On Mon, 11 May 2009 21:29:45 -0500, Steve Barker
wrote:

Ulysses wrote:
"Jeffy3" wrote in message
...
We have a rear bagger mulching push mower. I accidentally ran over a
very thick tree route and it literally knocked the blade right off. I
was able to put the blade back on and when I manually turn it it
freely spins around but when I try to start the mower it won't start,
it makes a loud clunking sound and the pull rope sometimes only comes
out about half way and abruptly stops. Anyone have any conjecture as
to the nature of the repair and whether it would be less costly to
just get a new mower for a couple hundred bucks?

It seems very likely that you broke the "shear pin" that holds the flywheel
to the crankshaft and keeps it in place. You need a puller to remove the
flywheel. Don't pound on it with a hammer or you might break it or damage
the magnet. Once you get the flywheel off you may find, as someone else
pointed out, that it has other damage too. New shear pins are usually
available at hardware stores in the lawn mower parts section.



shear pin, (which they don't have) won't keep it from turning.
But the flywheel key being sheared CAN make cranking it with the
ignition on a challenge. (spark occurs with the piston just over half
way up - yank the cord right out of your hand