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Hi,
I am new to the forum. I just acquired an old garden tractor that is in need of some work.
It is a 1989 Craftsman II garden tractor, with an 18 hp. twin cylinder Briggs and Stratton Engine.
The tractor model # is 917.255919
The engine model # is 422437

The story behind this tractor is my boss's friend's father bought it new in 1989. He used it trouble free for 20 years before he passed away. Then they gave it to my boss. My boss only used it a couple of times before he ran something over cutting through deep grass and bent the spindle on the deck. After that he purchased a new garden tractor and this one sat in his backyard. Now after sitting for a couple years he gave it to me, to hopefully fix up and use.

The first thing I did after I got it was open up the air box, where I found a mouse giving birth to a couple little tiny mice at the same time I took the cover off. I jumped back startled at first, while the mama mouse dragged her babies into the hole on the bottom of the air box. Later I sprayed some brake cleaner around there and let it sit to encourage these mice to find a new home. I found they built a nest right on top off the starter. I took the covers off the motor and hosed it down to clean the nest away.

Once I got a good battery hooked up and tried to start the engine, it wouldn't turn over. I took the starter out and ran jumper cables from my car directly to it to find that it doesn't do anything. I purchased and installed a new starter, which brings me to where I am at now.

When I turn the key I can see the starter move and try to turn the flywheel. However the flywheel won't move. The engine seems to be stuck from sitting for so long. The oil level is good and the color looks normal. I know it never ran low on oil and ran good the last time it was used. I took the spark plugs out and poured a small amount of oil in each spark plug hole.


I tried to use a pry bar to move the flywheel but it felt like that would just damage the teeth on the flywheel.
On the front of the engine there is a pulley which the belt for the deck attaches too (my second picture). It has a 9/16 bolt holding the pulley on, I tried to move this bolt with a ratchet thinking that might rotate the engine but all that is doing is tightening the bolt. Should I keep tightening it with a big breaker bar?
There is another pulley on the back of the engine with a belt attached (my third picture). I unsuccessfully tried to turn this pulley with my hands. It doesn't have a bolt to put any tools on.

How can I rotate the stuck engine to free it?

:welcome: to the forum. Put plenty of oil in each cylinder & let it sit for a few days then try turning it again with the plugs out, who knows? :thumbsup:

I always used kerosene in the cylinders if its the top end, and leave, may take a few hours, days and sometimes weeks, just rock the flywheel back and fore but do not force it, I would also drop the oil it may have water in it.

I use penetrating oil myself. Just keep working at it and don't force it. It can take up to a week.

Welcome to the forum !
First of all,take the drive belt off the rear engine pulley. It may be stuck to the pulleys,some where.Just hold the clutch pedal down and pry it off the engine pulley.
The front pulley is the electric clutch,for the deck . Don't worry about it,for now.
Once you have the rear belt off the engine pulley, try to turn the engine,again.
If it still won't roll over,it may have one,or more valves frozen,from sitting.
Remove the sparkplugs,and spray some PB Blaster in both cylinders. Put he plugs in,finger tight,and wait for a couple of hours.
Then,Carefully try to rock the flywheel back and forth. You may have to repeat this a few times.
If it still won't roll over,or break free,you will have to remove the cylinder heads,to see if there's anything jammed in there.

thanks for the replies.
I thought it looked like the starter teeth were stuck in the flywheel teeth, possibly preventing it from moving. I removed the starter and turned the bolt on the front pulley. Now I am able to turn the flywheel but it won't go in a complete circle. It goes about 3/4 of a circle and stops. I worked it back and forth for a few minutes and it didn't free at all.
I guess I will keep adding oil to the spark plug holes and working it back and forth a few minutes daily for a week or two.

Yes,you get that when an engine sits for a while. Sometimes, it's from rust on the cylinder walls ,and other times it could be stuck valves,dirt,etc.
Just keep working at it ,as you have been,and it should work free.

jhngardner367 said:

Yes,you get that when an engine sits for a while. Sometimes, it's from rust on the cylinder walls ,and other times it could be stuck valves,dirt,etc.
Just keep working at it ,as you have been,and it should work free.

