Keep going. Many people with back issues would highly value access to an electric start self propelled mower. Not everyone can afford the silly things. Even electric self propelled are priced out of reach for most. Great video!

I curb picked one 5 or 6 years ago. The parts hoard came in handy. Converted it to auto choke, new battery, lots of parts. About $65.00 all in with a new battery and charger. Still runs fine.

I'm thinking that you want to repair the starting system. From watching your videos I believe your a man who does things rite. Also it will increase the value of the mower. Or maybe after your fix it maybe a nice lady or an elderly person needs a mower and the electric starting would make it betfor that person. Love your videos. Great job as always. Thank you for sharing

In my opinion fixing the electric start is 100% worth it because its a lot better than a normal pullrope.

I would say fix it if the the price of the battery and cover are within the budget. Sofar everything else seems to be ok. The brake cable can be adjusted. Just un thread the housing end caps to make the housing longer.

I got one of these from bulk trash last week - definitely fix the key start - it makes a world of difference if you want to put this on a bike, trike or go-cart - the engine is plenty powerful enough and since you will have to put your own clutch or cvt on it having the key start (or converted to button start) is very helpful

I have one of these and it's definitively worth fixing!!!!

It would be worth fixing. I've had problems with my shoulders and sometimes i can pull start them and sometimes the electric start comes in handy

Keep going looks like a pretty good mower

Would be interesting to see you fix it, specially that I have the exactly same problem with mine and have some health conditions. Please do another video and fix it. Good job!!!!

Great vid mate. Its a yes from me for fixing the starter. Anything that saves you wretching your back or arm . Save that stuff for the gym. Cheers

I love this mower

Also would be interesting to see you fixing the cable issue in detail, due to the fact that I have exactly the same problem. Would you do a video? As I said before...Good job!!!

Keep on going!

I have been where you are. I fixed the elec start short of buying a new battery as the mower was for my own use and it started first pull every time.

That’s a beautiful one. I have early the same one in black

I was given the exact same mower with the same issue. I just removed the starter and the system. lubed the cable and switch. sold it for 100$. then recently I was given a very new Honda with a key start that was just missing the key and had bad wheels. replaced the wheels and key for about 40$. hoping to get 200$ for it now.

I have the same mower. It appears your primer is working so pull-start is good enough. The battery/electric parts are a bit pricey, but then again an electric start push mower is rare and pretty cool. Mine has always had starting issues due to the small pin sized hole in the carburetor that is supposed to blow gas into the carb to assist cold starts. Usually I just pull the airbox cover back (one 8mm screw) and shoot a couple sprays of starting fluid and it always starts right up.

Would be interesting to see you fix it. 👍

I would do a compression test on the engine to see if the lack of oil did damage the motor and if there’s lots of compression and the way the lawnmower looks, I would keep going.

Definitely a cool feature either cheap brackets under that handle or on the body (on the body would require less cabling and allow for better amp transfer to the starter). I'd do away with that loom and simply use an inexpensive start relay from your local parts store, pick a thicker ground/start wires and just use the key to excite the relay. I'm certain a small lightweight motorcycle battery (even a lithium if you were looking to keep and resale isn't an issue) would be adequate for the job. Hope this helps mate 👍

NIce job: If it is small money to fix it, I would do it. Otherwise use the pull start. Thanks for a nice video.

yes i would get that electrical start function working again and yes your not wasting your time as it,s totally worth it even our Victa 2 stroke,s with the key start ones are a easy fix too.

Financially it’s probably not worth fixing the electrics but, it would make another great video! Great work 👍🏻

I to have found them with elitric start but by the time you pay for the battery cover an other odds an ends it out ways the repair or what u can get but it is a nice mower

Nice score! That elec start is a godsend for older folks who might not be able to pull the starter rope: shoulder injury, heart surgery, etc.

The person who gave this mower read your mind you like Free stuff I n the gas powered lawn care equipment yeah buddy 😎

for a video fixing it would be interesting as it would be slightly different from what you normally do, going a bit out your comfort zone and fixing electrical parts

Good vid

I wanted to ask you, what is the best starter kit of tools to fix small engines or anything for that matter, i know harbor freight sells some cheep tool kits, and Walmart as well, but what do you think. Or does it all come down to preference

I saw the worn treads on the front left wheel right away when the camera was on the front of the mower. I'm not at all surprised to see that it's teeth were in better condition, since that wheel clearly did more work. Shame the self propel is acting up, I would recommend taking a look at it sooner than later. You might also consider using some long bolts, washers, nuts, and a metal plate to hold a small battery underneath the original tray. It won't be pretty, it may take some fiddling to get it secure, but it seems to me that's the cheapest way to get the mower to hold a battery again. Think of it like the battery retainer in an older car, but upside down and with a wider plate. Preferably, it would have a lip on the edges to support the battery against gravity due to the weird angle it would sit at.

Great video!!!!!

You already know that the starter motor works so I don't think that there's much to fixing it,I think go for it !

