How to Repair a Briggs and Stratton Flywheel

Ensure the Briggs and Stratton engine is turned off.

Disconnect the spark plug from the lawn mower. The spark plug will be found at the right side of the Briggs and Stratton engine. Pull the ignition wire out of the back of the plug to disengage it. The ignition wire is thin and black.

Remove the bolts on the flywheel's cover, or "shroud," using a socket wrench. Pull off the cover.

Find the flywheel. The flywheel is located on the top of the engine and bears a distinctive circular design. Take off the flywheel's cover by removing its exterior bolts with a socket wrench.

Fasten a flywheel pulley over the exposed engine flywheel. Lower the pulley's two arms over the outside of the flywheel's sides to lock it into place.

Twist the center bolt on the flywheel pulley with your socket wrench so that the bolt tightens. Continue tightening the bolt until the pressure causes the engine's flywheel to pop off and come completely free from the rest of the engine assembly.

Tighten the nut on the flywheel pulley and leave it overnight if the flywheel does not immediately come free. The resulting buildup of pressure may cause the flywheel to come free by itself after several hours.

Clean out any debris from beneath the flywheel. The flywheel must be able to sit evenly on the engine assembly.

Inspect the flywheel and the keyway along the flywheel key at the center of the flywheel assembly for any burrs. File these down if they exist.

Replace the flywheel entirely if any of its outer fins are damaged and bent. You may swap out your existing flywheel with one from an authorized Briggs and Stratton dealer (see Resources section).

Reassemble the flywheel by following the disassembly steps in reverse.