Thanks Walt. I have tried that e-mail in proper format and can't get you. Mine is b_l_d@comcast.net. The gear pinions broken are briggs brand plastic gear pinions part #693059 now replaced with #695708. Today I bought another clutch and gear pinion but it's pouring rain in Mid TN and too wet to work on it. Without looking at it now. I'm having trouble understanding why the metal shaft going through the clutch and gear pinion (armature shaft?) would spin and the clutch and gear pinion will not spin while the gear pinion is engaged with the flywheel. It seems to work fine when plugs are removed. Im glad to hear about the OHV v flathead scenerio. Didn't really want to mess with valves, because it has been running good prior to this starter situation. One thing I might mention, coil was recently bad, and my neighbor drove this thing around without the engine cover on and running on one cylinder. I was not present the last tinme the gear pinion broke, but I believe the mower was running hot. Any ideas? Thanks.

Hi Melissa, I just sent you an email earlier today. I'll resend through the forum. Rosefolly

Michelle, Thank you. It did come thru on the new E-mail. Hopefully it was just a problem with AOL not accepting them, but they were not in the "spam folder" so I was not sure. Gerry

It look me a while to figure out who mystic and bubbles were...more coffee! How are you accessing these two accounts -- desktop mail software (e.g., Outlook) or online. If the latter, are they from the same provider (e.g., Hotmail)?