OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Briggs & Stratton Engines Briggs Vertical Pull

Afternoon all

I was at the tip shop this morning, and was looking at one of only 2 mowers they had there. It was an old SB rotary mower with a vertical pull briggs. When I pulled the starter handle, it made a noise in the mechanism I would describe as a machine gun firing as I pulled the cord. I am just wondering (for future reference) what causes the issue, as I have seen 2 do the same thing in the past few months. I know I read something about it before, but I can't find anything now.

Needless to say I didn't buy it - missing the air filter housing, throttle lever, handle bolts, bugger all oil in the engine, etc.

The other one was an old 80s Morrison 3 in 1 with some interesting modifications. Newer rear wheels with milk bottle caps as hub caps, a hand machined height adjuster with a bolt as the lever, newer pulse prime carby and tank (80s vertical pull with magnetron), and a Victa pull start handle.

But the most shocking modification was the blades. It appeared to have originally had a bar with the 2 swing backs (rectangle blade boss with oblong holes). Someone decided they didn't like that - they added about 6mm of steel washers (to clear the oblong protrusions), and mounted a solid bar blade, adding a big cup washer and another hand full of washers at the bottom to retain it.

And then they hit a rock or tree root.

I primed it and it fired (I knew what was going to happen so only loosely held the pull handle) and it kicked back quite nicely Shame because the deck was in pretty good shape.

Hi Tyler, I have ony been to our local tip shop and that was some years ago, one look at the prices they had on the mowers (absolute junk). As for the ones you are talking about I usually won't pick those up even if they are free, maybe if the wheels are ok but usually they aren't. Not sure what the noise would be but it obviously has something to do with the teeth the pull start is turning

Hi Tyler, sounds typical of a dumped four, which is why I only get elated with finding a Victa two stroke as I know there is a far better chance of getting that going or at least some valuable bits.

Most likely just a shear flywheel key causing the kickback.

Normally the tip prices are pretty good - $20 with catcher $15 without. Don't mind paying that if its a good mower, but not a parts one.

AVB, probably was just a sheared key, but once I see so many fixes (maybe botches), I shy away. And the bar blade botch was off putting. Just didn't want to take the risk of a bent crank or anything else.

I grabbed a 1993 Morrison classic 35 briggs Alloy deck there 2 months ago, added a bit of oil, replaced the primer and air filter, and it started first go. I just wait for ones like that.