Ride on mower engine seized (a bit)

[Pinelli]

Hi all,
After doing an oil & filter change on my ride on mower (Briggs & Stratton engine), some idiot :( may have not read the dipstick properly. Went for a while, and then just stopped. The starter would click and try to turn, but could not spin the motor. I've managed to free the motor up somewhat, but can't get the starter to turn the engine more than one revolution, before it gets stuck, always at one spot. I've even tried assisting it with a jump start battery in parallel with the (new) battery in the mower.

Any thoughts? Will the motor need a rebuild, or is there some magic trick I can use? It generally spins easily enough except for that one spot, and I assume that if I can get it to kick over properly, it may just be enough to keep it going another season.

[rick130]

If it's an OHV Briggs it may just need a valve lash/tappet adjustment.

If this gets too large the unloader/decompressor doesn't work and the thing just won't turn over.

Plenty of people have changed batteries, starters, etc and all the engine needed was a rocker adjustment.

[edit] oops, I just read that it was running and then stopped :(

Try the valve adjustment, It's relatively common.

[Pinelli]

Yeah, I might have done a proper job on it :(

If it is the rocker adjustment, I assume that I could take out the spark plug and try and get it to turnover that way. If it turns more easily, might be the valves then.

[slug_burner]

Yeah, I might have done a proper job on it :(

If it is the rocker adjustment, I assume that I could take out the spark plug and try and get it to turnover that way. If it turns more easily, might be the valves then.

Yes, no spark plug will decompress it. If you still have issues then you will have to look elsewhere, Rick did insert an edit that suggest the the decompression is less likely.