What Saxman said with the addition of general tune up stuff like a clean air filter and new plug. I always start with the basic easy stuff and am many times dissapointed when it works. I end up tearing the machine apart anyway just for the fun.

skane; please give us a break on the Husky commercials. This problem has nothing to do with Lawn-Boy or Toro - it's something about that batch of B&S engines, which have been known as solid performers since the first power mowers. I think anyone with one of the 'Insight' mowers (which Toro is phasing out of Lawn-Boy and painting red) has a solid mower. These new LB models Toro has put in Home Depot are about as cheap as a decent mower can be, even though they incorporate features of the LB 'Insight' and the Toro 'Recycler'. With the usually reliable B&S engine, they should sell very well for Toro. I cannot imagine what is happening with the B&S engines. lb2009; if you haven't already taken it back, review the owner's manual for starting procedures and see if you're not doing something. These new B&S engines are supposed to have an automatic choke, so there's no manual choke or primer. My guess is there's an adjustment problem with that cold-enrichment system.

It is pretty difficult to give you really good advice from here with that info. The 8232 would be a D600. One that old very likely could have the bottom crankshaft bushing worn out causing the bottom crankcase seal to leak. This would cause hard starting. Check crankshaft where it comes out of the bottom of the engine, is it wet, oily? A little is OK, a lot is bad. Have you taken the carburator float bowl off and cleaned it out? How about the primer, is the rubber bulb cracked, is it delivering a shot of gas when pumped? The 8237 is an "F" series and would have needle bearings at the bottom of the crankcase. The bottom seal could have come out though. Check for primer function on this also. Both of these carbs will have adjustment screws yet. The 8232 is on the right side sticking out with a coil spring behind it, try turning it counter clockwise an 1/8th of a turn. The 8237 will have a screw recessed in a "well" on the left side of the carb. Both of these directions are facing the air cleaner. Walt Conner

"I'd still be tempted to trust the LB tech to know what he's doing. A gamble?" Well since no engine mfg. that I am aware of has ever recommended straightening a crankshaft for their engine, even long before OSA or "Liability suits", the LB Tech is already out of bounds. I have been "tinkering" with small engines for about 60 years, am a former certified Dixon Service Tech. and I can tell you for sure that really doesn't say much. "Would this seal being bad, cause the engine to barely run due to lack of crankcase seal" It will likely affect the engine starting and decrease the power some. "Barely run" is probably because of more issues such as the crankshaft binding. "I thought that this was due to the timing being off, but the flywheel key was in-place." Since LB uses a steel crankshaft key in an aluminum flywheel, the chances of shearing a key are very slim. The chances of cracking or splitting the aluminum flywheel thru the keyway are pretty good. The sheared keys you hear about all time are usually B&S which use an aluminum key. Walt Conner