Try the lawn mower forum for a better response, even then, in the spring time, people are busy cuttin' and trimmin'. Were it me, and with $60 to $120 per hour, I'd tear into it slowly and carefully. The problem may be a source of parts, as necessary. Also, do buy a manual.

I am really tired today running between all the big box stores. At the end, I didn't option the lawn boy because I really can't justify the extra cost vs sears promo today. Plus, a technician at Rona's service center gave me a friendly warning about the Tecumseh engine, the supply of the parts might be good for next 2-3 years but can't promise anything at long run. I still have a thought that a good mower should last me 10 years ironed in my head... However, I really like the design of the lawn boy 10684, everything seems very well design and build quality is better than others. If it's around $350CND range and none self-propelled model, I would pull the trigger, no question ask. I went back to Sears and ordered the Craftsman 36933 model (3-in-1 with bag, side discharge, mulching), which has B&S 850 platinum engine (8.5 ft/lb torque), no choke and no primer needed. The price is just what I am aiming for, 289.99+taxes. The engine seems pretty well build but the rest of the parts are very standard, a regular every week lawn mower...

I'm glad that you are happy with your purchase. I have a ten year old Honda. My experience: The engine is indestructable. After 10 years, the carb has gotten gummed up and my choke sticks. Not unreasonable. Simple solution was to quit using the choke. It still starts first pull most of the time even without choking it. I will get around to cleaning the carb one of these days. No complaints about the deck. My deck is steel and shows no rust and very little wear. I have the double blade mulch setup and it does a good job mowing. I mulch most of the time and it only leaves cut grass on top of the lawn if I let it get too long before cutting. But...... I have a slight incline in my yard. Slight. I've had to replace the wheels once because they wore smooth and slid on the incline. I'm getting ready to replace them again because the second set it almost smooth. BTW, my lawn is about 1/3 acre, a corner lot in a subdivision. Cables. I have to replace the cable to the self propelled clutch about every other year. There doesn't seem to be anything that is stressing it, it just breaks after a while. I've replaced the safety/blade clutch cable a couple of times as well. The self propelled cable also needs adjusted yearly. The clamp holding it doesn't seem to be as secure as it should be and it slips, causing the self propelled mechanism to be hit or miss. The bagger frame. It fell apart. Three welds just gave up and it fell to pieces. New ones are quite costly and the replacement seems to be constructed exactly the same as the old one. The fabric bag actually lasted longer than the frame! The handle. The paint came off of it after a couple of years where I hold it while mowing. This isn't my first go around with a mower and I've never had this happen with far cheaper models. I had to cover it with electrical tape to keep it from rusting. Also, the plastic bracket on the right holding the two drive levers crumbled after a couple of years. These are all niggling problems to me because I do the repairs myself. I've always managed to figure a way to mow even when it is broken. On the other hand, if I had to take it in for repair every time, I would probably be pretty unahppy. I'm sure I've spent enough to buy a new one and my wife mentions that every time it breaks. I just hate to get rid of it when the engine and deck are working so well. I'll probably consider Toro and Snapper whenever I break down and decide to replace it.

I have no experience with that specific engine, but typically, the spark cable is not a separately available item. You should access the spark cable and trace it carefully to its source, inspecting closely for sings that the cable has been shorting to ground because of a chafed spot on the cable insulation. If you find such a spot, you might be able to adjust the lay of the cable away from whatever has chafed it. Mice seem to get their jollies eating electrical insulation off of various wiring so you might encounter that. Damage to high tension cables can sometimes be repaired by slavering the damaged spot with "brush on" vinyl liquid insulating sealant (available in home center electrical dept) or RTV (silicone sealant/caulk). Whether you use the vinyl compound or the RTV, you should coat the entire circumference of the cable for about 3/4 inch on both sides of the damage site. Let the repaired spot cure for at least a full days time before trying in service. I will presume the "stop engine diode" to be similar to what Briggs uses. It is actually a pair of diodes. The image below illustrates what the Briggs manual states about the Vanguard Twin diodes.