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Look at the valves you may find one open and stopping the piston.

take that electric pto clutch off the front then try to start it,i had a john deere in the shop that acted the same way and as soon as I took off that clutch it started,

The motor is free and turns over now. It unfroze with warmer temperatures. Apparently there is/was water somewhere which froze causing the problem. I changed the oil and cranked the motor with the spark plugs removed, to force all the oil I poured in the spark plug holes out. That brings me to my next problem.

It turns over but doesn't start. I drained the old gas out of the tank, replaced it with fresh gas and replaced the fuel filter. There isn't any fuel making it to the carburetor. I do not know anything about how these fuel systems work but I would guess the fuel pump isn't working.

How do I diagnose fuel problems?

art with the fuel lines check condition then pull the fuel pump off carb 3 or 4 screws may just need a carb overhaul:confused2:

I got it started after installing a new fuel pump. It won't run at idle so it might need some carb work or maybe just new spark plugs. I want to replace the transaxle fluid next. The manual says how to do it but not what kind of fluid it takes. Does anyone know what kind of transaxle fluid it would take?

I found it in the manual. The transaxle takes SAE 30 oil.

I changed the transaxle fluid. Replaced spark plugs and air filter. It is running good:smile:
Then I went to work on the deck. Replaced the spindle and one of the gauge wheels which was broken. Sharpened and balanced the blades, the best I could for someone who doesn't know what they are doing.
Today the grass was ready to be cut so I put the tractor to work. It seems to be cutting well, with the deck in the highest position. I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if its because my lawn isn't very level but if I lower the deck at all it seems to gage into the ground often. The belt connected the deck to the engine came off once.
The only thing I am concerned about shifting. It has a gear driven transmission with 6 speeds (3 in high,4 in low). When I shift I push the clutch all the way and make sure I am completely stopped. The gears still grind about 50% of the time. It is very difficult to shift without grinding gears.
Is there a clutch adjustment that could fix this problem? Or what else could it be?

I think the gear grinding was just operator error. I was shifting gears while at full throttle. I started lowering the throttle before shifting and it seems much better.

jl102284 said:

I changed the transaxle fluid. Replaced spark plugs and air filter. It is running good:smile:
Then I went to work on the deck. Replaced the spindle and one of the gauge wheels which was broken. Sharpened and balanced the blades, the best I could for someone who doesn't know what they are doing.
Today the grass was ready to be cut so I put the tractor to work. It seems to be cutting well, with the deck in the highest position. I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if its because my lawn isn't very level but if I lower the deck at all it seems to gage into the ground often. The belt connected the deck to the engine came off once.
The only thing I am concerned about shifting. It has a gear driven transmission with 6 speeds (3 in high,4 in low). When I shift I push the clutch all the way and make sure I am completely stopped. The gears still grind about 50% of the time. It is very difficult to shift without grinding gears.
Is there a clutch adjustment that could fix this problem? Or what else could it be?

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On the blades digging into the ground, check them both to make sure one end isn't bent down. I've got mine to dig into the ground hard enough that one end bent down and would grab the earth every time I tried to lower the deck. Taking it off and straightening it in a vice worked for a while but eventually a replacement was needed.

Chris from Ontario said:

On the blades digging into the ground, check them both to make sure one end isn't bent down. I've got mine to dig into the ground hard enough that one end bent down and would grab the earth every time I tried to lower the deck. Taking it off and straightening it in a vice worked for a while but eventually a replacement was needed.

Click to expand...

The blades are all straight I took them off, sharpened them, and balanced them. I have been cutting with the blade up at its highest position. It has been cutting well and the height it cuts at is just fine. I don't see a need to lower the deck.

It was a bummer I tried to start the tractor yesterday and the NEW starter I just installed broke. The teeth on the starter snapped. I checked to make sure the engine wasn't seized. It is rotating nice and easily by hand. I guess that's what I get for buying china parts off ebay.