I am hesitant to post it here because of length but will this one time, send direct after this. This is from previous post. While difficulty in cranking is a fairly common complaint with these engines the problem is very seldom due to valves needing adjusted unless someone has just done a valve job and did it poorly. This is an "L" head or "flat head" engine, the valve adjusting problem is common to Over Head Valve engines. The starter is taxed to its' limit when all else is ideal. Adjusting the valves of this engine is a major undertaking, not one I would try to give you a step by step on but requiring a Service Manual. First I would be sure you have a good battery, that all battery connections are good, clean at the battery AND where the cables attach to the solenoid and to ground. I would check the starter output shaft where it exits the end plate/mounting bracket. Is there excessive side to side play? The top bushing tends to wear egg shaped and allow the armature to drag on the field magnets. Some times a field magnet will come unglued from the starter housing and drag on the armature. Putting 3 - 4 drops of oil on the shaft where it exits may help as the bushing may be dry. Also the brushed could be worn, bad, but not likely. A fairly common cause of hard cranking for these engines is carbon build up in the combustion chambers. This increases the compression ratio and thus the cranking effort required. The head can be removed and the carbon manually removed but if the engine will start, I would use a few tanks of fuel with SeaFoam mixed in it according to instructions on the can. This should remove carbon build up and save the expense of new head gaskets and the time involved. I have had people tell me that too small a battery cables caused excess resistance and the starter does not get enough amperage. It is possible the starter solenoid is at fault but not likely. Using an old screw driver to jump between the two large posts of the starter solenoid will help tell if this is the problem. Do not do this timidly or you will get a lot of sparks, stab it like you mean it. It is also possible the starter its' self is weak perhaps from repeated attempts to make it turn a resistant engine. The starter should never be engaged for more than a few seconds at a time with rest (cool down) between. Excessive heat causes the windings to loose resistance and thus power. Good luck, Walt Conner

Well. I am still not yet convinced I should allow the big companies to sell a 15 HP mower to me at the 23 HP mower price. Since I had to replace a blown motor on my mower, I have a special interest in this topic. My mower cuts so nicely now with a 25HP (or less; I will never know) motor, originally there was a 17HP (or less, again, who knows for sure) motor in there. I think I spent over $1000.00, just for the engine. Now, if that motor turns out to be 20HP, I got shafted, but you are right I may never know for sure; as long as I am happy, according to Rusty, why should I care if it is 15HP or 35HP? "By the way, many, many engines are put out with various stickers on them. Nothing wrong with that as long as it does not exceed what SAE rating is. In other words, 46 series engines were originally 20 hp but were also sold as 16.5, 17.5, 18, 18.5, 19 hp" If this is true, ^that up there, then what is the harm if you buy a 16.5 HP engine and you get a 20 HP engine? I don't think the lawyers would chase after this scenario, and I don't think this is what this case is about. I don't like lawyers much either, but if it weren't for the lawyers our kids would be playing with toys painted with lead based paint, or maybe with other dangerous chemicals. Hmm? And this is the the present day! What would you do, if say, you take your wife out to dinner on a special occasion, you both order the prime rib and when it arrives, it looks thin. Not paying much attention you eagerly cut and bite into a nice chunk and after about 5 minutes of chewing you finally admit to yourself that the prime rib is not in fact prime rib but it is likely a cut of flank steak. What do you do? Prime rib was advertised. Prime rib was ordered. Flank steak was received. It is meat, it all comes from the cow, it is all the same. It will fill you up as well as the prime rib would fill you up. So do you complain, or, just shut up and finish dinner, pay the prime rib price, and go about your merry way? No, this isn't a typical scenario where a lawyer is needed, but what if this restaurant did this switch-a-roo every friday and saturday night as an advertised special? Well, then a lawyer might need to get involved depending on the details of the restaurant. I think the point is clear. The point is, we expect to get what we pay for.

Bought used riding mower w/ engine trouble. 21 hp intek plus b&s (could not determine model etc on engine, shroud, inside of hood). Craftsman 2000 42". Will crank in choke but only for 10-15 secs. Will not run out of choke. Tried everything me and 3 neighbors could think of. Today I did comp test w/ only 30psi....should be around 120 on 3 yr old engine. What should I do to fix the compression problem?

Suggested troublshooting not yet fully completed, but here's some updates. With the new knowledge that I CAN swap the left/right plug wires, I did. Exact same problems I had before, but as you probably know, exactly reversed. Which means: The cyl/engine is still basically 'good' (humor me there, I like the mower!) - it WILL run on both cyls, just not at the same time. Doh! I swapped the wires back, and the original non-firing cyl was back where it was previously. Glad to know I'm not crazy. I pulled the plug from the good side, grounded it against the block and hit the starter after turning out all the lights but one in the corner. Good looking spark! I replaced the plug/wire, and pulled the other side to try the same thing. This time, I used a pair of insulated pliers to hold the plug against the block. I had a flashback of working my my stepdad's garage when I was 11. The wife and the new baby were VERY happy to hear less cursing this time, but I still cursed a little - because it appeared to have similar spark to the other side. Did both sides again, making the wife watch and she agreed, appeared to be similar spark. I checked all the wiring, no obvious chew marks/rips/tears/breaks. Amazing how well it's held up over the years, why cant my cars do that? Oh yeah, they get used more than once or twice per week. I do have this odd little tool that everyone I mention to thinks I'm crazy - something my father-in-law gave me to check for bad wires on a car. Looks liek the top half of a clicky ballpoint pen - you rub it up and down the wire while the vehicle is running - if it lights, you have a crack/etc. It didnt light at all on either wire - even though I now new both are getting spark. And appearantly gas. so - what the heck?? I came home during lunch today and threw the battery charger on at 2amps for about 6 hours, if anything it has a slightly over-charged battery (charger came off an hour before my testing) So - spark appears good. Must be getting gas or wouldnt run at all on that side regardless of wire. Plugs are good for same reason (but I did switch them and clean them again.) So, the coil has two leads coming out of it - do they both get the magic spark of life from the same place, or does it have two sets of internals, and one side is going bad? I can find 100 sets of instructions on how to test coils but appearantly the wife's rabbit DID eat the leads to my multimeter - so other than the wire to the tongue test, I guess I'm done for the night (note - rabbit was never in the same room as the mower - ever.. I know they love to eat wiring and the 3rd time it ate a computer cord belonging to said Wife, she agreed that bunny is perma-banned from the garage and basement under penalty of stew.)