I have a lawnmower dude come who didn't really shed any light on the issue, he suggested a possible bent pushrod which he has seen before.
Anyway needing a mower I bit the bullet and installed a 16 HP Jono & Johno engine (Locin) and she is trucking along.
However after the first proper mow of the yard I stopped and the starter motor was whirring away until I disconnected the batter, the solenoid was stuffed as I think the key had gotten stuck in the start position. New key and a new solenoid and away we go.
This also got me thinking that the original starter motor could be dead rather than the motor, anyway I now have a quieter, more efficient and more powerful engine. And something to play with when I have the time.
