JS46 Bent Crankshaft

[mgilbert]

I don't know how to tell you this nicely, but why in the world are you spending a dime on that engine if it has a bent crank? It is totalled, using car-lingo.

Throw a Harbor Freight Predator engine on that mower deck and get back to mowing! You're going to end up spending enough to buy one of those HF engines just to tell you why your bent-crank motor won't run.

Well, it ran for three years that way. It's a $500 mower. Maybe it'll run for three more, if the problem turns out not to be the crank. The guy looking at it is only charging me $15 for the check. I can handle that.

A Harbor Freight engine does sound like a good option, though. Thanks.

 

[mgilbert]

That "backfiring" sounds like it's slightly off timing, which would also
make it hard to start. Even a slightly crimped key would throw off
the timing making it backfire. Backfiring through the intake valve on
trying to start it would be either an intake valve sticking or binding, or
timing off. Since you checked the valve lash, I would check for fuel
flow and clean the carb again and adjust it. Danged problem child! :thumbdown:

Yeah, it's a problem child, but it has more to do with the fact that I don't have much experience with these engines. If it were a computer or light airplane, it would already be fixed.