repairs, I was wondering whether it might makes sense to simply replace the engine with maybe a ohv engine, assuming I could get a new engine for under $200? I have no experience doing so, but I'm guessing I could do this in a couple of hours? Would this be a sensible thing to do given the age of the mower (the drive system and deck work fine)? If you guys think an engine replacement makes sense, what brand/size would you recommend? Honda? 160 or 190?

Alternatively, I could buy a new one (I'm not sure whether I could sell or trade mine for much), or spend the money getting it serviced at a local shop (but I'm hesitant to spend over $100 bucks or more on this).

Thanks and any thoughts are appreciated.

CTM

Click to expand...

ctm25 said:

How challenging would a replacement be---would I be in over my head as a first timer?

And how long might I expect the rest of the mower (the deck, transmission) to last?

Thanks for the advice.

Another issue is I like to mow fast, but notice sometimes I miss blades of grass when doing so. Would a better engine help? Also, would I find a noticeable improvement in smoothness of the engine, as well as less emissions, with something like a honda ohv?

Click to expand...

ctm25 said:

Thanks for the input. I would be greatly appreciative if someone could chime in regarding how feasible a do it yourself engine replacement would be for someone who hasn't tried it before.

Click to expand...

ctm25 said:

Thanks. So maybe this is doable.

I'm thinking I could get several more years out of the mower this way, and since the deck and drive seem to be good quality, I would save substantially compared to buying new or paying a repair shop.

Any thoughts on what engine I should be looking at? Are there any particular compatibility issues to be concerned with, such as location of the wires, engine power/speed, etc? Any brand or seller recommendations?

Click to expand...

ctm25 said:

Anyone else around?

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