Briggs crank starting ...

[KidDynamo]

How is the little pinion gear attached to the end of a Briggs Model B crankshaft? Is the crank to start crankshaft different than the rope start models?

I'm trying to figure out how to put together some of my various parts engine combinations and I don't have any literature to show me about the crank starting crankshaft pinion. I would appreciate any help on this, especially if anbody has archival photos of those bits.

I suspect that the model A engines and maybe the ZZ crank start parts may tell the story too. Is the starting crank assembly on those engines of the same design?

Oh yeah, and how is the pinion attached to the crankshaft? It is a separate part, isn't it?

Thanks !!!

[Jester]

The pinion gear you are speaking of replaces the flywheel nut used to hold the flywheel and starter cup on the rope start engines--the inside of the gear is threaded and there are 2 flats on the top outside edge of the gear that an open end wrench fits on (I think the size is 15/16" can't remember--I slept since then.) to tighten it down. A steel lock plate with a serated hole is then slipped over the gear in alignment with the two puller holes in the flywheel and bolted down. The crankshaft is the same one used on the rope start engine, and the same starter parts are used on both A & B models. The K, Z & ZZ engines use a similar design, but virtually nothing from that system interchanges with the smaller engines.

[KidDynamo]

Does the tag number give any indication of which type stater system the engine originally had? I know that the later engines' number has all kinds of clues that can be deciphered using my Briggs and Stratton manual but these earlier engines seem to have a different scheme.

In other words, if I were to change a crank start engine to a rope start engine, or vice versa, would there be any giveaways?

I'm thinking that the crank start engine may have a compression relief for the B model but I don't know if the model A engines ever employed a compression relief or not?

Any clues on these details? Muchos gracias !

Super reply, by the way !!!!

[BWegher]

All crank starts included compression release.
But possible that it was removed after a couple years.

[Jester]

BWegher is right about the compression release on the B & larger engines, but I can't find any reference in my IPL's for a compression release for the model A. I have examples of the B & ZZ with the crank starter, & the compression release is the same assembly--a lever on the exhaust side of the valve cover with a long rod that passes through the blower housing. When the rod is pulled, a foot on the lever catches a washer on the exhaust tappet and raises the valve. As for numbers telling you what starter system the engine had, yes--the five or six digit type no. would clue a knowledgable person in. However, I have not run across a published list that breaks these down for engines this old, and, IMHO, if you can live with building a representative example out of spare parts, nobody else that matters would object either.

[John Newman, Jr.]

I am in agreement with Jester - The Type Number will tell you what kind of starter, carb & crankshaft end configuration an engine would have come from the factory with, but since no one has yet come up with a difinitive way to decode these numbers. If you were to change any or all of those things to use whatever parts you had available - No one would be the wiser; just as long as the engine in question was offered with those parts to begin with.

[KidDynamo]

Fantastic answers all around and this should help future intrepid Briggs enthusiasts searching for similar info in Harry's archives.

I am also hoping to draw out anyone who has more of those lists we all yearn to see.

It is possible that they may pop up someday, too. Re-reading old G.E.M. issues in the "Reflector" column illustrates that before the internet and particularly this website, info on many engines that is somewhat common knowledge nowdays went unanswered. We've come a long ways in a few years.

Perhaps the Sears list will also appear so I can figure out what the heck a "71 Series" is all about. It is on a Sears Model A Briggs I own. Others have inquired about other Sears/Briggs with their own "series number" but to no avail. I guess it is trivial........

I don't collect Briggs and Stratton engines though......I only have 6 or 8 of 'em.

Thanks fellas!

Dont mean to be an old soak here but i struggle to go with the theory of all crank starters came out with compression releases. My '42 model AR-6 Briggs has the original crank start set up, i beleive mr. John Newman on here has seen my AR-6 before but anyway, It doesn't have a compression release on it and it's all original. My Z model engine however has a compression release and a pull rope set up, it can also have a crank mounted to it, but i find that even engines that do have a compression release, you dont really need it, just start on the compression stroke and pull'er on through!


Sky

[Mike S]

I don't think any of the model A's had a compression release. I have seen a few with crank start and none of them had it.

[BWegher]

Checked the parts sheets on Model A. No compression release.

Models B,K,Z, ZZ all show a compression release associated with the crank.

I was at a sale with lots of Briggs parts, including removed compression release parts. The guy just said they caused trouble and just removed them over the years. He was a pretty big guy so I guess he wasn't worried about cranking them against compression.

I bought a low serial number crank start Model B at his sale, no compression release, but there is a hole in the shroud.

[41Briggs]

i think i was told all model b's had a hole in the schroud for the compression release even if the engine was not equipt. i have a rope start B and it has the hole in the schroud for the compression release.

[ehpower2]

all b shrouds have the hole in it if it doesnt pull the shorud and check the back side and you should find it usualy they rust up especialy if its an cast shroud.