The Flywheel brake is the only kill switch, That one is an early design and I feel that it could be bad but more than likely its the CD pack a.k.a the coil.
Those are neat and hard to find mowers not many around like that. Those were reffered to as "suburban" mowers with the big gas tank. They can be considered commercial mowers.

Stens makes a CD pack for the mower, they cost in the thirty to forty dollar range. Or you can get one at the dealer for probably more. As for the switch you need to test it first to see if its bad. If so I'm not sure if its still available but it may be.
The H.P. would be in the 4 to 4 1/2 range. If its running at 3300 RPM. You have an "F" series engine, one of the best and most simple to repair.

Neal

thanks neal. how can i test the switch or by pass it. maybe if i can by pass it i would know if its the coil or not.

The only "switch" is a kill switch that shorts out the ignition. Just unplug the wire to it.

Walt Conner

Sorry, been "out" for awhile. Do you know how to test for continuity? Do you have a simple continuity tester? If not I guess you can do as Walt suggests and try unplugging it.

More than likelly its the coil, but there is that "chance" factor. Although I've never had a bad switch.

Neal

Is that the semi-commercial with the large black gas tank?