How do I fix lawnmower craftsman model 37563?

Question

I hit a small root at just the right angle, bent the blade, and hurt the motor. I put the new blade on, started engine, smoke came out, and the engine died. How do I figure out exactly what's wrong with it and how do I fix it? It's not a matter of not wanting to buy a new one (I already did). I want to be able to fix it, but have never really done anything with an engine except change the oil in my car. Any books that would show me how to fix it? Or advice as to what I may have done?

Answer 1

Well if you changed the blade I assume you tilted it on it's end or side?

Doing that allowed the oil/fuel to drain into the chamber(where the piston and spark plug are) and exhaust. It also floods the carburetor.

   The mower ran for a short time until all those fluids taxed the system and it basically drowned.

Therefore it burned and smoked a bit while it was running. The spark plug usually gets fouled with oil/gas and needs cleaning and or replacing (the reason why it stalled).The smoking was because the oil got into the muffler and that gets real hot real fast.

The air cleaner needs to be checked to see if it's covered in oil; if so  replace it. Allow the carburetor to dry out a bit. This will happen automatically while your messing with everything else.

Try starting it 5 or 6 times while the spark plug is removed (it will not start); this will help clear any leftover fluid in the chamber and keep the cleaned/new plug from getting fouled.

By all accounts when you get it all back together and try to start it  after a few pulls it should start. If it smokes? Let it run; that's all the oil burning off within the muffler and will stop shortly.

If it refuses to start recheck the spark plug and clean if fouled.

You might have to repeat this step a few times until it starts.

This is most likely the reason;  not hitting the root.

If the root did alot of damage than it would have bent the shaft (what the blade attaches to) and you fried the motor.

Any small engine repair book will explain how to tear a motor down. Hit up the local libraey  

Answer 2

I am going to guess that you tipped the mower on it's side to change the blade.  When you did that you got oil into the carburetor air filter and maybe into the cylinder.  Check the air filter for oil.  If it has oil on the paper filter, change it.  Wipe up any oil.  The crankcase vent line goes to the air filter area.  Check the engine oil level.  Remove and clean the spark plug, pull the rope a few times with the spark plug out.

Put it back together and try to start it.  If it still won't run and pops and farts, you may have sheared the flywheel to crankshaft key.  If this is the case you will have to remove the engine cowling and flywheel to replace the key.  It shears to prevent internal engine damage.  Once you get the engine cowling off and the flywheel nut you can look straight down and see the key ways, they must be aligned, if not remove the flywheel and replace the key. The flywheel nut is torqued to around 60 ft lbs so it takes a bit to remove it.  You may need a puller to remove the flywheel.  Sounds more complicated than it really is.