Anyone run across this....two of the three nuts holding the recoil starter in place are spinning the studs....kind of don't know what to do.
hrt2162tda
Yes:
The holes in the engine block for the studs are NOT tapped, and during engine assembly, the studs self-tap into the block. Then, when the three nuts holding the recoil starter are installed, many (but not all) have locking inserts (depends on the model). This combination may cause a stud to back out first when loosening a nut.
Best fix is just to proceed to remove the stud/nut (all three) slowly, then after the recoil is off the mower, use a vise or locking pliers to hold the stud and then remove the nut. When installing the studs, a couple of drops of thread lock on the stud threads,
and proper torque [8.9 ft-lb studs, 6.1 ft-lb nuts) will help avoid this problem if there's a next time.