This is a 12hp B&S vertical shaft,M281707-0411. It's on an MTD riding mower. I notice a signicant leak coming from possibly the shaft output. Can I change this seal with the motor still mounted? How tough a job is it? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

no the motor does need to come off, but you can replace it without taking the sump off

Please explain? I thought I could just take the engine base off and get to it.

The engine base is also the sump. You do not need to remove the sump to replace the seal. In fact on many applications you do not need to remove the engine to replace the seal. You may be able to remove the stack pulley and or electric pto clutch on your unit and gain access to the seal.

thats true, but man that would be a pain trying to get in there to take that out


but I guess it would be just as much as a pain to take the motor off

thats true, but man that would be a pain trying to get in there to take that out


but I guess it would be just as much as a pain to take the motor off

Yes, it's a pain. It's just a matter of which pain you wish to endure. Sometimes the hardest part is getting the stack pulley off, and you will have to get the pulley off no matter what, to install a new seal.

yes, but sometimes you can get lucky and they come right off

now an electric clutch is a different story