You can look for an old, one man repair shop, he will probably have a straightener and not be afraid to use is as most are now. Now before all the hullabaloo starts, how many of you have actual first hand knowledge of the crankshaft breaking after straightening and going flying off to some disaster? Sure, lots of stories from the corner bar.

Walt Conner

There are shaft straighteners, btoh mechanical (screw) and hydraulic, but I won't use them. I don't think the shaft is safe after it has been straightened, and I don't want to be exposed to the potential liability if I were to sell such a machine second hand.

As for a replacement engine, either a Briggs Classic or Quantum should work as long as the shaft is 3 5/32 long, measured from end of shaft to mounting face of engine. Yours probably came with 7/8" dia shaft, but you could also use a 25mm if you change the blade adapter and the pulley (if self propelled).

Although you said "old", I am assuming you mean a steel deck which makes it post-1980. Even with the steel deck, you may need to get a new discharge chute with the indentation to help clear the gas tank of the new motor.

If you have an aluminum deck, you are pretty much forced to go with a Briggs Classic, similar to your old motor.

I have straightened shafts and re used them. To my knowledge, only one subsequently let go after it was bent a second time. I just dont want to take the chance anymore and the price of a lot of replacement engines does not make it worthwhile.

I have a Robin 4 horse 2 cycle that came off of a Snapper commercial. It was a steel deck. Not sure if it would fit your unit or not. I think this one would need either a carburetor or the one on it overhauled. The motor will run if you shoot B-12 into the carb so, the motor is good. You would also need to re string the pull start. However, you can have it for shipping if you want it.

Cityboy,
Did you ever find your motor? I have a runninng old 4hp motor complete and it is a Briggs off of my Snapper. The shaft measures 2 inches from the oil seal in length. Let me know-----I live in Md. You can have it for free. QR

QR, that's not going to work for him unless he has the BBC like you do. Most Snappers are the 3 5/32" shaft length as ggoyeneche mentioned. The "Classic" aluminum deck does indeed have a clearance problem with most engines. But it's mostly about the gas tank/shroud. So one could use many L-head engines if he took the stock tank off it an rigged up a separate fuel tank like Toro used on their Suzuki Prolines. There actually _was_ a Classic that was marketed in the early 90s with a Quantum engine. It must have had a fuel tank specifically made to clear that chute. If you could get the model of that particular Quantum and find one, you could use it. I also think there was a 2-cycle Tecumseh made to fit this deck.

Had the same thing happen on my 2 year old Toro Personal pace electric start... just out of warranty .. let's see that comes to $200 per season for my joy of cutting the grass in the Texus heat !

And will never buy another Toro !

I have a Quantum engine that was made for the old aluminum deck mowers. It has a tapered tank that clears the bagger chute. I had it mounted on an old V21 and it fit fine. I have a picture of it, now mounted on a steel deck hi-vac, but you can see the special tank.

{{gwi:132357}}

Like has been said before, my experience is that snappers need a 3 5/32 x 7/8 or 3 5/32 x 25mm crankshaft. This is not measured from the oil seal on the bottom of the engine, but from the deck mounting surface. If you measure a briggs from the oil seal, it will be either 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 (can't remember for sure) to the end of the shaft. You can interchange diameters as long as you also change the pulley and blade adapter.

Walt i have seen two cases of cranks shearing off right at the sump that someone else had straightened. Neither came flying out, both more or less dug into the grass and stopped but I would rather not risk the potential.

Regarding the tank with the angle. That was a common tank used on toro mowers.

How did he post that picture? I don't see links or have an "insert" option.
historicfranklinTN

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Cityboy,
Did you ever find your motor? I have a runninng old 4hp motor complete and it is a Briggs off of my Snapper. The shaft measures 2 inches from the oil seal in length. Let me know-----I live in Md. You can have it for free. QR
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Thanks For the Offer QuickRick.
The old Snapper is just sittin; in the garage next to a c.1998 Toro GTS Recycler I picked up fairly cheap last summer. Modified the Toro so now also a grasscatcher. (The grass needs some sunlight to put up new shoots -- 'way too much thatch)

There's an enterprising neighborhood 11-year-old out doing lawns here that wants the "antique" Snapper, though what he'll do with this one g_d only knows. Yes.. it uses he 3-3/4" length shaft, No BBC, too old for that, too old even for a spring-loaded kill handle; you shut her down by making gas go too lean. Steel deck model.

I also have a commercial aluminum deck sitting, still has 4 very-worn wheels -- It needs to go. This was the mower that gave the Commercial motor up.
I'm in Northern Delaware about 2-3 iles from Wilmington - Any takers?

To post a picture, you need to first upload it to a hosting site. I use my personal web space from my ISP. Some people use photo bucket or similar sites. The you use the HTML image tag to display the picture.

[img src="insert the url of your picture"]

Note: replace the [ and ] with to make the tag work. If I try to type it that way, you would not see the code.