I have replaced the starter gear a couple of times. Can someone please tell me what I need to check? The motor spins easy enough by turning the flywheel.

Adjust valves. No lubercation on the gear. I didn't check engine model.

Hi,
Briggs opposed twin engine. Does the gear split and break or the teeth strip off at the top.
If it is the latter (most common) then the spring that pushes the gear down after the engine cranks is not doing its job. It keeps the engine vibration from bouncing it up into the ring gear. If it splits, check the ring gear of the flywheel.
Peace,
Clarke

Set the Valves, If its an OHV unit. My 15.5 Briggs broke the gear almost every crank. The valve rockers loose as a goose on this 8 plus year old machine. I would have never have guessed it, but having tried everything else. This was the solution. Easy to do as well.

I set the intake to .004 and the exhaust to .006 which is somewhere in the middle of what I read somewhere.