Troubleshooting a Murray Mower Power Train

Turn off the Murray mower and open the hood over the engine. Allow the engine a few minutes to cool before operating on it, if it has been running.

Locate the Murray mower's flywheel. This large, circular iron part will be at the top of the engine assembly and is covered by an iron shroud. Bolts hold this shroud cover in place. Remove the bolts with a socket wrench, then pull off the shroud to expose the flywheel.

Check the outside of the exposed flywheel. There are fins here that must be in good repair for the power train to perform properly and for the flywheel to assist in the power conversion process. Look for any burrs on the fins. If you find any, file them off with a hand file.

Use the socket wrench and bolts to set the shroud back in place over the flywheel, then test the performance of the Murray mower.

Remove the flywheel's shroud again if the Murray mower is not running well. Place a flywheel pulley over the exposed flywheel so the pulley's two arms extend down against the outside of the flywheel.

Use the socket wrench to tighten the bolt on the top center of the pulley. Continue tightening until the pressure causes the mower's flywheel to come completely free. This will reveal the top of the clutch shaft. The clutch is a critical aspect of the power train responsible for power conversion to the blades.

Remove the Murray mower's oil pan. This rectangular pan is at the bottom of the engine block, below where the flywheel was positioned. Remove its bolts, using your wrench, then pull off the pan. This reveals the bottom of the clutch.

Remove the bolts along the Murray's clutch shaft, using your socket wrench. The removal of the oil pan and flywheel afforded you access.

Hit the top of the clutch shaft at its center using a rubber mallet. Striking once or twice should be enough to dislodge the shaft for removal and replacement. Slide your replacement clutch shaft into place.

Follow your disassembly steps in reverse to rebuild the Murray mower's engine block area. The mower's power train will operate appropriately once the oil pan and flywheel are reattached to the new clutch shaft.