14.5 hp briggs with plastic starter ring

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member
A friend wanted me to look at his FIL's 42 inch MTD rider that was left out in rain and shifter is frozen so mower can't be moved without me using backhoe to put it on my trailer. Man had replaced starter and said when running it was like it was starving for gas. Well the tank was full of rubber particles form gas tank. New starter is shorted and the starter solenoid is junk too. Removed starter and noticed the flywheel has a plastic starter ring and there was a major flat spot where starter teeth are missing. Motor isn't locked up, can turn by hand. My guess is the valves needed adjusting, motor locked up on compression and the rest is history.

I told him mower is junk. Too many things wrong, starter, solenoid and flywheel, not to mention ignition switch is total rust from rain.

Why do people leave mowers out in the rain?? What would you do? He told me to keep it for parts. I plan to return the one year old good battery, measures 295 CCA after a charge and desulfate. SIL needs battery for his rider.
 
Yep apparently B&S had a new idea a plastic starter ring gear, have seen that before with the teeth missing, sometimes it is caused by installing the wrong starter the starter drive gear isn't the right pitch eats the ring gear teeth nothing wrong with valve setting. And I agree an MTD with all those problems is probably better off parted out. Beats me why people leave their machines out in the elements.
 
The worst case is machines left out that are tarped with plastic. The plastic holds any ground moisture inside and greatly speeds up corrosion.

Wish the ring gear was the only problem. B&S has a kit to install an aluminum ring gear on that flywheel. The kit also has a different gear for the starter.
 
It upsets me too that people don't respect tractors, mowers and machinery, leave out in
rain no protection. Another pet of mine is water and crap inside gas tank. No excuse for
that. Might look for an old flywheel with metal teeth and see how good the engine is.
The frame and deck are good. Tranny and pulley that changes size with speed is rusted.
Parts only at this point.
 

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