My Honda self-propelled mower has started to keep the blade clutch
engaged after the lawn has been cut and the mower is stored for a
time. This means for the next use it is impossible to pull the
starter rope against the cold engine; well, its a very hard pull.
But, after running for 5 minutes the clutch disengages properly when
the engine is shut down and re-starting is a breeze.

To start the cold engine I hold the blade actuator as if to engage it
- quite the opposite from its normal purpose this frees the motor to
be started.

Any suggestions?

Thanks very much.

"muymalestado" wrote in message
...
My Honda self-propelled mower has started to keep the blade clutch
engaged after the lawn has been cut and the mower is stored for a
time. This means for the next use it is impossible to pull the
starter rope against the cold engine; well, its a very hard pull.
But, after running for 5 minutes the clutch disengages properly when
the engine is shut down and re-starting is a breeze.

To start the cold engine I hold the blade actuator as if to engage it
- quite the opposite from its normal purpose this frees the motor to
be started.

Any suggestions?

Thanks very much.

Don't know about your Honda, but a friend gave me an electric mower that
wouldn't run because the 'clutch' was stuck. It turned out that the blade
shaft, had to move up the main shaft to engage, but going over bumps - I
presume - had knocked it so far up the shaft that it could not disengage,
and some dogs had got burred as well, preventing it letting go. Judicious
filing and grease 'solved' the problem for now, but I expect this is a
common occurrence.

S

On Aug 17, 12:04 pm, muymalestado wrote:
My Honda self-propelled mower has started to keep the blade clutch
engaged after the lawn has been cut and the mower is stored for a
time. This means for the next use it is impossible to pull the
starter rope against the cold engine; well, its a very hard pull.
But, after running for 5 minutes the clutch disengages properly when
the engine is shut down and re-starting is a breeze.

To start the cold engine I hold the blade actuator as if to engage it
- quite the opposite from its normal purpose this frees the motor to
be started.

Any suggestions?

Thanks very much.

I bought a new honda 5hp engine off fleabay (and excellent it is too
for £100 ;)) - it came with the operator prescence thing & blade
brake fitted as standard for use in a rotary mower - for my
application they both had to be bypassed - the blade brake was
actually just that - a brake pad that contacts the flywheel.....

I wonder could yours be simlar and perhaps the brake pad has worn down
to rivets so it corrodes and sticks onto the flywheel until it wears
itself free?

Cheers
Jim K