Is it electric start or pull rope ?

IF pull rope there are some ball bearings in the part just under the
pull rope and they engage the pull rope clutch to start the engine.
When the shaft starts spinning centrifical force pulls them outward
which disengages the clutch. You might be hearing these bearings as
they are being driven outward. IF electric start it's something else.

J


Dave wrote:
Have a riding mower with a Briggs & Stratton OHV 14.5hp vertical shaft
motor which makes some rather disturbing "klunking" sounds during
startup and spindown. I'm wondering what the heck this might be. It
sounds fairly normal when running. Any ideas?