VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Lawn mower engine swap horrors

Bent the crank on my self propelled mower and figured all B&S engines for them would be the same but no,I had a good engine in one that the deck was rusty so when I tipped it over found out the bolts holding it to the deck were so rusty a socket would not go on so I cut it off the deck. I had to drill two bolts out and re tap so I then went on to removing the blade mount and existing pulley then I noticed the crank was splined and the parts from the bent crank engine were made for a key slot,so no big deal as I had another mower with a rusty deck with a B&S engine but the crank was 7/8 where the one with the bent crank was one inch. Found a pulley at TSC and its now working but spent over 5 hours getting a engine on that mower,I really wanted to use that engine that the crank was splined since it still has a throttle and a adjustable carb but maybe I could make it work on the engine that I put on it and did only spend about 20 dollars.

The Briggs and Struggle engine have 4 or 5 different crank ends, I tried the same as you for the same reason.
Tony

Thanks for sharing this all too familiar scenario.

It always amazes me how much trouble we create for ourselves with our “I can fix anything” egos.

And our time estimates to complete the work are so accurate!

Sounds like a pretty typical day for many of us who just can't throw things away and buy a shiny new disposable item lol...

The splined shaft engine came off a MTD mower so it looks like that engine was made just for them but the other two were from Craftsman but with two different sized cranks,one of these days I will just go and buy a new one but did get rid of two that had rusty decks. The engine from the MTD had a throttle so the carb and related parts will eventually go on one that does not have a throttle.

I am also at decision time with my lawn tractors,I have a fleet of late 60s to mid 70s Sears tractors that new parts are not available and down to my last spare parts for the decks. They are built like tanks but the decks are wearing out and will have to retire them and will not be able to get one with the same quality as the old ones.

One option is to turn the worn out lawn tractors into hot rods (like these: Images of mini hot rods), sell them, and use the money to buy a new one for yourself.

;-) Dean

Used the mower that got the engine swap today and works great,now to change the worn out drive tires ( I have replacements) and it should last me a few years. Thinking about swapping the carb from the one engine that is made for a throttle on one of those days I am bored with nothing to do.

Now you know why those engines are known as "Briggs and Scrapirons"!!

I don’t know how you bent the crank but years ago I found out that hitting a survey stake will do a really fine job of that!

I hit a big root.

Back in the 50's, my cousin from the city wanted to mow with our riding mower. It was on our farm. He managed to hit a log chain that was in the grass. Took care of that crank.

One would think that the engine manufactures would juts make one size crank and the the mower manufactures would make the mowers fit around that engine but that is not the case.