I didn't read though this whole thing but if that thing stopped abruptly, it could have been just enough to do in the compression release mechanism on the cam, that would give a hard or no crank, sometimes a jump start from a running car will get it going but the fix is to tear into the motor and replace the camshaft if that's what were dealing with.
Those motors are known for the cam failing, most happen between 200 and 800 hours, The sudden stop and possibly a bit of kick back may have been all it took to finish it off.
Make sure the battery if fully charged, at least 12.6 volts, if not charge the battery first, if its fully charged and it won't turn with the starter but the starter does engage the flywheel, try jump starting it with a car battery, sometimes the added amperage will overcome the lack of a decompression lever on the cam shaft.
On some rare occasions, its not a broken cam but valves that are too loose but since it ran before the sudden stop, chances are that's not the issue but I'd check valve clearances as a last resort.
If it turns out to be a bad cam, the part is around $90, plus the labor to replace it, it requires opening up the engine block and replacing the cam shaft. There are videos on how to do this on Youtube, if you have to pay someone, its not likely worth the cost of the repair. I'd then consider fitting a different engine to that mower if the rest of the thing is in good condition.
Buying a new one will eventually put you right back in the same boat in a few years. Avoid Briggs and Stratton Intek, Kohler Courage engines like the plague, and Kawasaki engines can be risky too these days. My first choice would be a good used Kohler Command, or a new Predator motor from Harbor Freight but a swap like that is something you need to be a bit mechanically inclined to do. because other changes and modification will need to be made.
As a rule of thumb, with that motor, about 1 in 30 are a matter of adjusting the valves, the rest turn out to be a broken cam lever for the compression release.
We can hope it isn't but the odds are against it.
Something to consider is that it ran fine up until when it stopped suddenly, that won't suddenly change the valve adjustment, time and wear will but not all at once. Something changed at the point when it stopped suddenly
The starter gear gets spun out of the way when the engine starts, when the starter is pushing the gear it moves upward, when the motor is pushing it, it drops down.
If it were mine, I'd go find an early 90's flat head Briggs and Stratton 12hp, you won't notice the difference driving it, I did that to a YGT 2000 for the guy two doors down, its been flawless ever since the swap 9 years ago.
The newer box store models come with motors that are pure garbage, there's no better way of saying it. They are no built for longevity, they are built to make it out of warranty and no more. A good many don't even do that.
Going on the first few pics, that's a YT3000 from 2009/2010, those were the beginning of the end for anything worth owning, it was the early years of Husqvarna being in charge of building those and not Roper. The cost cutting had just begun to really get bad.
If it were a better engine, any of the twin cylinder models, or an older flat head, chances are it would have a lot more life in it but if its been mowing every year since 2010, that's 16 years and likely quite a way beyond the 800 hr lifespan of those engines before they tend to fail.
The average homeowner who buys a riding mower that size puts about 55 hours a year on their mower, that's assuming that your mowing roughly a 1/2 acre lot or so with no other use. If it plows snow, gets used to vacuum up leaves, that number is likely higher so in 16 years, its likely got at least 900 hours on it, maybe more depending on how its been used.
For that motor, that's pretty good service.
If it were a better model motor, its at the half way point.
If it is the cam, and you do fix it, it will likely go to 1,500 hours or more provided it don't break another cam. If that's what were dealing with here.
Those motors are known for the cam failing, most happen between 200 and 800 hours, The sudden stop and possibly a bit of kick back may have been all it took to finish it off.
Make sure the battery if fully charged, at least 12.6 volts, if not charge the battery first, if its fully charged and it won't turn with the starter but the starter does engage the flywheel, try jump starting it with a car battery, sometimes the added amperage will overcome the lack of a decompression lever on the cam shaft.
On some rare occasions, its not a broken cam but valves that are too loose but since it ran before the sudden stop, chances are that's not the issue but I'd check valve clearances as a last resort.
If it turns out to be a bad cam, the part is around $90, plus the labor to replace it, it requires opening up the engine block and replacing the cam shaft. There are videos on how to do this on Youtube, if you have to pay someone, its not likely worth the cost of the repair. I'd then consider fitting a different engine to that mower if the rest of the thing is in good condition.
Buying a new one will eventually put you right back in the same boat in a few years. Avoid Briggs and Stratton Intek, Kohler Courage engines like the plague, and Kawasaki engines can be risky too these days. My first choice would be a good used Kohler Command, or a new Predator motor from Harbor Freight but a swap like that is something you need to be a bit mechanically inclined to do. because other changes and modification will need to be made.
As a rule of thumb, with that motor, about 1 in 30 are a matter of adjusting the valves, the rest turn out to be a broken cam lever for the compression release.
We can hope it isn't but the odds are against it.
Something to consider is that it ran fine up until when it stopped suddenly, that won't suddenly change the valve adjustment, time and wear will but not all at once. Something changed at the point when it stopped suddenly
The starter gear gets spun out of the way when the engine starts, when the starter is pushing the gear it moves upward, when the motor is pushing it, it drops down.
If it were mine, I'd go find an early 90's flat head Briggs and Stratton 12hp, you won't notice the difference driving it, I did that to a YGT 2000 for the guy two doors down, its been flawless ever since the swap 9 years ago.
The newer box store models come with motors that are pure garbage, there's no better way of saying it. They are no built for longevity, they are built to make it out of warranty and no more. A good many don't even do that.
Going on the first few pics, that's a YT3000 from 2009/2010, those were the beginning of the end for anything worth owning, it was the early years of Husqvarna being in charge of building those and not Roper. The cost cutting had just begun to really get bad.
If it were a better engine, any of the twin cylinder models, or an older flat head, chances are it would have a lot more life in it but if its been mowing every year since 2010, that's 16 years and likely quite a way beyond the 800 hr lifespan of those engines before they tend to fail.
The average homeowner who buys a riding mower that size puts about 55 hours a year on their mower, that's assuming that your mowing roughly a 1/2 acre lot or so with no other use. If it plows snow, gets used to vacuum up leaves, that number is likely higher so in 16 years, its likely got at least 900 hours on it, maybe more depending on how its been used.
For that motor, that's pretty good service.
If it were a better model motor, its at the half way point.
If it is the cam, and you do fix it, it will likely go to 1,500 hours or more provided it don't break another cam. If that's what were dealing with here.
