OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions on Greenfield Ride On Mower Frames Greenfield Squeals Loudly on Start-up

Let's see if bigted, Joe Carroll or someone else knows of an alternative Figarow, but I don't. I'd be drilling out the screws or grinding off their heads, if you can't unscrew them. (Note they may have hardened heads - they are obviously not original fitment. Some of the engines have the starter spot-welded on, and you drill out the spot-welds to remove the starter, then fit screws to put it back on the engine. This appears to have already happened to your engine.)

It was a really terrible idea to run the engine before you lubricated the starter spindle. You will have spalled the spindle fairly horribly now.

Take the cowling off whole, it will also give you a chance to clear the cooling fins.

Had a visit from my mechanic mate who is fixing up my old Fordson tractor, he helped me get the starter clutch out. He pointed out the wearing that the balls caused etc, he said to get a new starter clutch. Was quoted $30 at my local so I'm heading into town tomorrow and pick one up.





Click image then click again for supersize detail:

Nice pictures, Figarow. I can't see the crankshaft extension very well, but I think you'll need to linish it with some wet and dry or emery cloth. It needs to be smooth.

By the way, we always use direct image insertion, not remote hosting, because the remote hosting usually times out after a while, and our archives need to be permanent.

Be wary of new ones, the bottom half I have found on a lot of them is plastic.

Ok replaced starter clutch and slowly pulled starter cable but it won't retract all cable stays out. What have I done wrong?

Started up and it squealed for a few seconds and then stopped. I drove it around and mowed a bit, it squeals for a few seconds ever minute or so. I notice it squeals more when the blades are engaged. Not sure if this helps diagnose the issue but when squealing if I put it to low revs and then drive (blades disengaged) so the mower is laboring to go forward it will kill the squeal every time.

Also noticed the starter cable but won't retract properly, keeps coming in and out.

It sounds to me as if your scored and battered crankshaft extension is binding on the starter reel, Figarow. You need to take the starter off right away, without running that engine again, and do a better job of linishing the crankshaft extension. I'm guessing you will find signs of the two parts (starter reel and crankshaft extension) still seizing against each other. Perhaps your one drop of oil ended up in the wrong place, or there was simply a rough surface on the crankshaft extension.

Hi Grumpy, I edited my post please check it again. The crank shaft was fairly smooth but I used some wet and dry to make it very smooth, the oil went on the very top of the crank shaft. Should I have rubbed the oil over the whole crank shaft?

The short answer is yes, there is no point in lubricating the end of the crankshaft, you have to lubricate the bearing area. I suggest you use two drops instead of one to allow for losses on your skin, and spread the oil with a fingertip. That is my method anyway.

Your revised post still seems to exactly match the symptoms of a seizing crankshaft extension journal.

Ok thanks Grumpy, getting a little dark now will oil it up and take some photos tomorrow

Decided to do it in the twilight. Lubed the crank shaft with 2 drops of oil and no squeal on starting up. Ran it around the yard for a couple of minutes no squeals, engaged the blades and she squealed. It also squealed at one point later on with blades disengaged at high revs, but at low revs it doesn't squeal. What should I do now? Here are some pics.. By the way it says the images will be click-able for larger but they are not?

That crankshaft extension is pretty well torn up, Figarow. You've probably also ruined the bore of the new starter.

Plain bearings at high speed can only work if they are polished smooth and lubricated. I don't know if you want to hear this, but that old clutch was destroyed by you, when you let it run in a condition where it was partly seized, had rotated the sprag inside the outer part of the clutch until it was in light contact, and had then spun all of those balls, dry, at many thousands of rpm until it ruined the sprag, the outer, and the balls. Then you fitted the new clutch without proper lubrication, and probably without having polished the crankshaft anywhere near enough. Consequently when you ran it today it was half seized again, spinning the (new this time) balls again, and has most likely cut into the sprag and the clutch outer, as well as tearing up the bearing surfaces of the crankshaft and the mating inside bore of the sprag component. The condition of the crankshaft extension, clearly visible in the first picture, tells the whole sad story.

To get this to work you have to do two things: prepare the parts to a much higher standard; and hit the kill switch the instant you hear any kind of sound from the clutch. Even then it may be too late. You are dealing with precision engine components: they do not tolerate any kind of nonsense.

Yep, what Grumpy sez.

The other thing is, if the cord isn't retracting fully, the starter rewind spring needs a few turns more preload. This can also cause issues with the starter clutch.

Afterthought: Grumpy, those balls are intended to be run completely dry. This is so that they don't stick in contact with the shaft when the engine fires, but are flung out of engagement by centripetal force quickly.
1976 Briggs Service & Repair Instructions:
The drop of oil in the end of the crankshaft lubes a felt pad in the top of the ratchet, so that it won't spin at crank speed with the engine running, but can be held stationary by the starter pulley it's meshed with. If that pad is worn out/absent, that's another potential cause of the squealing.

Ok guys sorry I really don't know what I'm doing hence asking here. I will pull it apart again today and do a better job of sanding the crank shaft. Not sure what else can be done? I mean is the crank shaft ruined? I won't be able to get those grooves out with wet and dry. Any way to know if the new starter clutch is ruined other than taking it apart? Will do as you suggested and kill as soon as I hear the squeal Grumpy sorry for my lack of understanding

No need to apologise Figarow, it's just that you and I are both grinding our teeth over the wastage of your time and materials.

First, to run successfully the crankshaft extension has to be smooth. Some narrow, perfectly circumferential remaining grooves probably won't do much harm, since the amount of bearing area is not important here - this isn't a crankpin.

Second, I think you will need to take the new clutch apart to see how much damage has been done to the balls, sprags, and outer housing. You also need to inspect the bore of the sprag housing, where the crankshaft extension runs inside it, to see how torn up that is. I don't think you can repair it if it is damaged.

hi guys when i oil these i use about 3 drops of ATF oil as it is designed to last a long time and is very thing the hole in the top of that clutch is for oiling i oil the shaft and then once assemble i chuck a couple of drops down the hole never had a issue doing it this way