Snapper Electric PTO Troubleshooting

Park the Snapper mower on an even surface and cut the engine. Remove the key from the ignition and open the front engine hood.

Disconnect the black, thin plug wire from the rear of the spark plug located off to the side of the engine assembly. If this wire is already disconnected, reconnect it to the spark plug. This was likely the problem behind the malfunctioning Snapper mower.

Find the Snapper mower's PTO clutch. This is a small bell housing on the bottom of the engine. The mower belt leads to and routs around the PTO clutch, so tracing the belt will also help determine the exact location of this clutch.

Clean any debris off the Snapper mower's PTO clutch using a brush wire. Wipe the PTO clutch clean with a dry cloth once finished with the wire brush.

Find the long, rectangular openings in the PTO clutch's brake plate. These are the adjustment slots. Insert the feeler gauge into each of the Snapper mower's PTO adjustment slots in turn and measure the distance from the rotor and the armature faces. There should be no measurable distance between the two.

Find the bolt on each of the adjustment slots. This is the adjustment bolt. Tighten the adjustment bolt on the first adjustment slot while continuing to hold the feeler gauge in the slot. Use a socket wrench. Continue tightening the nut until the armature face and the rotor touch the feeler gauge. Do not tighten beyond this point.

Repeat this adjustment procedure on the other two PTO clutch adjustment slots.

Connect the black plug wire back into the spark plug and shut the Snapper mower's engine cover.

Turn on the mower and engage the PTO clutch switch. If the mower blades do not engage or if they do not disengage within 7 seconds after disengaging the clutch switch, the PTO part will need to be replaced by the manufacturer.