I have a mountfield tuffcut with a Honda gcv135. Had it about ten years and apart from occasional slow start has been very good. however at end of summer engine chugging and clearly sick and took air filter cover off and filter is covered with wet oil. sounds terminal so shut it off. I have it in my mind that it is a head gasket (from my experience with old cars) so started to dismantle but got as far as trying to remove round head before separting crank case but cant get it off and now stuck. |Not even sure i'm barking up right tree as first lawn mover engine I've attacked. seems I might need a puller to continue. any suggestions gratefully received.

duncan, November 2013

This maybe a daft question. Have you had mower tipped on its side for cleaning etc and inadvertently tipped it air clear side down? This can let engine oil spill from crankcase via breather pipe into air cleaner. If this is the case just clean out oil pop in a new filter check oil level and you should be away again. the alternative could be wear in the engine causing crankcase pressure as you suspect Hope it is only as my first thought.

Smudge, February 2014