I’m surprised you didn’t take the other lawnmower you could of used parts off it It’s amazing how rough people are with their lawnmowers i wouldn’t even fix the electric start Cost to much to fix but the engine sounds healthy on this lawnmower

Leave the key start alone unless you have a donor mower. If the self propelled system isn’t up to scratch just remove the turning cogs especially with that slackness damaging the plastic inner wheel. In my mower line up have a Victa (Australian Mower now owned by Briggs) with the Briggs IS 750 engine no pull start. Battery just clicks in great way to start. It’s like having electric windows in a 30 year + car, it’s a luxury.

does that mower feature an alternator of some kind to replenish the battery charge? my Snapper walk behind came with key start option, but it also had a charger kit to top off the battery. If you cannot locate that re-charger kit, & there's no alternator windings, may be a lost cause. My Snapper still lives happily without it though. It's lighter too minus starter/Bendix/battery/harness! More grass clippings capacity.

The battery is small and needs to be hooked up to trickle charge it with consistency. So often the battery dies and people get tired of charging it. It is a cool feature, but pull starting A self propelled mower is not difficult as long as it is running right.

I would test the starter operation and sell it as working but needs a battery. If it is important to the buyer they pay the cost of the battery and you can also sell to someone who doesn't care about it without being out the battery cost.

You should keep going

That interlock can be temperamental. I picked one 5 or 6 years ago.

Leave it alone but seeing another video on how to fix it would be interesting..

You live in the best 15 minute radius in the world I'd say all the freebies that are in your area...here in Ireland no one gives away anything at all they'd rather take it to the local dump and throw it in the scrap metal bin rather than letting someone use it for parts or a project or repair...

I would leave it alone but for you it would probably make a good video for someone else.

Getting rid of the electric start wouldn't be a problem for me . I would guess the cost for the hardware and battery is more that what the mower is worth, but when someone eliminates the self-propel thats where I dont agree because the mower on most becomes way to heavy to push especially on upgrades. I speak from experience when my sell propelled rear wheel drive broke and i tried to use it before i fixed it and way to much to push up hill

Keep going .

You can use a substitute battery for the electric start to see if the starter motor works. If it's seized, jump the wire harness at the charging plug using a wire grill brush. You should get a few sparks from reversing the polarity. Then see if it'll crank. If it's good, go ahead and invest in the repairs. And find a grass bag. All serviced, you'll be looking at $300 in resale value.

I would go through it & fix it. My thoughts are the original problem was most likely the battery.

go for it...

It’s probably best just to repair the most important parts, it is possible that a buyer might fix the electric start themselves if their willing to spend the extra money

If your able to source one maybe. yes a new battery but Maybe a mower similar to it that has the parts that you need that is to far gone to repair that won't be a cost effective on it. can't wait to see what route you go with this project.

What made you finally say the word "ebay" instead of just vague, confusing "online marketplace"?

Hey bro wats up? If it was up to me I wouldn't bother with the electric start but like you said if you have a bad shoulder it would come in handy.

That beake spring is on top of the muffler. Over time that spring is too stiff.

Hello so I just found a 650 craftsman mower for free . It came with no key or charger for the battery on the electric start . My question is do I unhook the key start to be able to just pull cord start .

I think it's worth fixing.. lots of old people or people with bad shoulders need the electronic Start.. and pay good money for it

Electric start,on a push mower,I don't care for.The brake cable ends are adjustable,you turn the plastic ends out to make the outer cable longer to shorten the inter cable and it will pull the lever further away to start the mower.

Keep going. Todays stuff is plastic junk.

It’s all or nothing! Fix it! At the very least find out what the needed parts total is. I have an electric start mower and am quite happy with it.

I would leave it like it is by the time you buy a battery and the charger for it and you would have to build a mount for it just leave it as is

Where's the least expensive place to get these batteries? Seems like Amazon is quite expensive.

Fix the electric start feature of this mower. It was an expencive option, if not for anything else, it sure makes for the "cool" factor. The starter motor already works, just try to find a cheap battery on the internet.

I usually remove the starter motor, battery and harness if it does not work.

Y’all please check to see if the engine is seized before you start adding fluids

I have had 4 or 5 of these and none of them worked. I didn't bother fixing them because all of them had dead batteries and missing chargers .

I think yes you should keep going make money on the stuff

Hi, what model of mower is this?

What's UP with the self propel

Thx /

I don't waste my time with electric start on push mowers. I have yet to find one that charges it's own battery while it runs, So it's inconvenient to have to charge it manually, And nobody is going to do that. Just oil the pull starter and call it good.

I would try to repair the electric start.

I also have an old mower with an electric start, its also a briggs and stratton quantum, but its from 1992, the wiring is good but the motor has a lack of power and isnt strong eneugh to spin the engine over, dispite it only having 60PSI of compression, im gonna save the parts and if i come across a mower with a good motor, ill have the whole set

My Toro mower self propel don't work

I’ve had several mower projects with electric start. I test it and if it doesn’t work. I don’t go any further. I suppose if you did fix it you could get more money out of it

I'd say that if your in part of the country that requires you to mow the lawn for most or all of the year, then yes fix it. If your seasonal use, No.

I'M here

If I wanted electric start and a propelled model, I'd rather buy a garden tractor

If transmission is bad I take gears off and make it push mower.

for someone like my mom, she cant pull start so she would need to have lectric , bcause she cant start it otherwise.. on the other hand , craftsman shoved their batteries in a hiddent compartment with limited space so , u could do some retrofit deal because who wants to buy the special battery over $50 that barely lasts a season or 2 of mowing .. -- since u dont need it and the person you sell prob. wont , its prob not worth the hassle to fix the lectric start ...

Well that is no fun, it cranked right up

Don’t waste your time and money on that electric starter.

Nope!