I thought the pull start was frozen. Trying to pull enough cord out for it to snap back I broke it. I tried the electric starter and just got a buzz. We had a few freeze and thaw cycles with wind and rain so I figured It was frozen up as well. I moved it in doors. All warmed up same buzz from the electric starter. Removing the pull start and cover for repair I noticed the electric start gear is all the way out. I removed it as well but still can only turn the flywheel 1/4 turn to a clunk stop each way by hand. What could be jammed?

Possibly a broken tooth form the fly whee of the starter and that jammed in the housing cover and flywheel or a tooth off the fly wheel gamed Pull your spark plugs so no compression in cylinders. Now turn flywheel ( battery discounted for safety) with the flywheel cover off or look for clearances there.
Is the trans drive disengaged not in gear? If its in neutral and confirmed (check that linage for hang ups in rain etc) Normally you can't turn fly wheel much if in drive. The little starter wheel got stuck because either flywhell was jammned up or starter is bad.
So fly wheel exposed free of obstructions around it and up under neath it.
Plugs out
In neutral
Can't turn flywheel
Possible a cracked piston ring Or the trans neutral is not working and stuck
Obstruction in flywheel gears

Signed 21 boat

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Hey 21boat
Thanks for your suggestions.
Plug is out. Starter removed. No visible hangups. Turning flywheel by hand only 1/4 turn to a clunk in both directions. I hear/feel a slight grind at the end of the turn but only in one direction.

Ooohhh not good. ( I have been there before)I hope its not a cylinder ring or a piston pin. Try putting your ear at the spark open holes and turn flywheel again and see if there's is a crunching sound out of a cylinder. BOY I hope not.
Now if this Clunk seems real solid and no louder sound out of cylinders we need to think a valve stuck/bent. Now its back to A drive trans mechanism is still hung up . When you hear this clunk also try this. Take a good long screwdriver and put your ear tight on the Handel and move the flywheel back and forth and touch the head of the motor with tip and like a stethoscope find the point where its loudest chase the clunk noise down and there might be your problem spot get back and tell me the results. If its possible look in the spark plug hole and see if you can see a cylinder wall and look for scrapes and even a small piece of metal. The other way to check the lower part of the piston and crank is to drain the oil and see if there is a metallic feel to it or a bit silvery looking or a small piece(s) metal shavings. Now before you get into this and drain oil. Please re check trans linkage from Handel to where it moves to put in gear for trans. Have auger in neutral check belt/chain drive to trans and to the thrower that actually throws the snow Sorry If I seem to be repeating myself. Get back

Signed 21 Boat

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I am trying to get a moment to try that and I'll get back as soon as I can. I don't think it will get me going by morning and we are expecting 30+cm of snow in the next 24 hours.
Happy New Year

Hi,
Classic broken rod sound to me.
Peace,
Clarke

Magnets on flywheel broke off and lodged in the coil stopping flywheel from turning.Sorry 10 yrs late just had the problem myself today.