[TonyN]

I have a Nordlett Beaver Power Spade that has been sitting in a damp shed for some years and now won’t start because there is no spark.

I’ve cleaned corrosion off the flywheel (no improvement) but from what I’ve picked up on this forum I will also need to remove the flywheel to get at the points as these are most likely to be the problem.

I’ve attached a picture of what I’m looking at.

I’ve tried jamming the flywheel and tapping the starter ratchet assembly round anticlockwise with a drift, using moderate force, on the assumption that it will unscrew, but without success.

Any advice will be very gratefully received, as I am unwilling to use more force without knowing that I am doing the right thing.

There’s a thread that may have the solution, but I’m not sure whether I’m dealing with exactly the same situation, as the link to photos is broken.
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=59233.msg692619#msg692619

[grendel]

generally the flywheel is fixed on a taper with keyway, so removing it requires a puller, these have legs that hook behind the flywheel and a screw that the point goes into that divot in the end of the shaft, sometimes there is a special tool for this.
once you get to the points they will need cleaning until they are spotless, and adjusting to the correct gap.
any rust on the coil or flywheel will also affect the spark, yes it looks like you still have the clutch starter on , as the other post says - this unscrews anti clockwise, so make sure you are trying to unscrew the right way.

[TonyN]

Many thanks Grendel!

I've been giving the clutch seatings periodic squirts of WD40 and will try to tap it round again in the morning.

[R Tallentire]

I don't bother holding the flywheel, but put screws back in the starter clutch lugs, before knocking the lugs round with a large hammer and drift, this stops the holes from squashing. The flywheel is never that tight on a "horizontal crank" B & S engine and can be removed by a tap from behind with a soft hammer on the cast iron part of the flywheel.

[TonyN]

Many thanks Tallentire!

That all went very easily and with clean and carefully set points the old machine is now puttering away nicely again.

I hadn't realised that the correct name for the component I couldn't get off was 'starter clutch' (looks and sounds like a ratchet rather than a clutch to me, but never mind) So when I googled using the right terms I found two videos that might be useful to anyone who passes this way again.

This is a council of perfection using Briggs and Stratton's special tools:
54_Agr7lHaQ
And this is a bit crude:
nUP8kRILdts
Actually, a couple of sharp taps behind the flywheel with a copper faced mallet, as Tallentire suggests, is safe and effective.

[Gerry Norris]

have complete power spade if you want it with new coil but you will have to pick it up.
          Regards
              Gerry

[TonyN]

Many thanks for the offer Gerry, but the machine is working well now and I'm afraid I live in North Wales, an awfully long way from Newbury.