I was just abought to trash the engine, for some reason I tipped the mower on it's side (oil side) and when I placed it on it's normal state I noticed I had compression when I pulled it, at this point the engine started ran for a few seconds, Next I removed the carb bowl cleaned out the junk and cleaned the jet. The mower started and ran for a few seconds, next time I pulled it no compression. I checked the oil level it was half on the dip stick I topped the oil up. Still no compression. So what gives here???????? I hate to throw out a working engine. Is there and oil pump on this engine that may be connected to the cam shaft that may be working as a low oil shut off??????? I believe the engine is a Suzuki

bad safety switch, it thinks no one is in the seat. jsut jumping a wire does nothing, some OPEN to run some short to run. as long as you mash in the clutch, the seat switch is ignored.

Update: Good news...I think! Here's what's happened today: First, I checked the routing of the belt and verified that it was correct. Check. No blue marks on the belt. So I proceeded to take the deck off. Done. Started the mower...no smoking from the engine. Check. I then proceeded to put the deck back on. During this process it dawned on me that there was one thing that I had unnecessarily removed the first time that wasn't in the same spot as it appeared to be in the manual (the first time I removed the deck I pretty much removed every pin I found). I'm not sure what it is, but it was a rod (bent on each end) that was connected to the deck that seems to move (slide) a couple of parts on top of the deck. All I know is that when I looked at the mower assembly guide in the manual, it should have been connected from the deck to the back of the deck where another rod is also anchored (for the clutch?). Anyway, I put it on and reattached everything else. So I started the mower...everything ok so far. Let it warm up and bit and started to drive around. Ok. Then I engaged the mower. Seemed ok. So I started mowing the backyard. Other than running out of gas it was fine and I mowed the whole back yard! Well, I wish I could remember where I had connected that rod (by pin) the the first time so maybe it would make sense to you all what I had done wrong, but the main thing is I think I'm ok - for the moment! It started raining again so I'll have to finish the yard at another time. Thank you so much to you that offered advice. I was pretty much ready to give up before I posted this, and your input motivated me to keep trying. Jeremy

Well, I misspoke. There are only 5 different governor springs for that model. When you bent the tab, you decreased the tension on the spring. In normal operation, as the engine reaches governed speed, the spring tension increases to a point that the engine can't over ride it because of the springs "tension", and it kind of "hits a wall" as to further "stretch". Think of bouncing a ball against a wall. It hit's the wall and bounces back. Hold it against the wall, and it's "stable". "If my engine type is 0121, shouldn't I get that spring?" THAT SPRING is part (or all???)of what MADE your engine a type 0121! You already have it! If you look at the IPL, you'll see different type#'s have different springs because they are governed to different RPM's!