Does anyone know if you can tighten the sump bolts without removing the engine. I picked up a Craftsman walkbehind Model 917.378420 Engine 143.016708 that was disgustingly dirty, it had the usual bowl nut clogged, so now it runs great however it leaks oil at the sump gasket and I don't want to spend the time to remove the engine from the deck if I don't have to. It's the time of year that I must get ready to go to Fl for the winter and don't need any major projects. Thanks for any guidance you have. Have a good one. Geo

 

Yes you do need to take the engine off. Change the seal too.

I have seen you respond to many posts on here. I took it for granted you were a mechanic.

Clean the inside of the engine out. Watch out for the oil slinger it's gonna want to fall out when you take the sump off. No big deal though.

 

You can't get to all of them without removing the engine. Usually when one is leaking at the cover, the gasket is ruined at that spot and tightening might slow it down if the bolts are loose, but it might not.

 

BoudreauxEunice, I don't consider myself a real mechanic, I have been working on small engines for 60+ years, the first engine I fixed was the one on our Maytag washing machine we had before we got electricity. Being from the country it seemed people didn't buy stuff they fixed stuff and some of the ideas that come out of that creativity is amazing, like the idea to lock an engine, rather than buying a strap wrench or engine stop to screw in the spark plug hole just fill the cylinder hole with rope, or using electrical connectors as special tools for adjusting small carbs, those ideas came from the shade tree guys. I pick up mowers from peoples trash, fix them then give them to someone in need, the pretty ones I sell for $10 per hp to recoup the cost of parts for the ones I give away. Normally I would pass this mower on to a friend that doesn't mind getting dirty, however his son told me his father has retired from fixing them, he's 79. So I hung this mower in a tree and power washed it, tightened the bolts available, it still leaks a little, someone will be glad to get it next spring. Have a good one. Geo

 

Cool. Good on ya for doing that Geo.

 

Thanks for not taking that the wrong way. You ARE full of great information.

I do remember my grandma with a old Briggs that powered her washing machine when I was a younging. I used to push a well kept and very sharp rotary lawn mower also. It had a wooden handle and NO PULL ROPE. Ahhh the good old days !!!

Well I do not want to push that no more. LOL

 

This mower was so filthy with caked on oil an grass dust that when it started it ran wide open as the governor arm was froze to the block from the caked on gunk, on the under side you could not see the belt guard for the self propel as the underside was covered with matted oil soaked grass, what a mess. Have a good one. Geo