Oppo, I need some small engine/mower help

"Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man" (jordaneer1)
07/31/2014 at 20:56 • Filed to: None

Oppo, I know that you'll help me, I'm a teenager, and I mow lawns and do yard work to make money. Well this year my mower has had the carburator cleaned, the oil changed twice (it would have only been once, but I used the wrong kind of oil the first time; SAE 10W-30 instead of just 30), and the starter cord replaced, which is more than has been done in the past 5 years put together. Anyway, recently the mower blade has been locking up, and to get the mower restarted, you must flip the mower over and pry it loose. I don't want to keep doing this, plus I'm guessing that it's not good on the engine either to have to overcome this friction. I tried using WD-40, but that didn't really help for that long, I'm hoping it'd just a simple fix.

There was oil in it, but it was below the add more line. I added some, do you think thst was what the issue was, I didn't run the mower becuase I was already done mowing when I checked the oil.

I'll post some pictures at the bottom.

DISCUSSION (24)

Birddog > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:08

Is the engine locking or is the blade locking against the deck?

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Birddog
07/31/2014 at 21:12

I believe it's the blade against the deck, but from what I can tell, the blade is connected directly to the crankshaft. I don't think there is a flywheel or centrifugal clutch.

EL_ULY > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:14

i shared your post on Oppo's small engine blog Pull Start My Heart.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > EL_ULY
07/31/2014 at 21:15

I had no idea there was a small engine blog. Is there a way to get authorship?

Birddog > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:17

I would start with a new blade. Yours may be bent.

Aaron James > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:20

There is no buffer whatsoever between the crank and the blade, they are solidly attached. If the blade it hitting the deck than you need to either clean the junk off that area or pound that area of the deck out. If the blade is bent or off balance then you need to replace the blade. make sure the engine and everything is nice and tight to the deck, could the engine have shifted from loose mounts to create the interference with the deck.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Birddog
07/31/2014 at 21:21

The blade has never been sharpened to my knowledge, and at the local lawn equipment store, blades are only like 17 bucks, so if that cures the problem, that would be fine with me. So maybe tomorrow when they open, I'll try to run over and get a new blade. Plus a new blade will probably make it cut better as well.

Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:23

The vast majority of these setups just use the crank as a quill (a bearing spindle to support the blade). You've got something very weird going on, though - I think it's your wheel drive. This likely means that some part of your wheel drive is wearing out or needs greasing - not the engine per se. If the blade's not jamming against the edge of the deck (which it doesn't appear to be), that is your problem.

It's not something that's really going to damage the engine unless it freezes solid with the engine running at mid to high speed. If that happens, the engine won't be "damaged", but it's likely on those to shear the flywheel key and make it incapable of starting again until replaced.

Bottom line, get into your wheel drive there, and get it greased properly or otherwise fixed. If your chain/whatever is just not any good anymore, you could probably take it off. If it's the bottom idler bearing/quill bearing, you may need to replace it.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Aaron James
07/31/2014 at 21:24

I have a feeling it's the blade, I think it needs a new blade anyway because the current one is so dull, I think it would be very hard to get it sharp again.

Aaron James > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:32

With as cheap as blades are you are better off just replacing it anyway. It will cut much better and hopefully solve the problem. I think they are 8-12 bucks at sears but It's been 15 years since I've bought one. real easy to change. If you have a C clamp or vice grips, clip it on to the inside of the deck so it will keep the blade from turning when you loosen the nut. There is a star like pattern that the blade will fit on.

Agrajag > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:37

1)Have you hit anything recently?

2)When it does run does it vibrate a lot or shake? If so, check the blade drive shaft. Do so by pulling the spark plug boot(so it won't start), then tip on its side(muffler side). Have someone pull the cord slowly while you watch the bolt holding the blade. If it wobbles or is out of round the shaft is bent and it would probably run $150 to have someone repair it.

Along the lines of what Ramblin said. Pull the covers for the drive. Grass can get packed in there and cause it to stop.

BrianNutter > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:40

any witness marks in the deck? Any crankshaft slop horizontal/vertical or does it seem to be riding in the bearings properly?

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull
07/31/2014 at 21:40

what would you grease it with? I would rather do it myself because our local yard shop has exorbitant prices for labor on repair for lawn mowers.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Agrajag
07/31/2014 at 21:42

it vibrates a little bit, I have hit rocks a number of times though, it's like a 15 year old mower.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > BrianNutter
07/31/2014 at 21:44

I don't know, it doesn't hit the edge of the housing so I don't think the crankshaft is bent.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > BrianNutter
07/31/2014 at 21:45

I don't see any marks that indicate that it's hitting the edge of the housing

EL_ULY > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 21:48

ask Vince the roadside mechanic :]

Agrajag > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 22:20

I'd check it then, but hopefully it's the other thing.

Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 22:28

I'd say a can of white lithium grease from any Advance/ AutoZone/ O'Reilly/ NAPA/whatever should do it - *if* you can get access to the bearing. If the bearing is destroyed or on its way out (very possible), you may need to try to source one. NAPAs can source such things sometimes.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Ramblin Rover - The Vivisector of Solihull
07/31/2014 at 22:34

there's a NAPA, AutoZone, and O'Reilly in my town, NAPA is only like half a mile away and AutoZone are O'Reilly are both right next to each other, so maybe I'll try NAPA tomorrow.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
07/31/2014 at 22:52

Ok I want you to put it on it's side and spin the blade with the safety zip tied down around 20 times. Is it hitting?

orcim > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
08/01/2014 at 04:58

When you unjam it, what does "pry it loose" mean? Spin counter to normal direction, unjam a end against the deck, ...?

Is it possible that the engine mounts are tight, but they shift, causing the blade to jam agains the deck but if you "unjam" it the motor shifts back?

We shift out the blades on our mower every couple weeks (then sharpen and store until the next time.) Can you do the simple thing of taking off the blade, dismounting the engine and looking at that bearing at the bottom of the motor to see if there's play in it? Sometimes they wear, and low speed/power will let them jam, but high speed/power (like when the engine is on) will overcome that resistance.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > orcim
08/01/2014 at 13:33

When I say "pry it loose" it I mean to turn it the opposite direction of the normal way it spins, it doesn't hit the deck so I don't think the shaft is bent. I think it's that the blade is crapped up (it's never been sharpened to my knowledge, and I know it hasn't been sharpened since at least 2005, and the mower is like 15 years old.

orcim > Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man
08/02/2014 at 01:24

Sharpening doesn't determine turning in my experience. I can have a dull-as-firetruck blade, and it turns normally.

The problem is in the engine and not the externals from what you've said. That's not good, but it's also not impossible. That bearing/seal at the bottom of the shaft is suspe4ct to me. Small Gas Engines 101?