Hi Grumpy, thanks very much for your informative reply.
I'm no expert on B&S motors but they haven't changed a whole lot since I was taught to work on them in high school in the late 1970s. I would not be surprised if this mower dates to my high school years!
I do plan to take this somewhat slowly- giving myself about 3 weeks to get it cutting grass. Motor off, pull flywheel, split the crankcase, inspect bottom end, renew bearings & gaskets as required, check magneto coil, disassemble & inspect carbie, repair as req'd, get a look at the drive belt & renew as needed, reassemble the lot and have a go.
I do like to use a catcher because I compost my grass clips. If there's a suitable catcher lying in someone's bonepile somewhere that could be had for something less than a fortune, this pensioner would be very happy to hear about it. Will beat getting my socks full of clips and raking them up.
Once again, thanks very much for your help!
