I have a Murray 18.5HP mower which is leaking oil badly onto the stack pulley. I am "assuming" this is due to a bad oil seal on the PTO side.
I have bought the new seal and I am ready to put it on and I am wondering what is the best way to go about it. I have taken the deck off already. Is the next thing to remove the stack pulley itself? How is that done? I have a piece of pipe the same dimension as the seal so I can slide it up the crankshaft to seat the new seal (a suggestion from a coworker). Other than using a "seal puller" what is a common way to get the old seal out?

There doesn't seem to be hardly any room to work or even see under there. How do the "experts" do this? Do they jack it up? Thanks for any advice. I like to somewhat have a plan before I do things I have never done before otherwise the next thing I know it is 4 hours later:D

Take the engine out, (drain the oil of course) and take the stack pulley off, and the sump to get to it right. Use a pick or something to take the old seal out.

OK. So is that just basically disconnecting the wiring, removing the engine mounting bolts and lifting the whole thing off? I have never done anything this major so any insight you can give me is much appreciated.

Another question about another problem (the tractor has issues). I can't get the darn flywheel off. I am using a puller. I have tried whackingthe center rod and then evenly tightening the two bolts. I have tried this about 6x and the thing has not budged. The puller bolts are starting to bend and strip. Surely it shouldn't be this diifficult? Can you offer me any wisdom here?

Thanks!

The nut is off right? I've heard of some using steering wheel pullers for the hard ones. Why do you need to get it off?

Try hitting up from underneath with a rubber mallet, you can use a hammer, but you'd risk breaking it... but the steel flywheel can take a lot more then a aluminum one. Yes, disconnect the wiring, unbolt it, and pull it straight up and out.

Well here is the readers digest version: In addition to the oil leak the engine wouldn't start. (Cranks but doesn't start). Had no spark and no compression (I know they are unrelated but I had to start somewhere). I should also tell you what I have already replaced: battery, plugs, fuel filter, air filter and I have cleaned the carb (following directions I found elsewhere.) For spark, I took the plugs out and grounded the threads against the engine bolt and cranked the engine about 5X. No spark. For compression, I reversed the flywheel manually. No springback- plus it makes a grinding noise like something is rubbing on the underside if the flywheel. (That was why I was trying to take it off.).

Tonight I took the heads off and things have gotten worse. When I rotate the flywheel- nothing happens. Neither the pistons or the valves moved. So I pushed the pistons in to see if the would move. They did and now they are both fully seated. Since I have done that the flywheel will only rotate to a certain point and then stops. So I imagine that is bad.

I know I am all over the place on this but I am kind of desperate. I am a novice and can't afford a new mower right now so I am doing everything I can to try to get this working.

ANy suggestions? The engine type is 42A707, twin cylinder, 18.5HP on a Murray tractor. Thanks!

Also on the flywheel- I have left the nut on because that was what I had read, but it is just on by hand so it isn't tight. I had it off and hand threaded it slightly back on before I started trying to use the puller.

Sounds like you threw both connecting rods... the spark is unrelated though, probably a bad switch.

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Originally Posted by thebriggsdude

Sounds like you threw both connecting rods.....

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Yow.. should I just punt?

The rods, the oil seal and the potentially bad switch- how much can go wrong with one tractor?

Lots can... I'm sure you changed the oil regularly and checked it regularly? Might have been the oil seal leaking all along, didn't check it often and got too low and popped both conrods. Might be able to find a good used engine.

There is a used Scotts tractor 46" with 19HP Briggs Intek engine. Mine wasn't an Intek and the picture of the intek looks different then mine (which was an 18.5HP). I haven't seen it in person yet but assuming the engine is good, how would I know if I could take that engine and put it on my 46" Murray? Are the mounting bolts on all Briggs in the same spot?The seller wants $250 for the whole thing. He says he thinks it has a problem with the hydrostatic transmission because the tractor will slow down after awhile. Thanks for you advice. I don't want to wind up with 2 large paper weights but If I could dig out of this hole for $250 it would be great.

$250 sounds great... as long as the hydro is the only problem that is... the intek is a great engine, a step above a I/C (industrial/commercial) A new engine can go over $400, new mower way over $1,000 with just a basic engine. The engine should bolt up, but you can always measure and make sure of course... these engines are made to go on many machines, many machines are made to take many different engines...