Removing lawnmower blade adaptor

[brianl703]

My friend and I are trying to fix a Lowe's 22" lawnmower that has low compression (60PSI, it's a 4HP Briggs and Stratton). We need to get the engine off the mower. The blade is out but the lawnmower blade adapter/spacer won't budge. Will a pulley puller work to remove it?

 

[heavyhitter]

Why bother? He can probbaly get a nicer mower @ a pawn shop for $60.

 

[greenaccord02]

Yeah, that should work. And why would he want to spend $60 when $20 is all it would probably take to fix the problem?

 

[labman]

Is that one where you have 2 pulleys with a tube between them? Years ago, my father inlaw and I spent most of a day fighting one of those. I would advise heat, penetrating oil, hammering on it, and care with the puller. The pulley may bend before coming off. I forget how we finally got it off.

My wife did remove the kids from the area.

 

[greenaccord02]

You're just talking about the metal cap that goes on the end of the crank that the blade attaches to, correct? If so, remember to get the proper replacement key for when you put it back on. Flywheel keys will not work. They're a PITA sometimes, but I recommend penetrating oil, a mallet, a puller, and a heat source. Shouldn't be very hard, but it takes patience.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
You're just talking about the metal cap that goes on the end of the crank that the blade attaches to, correct?


That's the one. Seems like it's rusted on.

 

[pickled]

Use the old PB Blaster Heat and Beat Routine...if all else fails use an air chisel.

 

[brianl703]

I got a 2-ton pulley puller (loaner from Autozone) to get the blade adapter off. It worked fine.

After getting the blade adapter off, my friend pulled the head off, cleaned the valves, popped the cylinder out, it looked OK, so did the cylinder bore, so did the rings, reinstalled it (btw a hose clamp works as a ring compressor), put it all back together and it would at least run off of carb cleaner and got 80PSI compression. (Incidentally, I mis-stated the compression in the first post, it was well under 60PSI, I think it was around 20PSI).

Then I got an air filter and a new primer bulb, the primer bulb still wasn't working so he tried cleaning the seat, that just made it start leaking fuel everywhere but at least it ran...(so we go from no fuel in the bowl to fuel leaking out of the bowl..)

I got a new needle and seat today and now it runs fine and doesn't smoke. I still need a new cable for the safety lever, but so far I've spent about $25 in parts. Not bad considering that a new one is around $150...

By the way I put 15W40 HDEO in it.