Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Scotts Mower, pan gasket, vent tube

Question
I have a self propelled electric start walk behind mower. It has started leaking oil around the base of the engine. Where should I begin looking for the source?
The electric starter also quit working. Do I need to replace the key start or could it be the battery is dead. It is 2 years old

Answer
To find the oil leak, you should thoroughly clean the engine off and observe where it starts leaking while you are using it.  The only exception may be if the engine has a lot of hours or is overfilled with oil, it may be slobbering oil out of the PCV vent tube.  Otherwise, the leak will be from the crankcase pan gasket, crank seal(s) or from the output shaft for the self-propel feature, if equipped with this type of drive.

Electric starts on push mowers are notoriously crappy.  If it will not start after you charge the battery, you should remove the battery and have it load tested to determine its condition.  If the battery is OK, it could be the connections, starter or the key switch.  My recommendation is that if you can live without the electric start, don't spend too much repairing it (if it needs any parts, that is).  Hope this helps.