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Garden Tractors Discussion Forum

A little more on lets be honest

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buck

03-10-2004 12:34:15




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First I would like to thank everyone for all the information. This is what I need to be well informed. Now considering that I was totally satisfied with the 18 hp MTD and the thing that brought it to an end was the failure of the 18hp twin B&S engine. Engine failure because of valve seat problem that would have required a short block at least.Now the question of engine selection comes up. Some say that other engines last much longer and in my case this would have been nice. The only direct comparison I can make is with the Onan in a neighbors Craftsman. His engine failed before mine under similar conditions and hours of operation. I must admit that our mowing style is different in that he runs in lower gears where I tend to push the mower to the mowing limit IE higher gear and ground speed. This knowledge does not send me looking the the Onan. My FIL has on old Roses department store push mower that has a 3 hp B&S that he has used for 30+ years and still LOOKS like new but I don't take that good of care so I call this an exception. So in terms of hours of operation what engines should one look for when purchasing a lawn tractor. I do realise that the new geneation of over head valve engines can have something to do with this. My new MTD does have the new generation V twin I/C B&S engine and should it last as long as the twin flathead I will be pleased. Again thanks muchly for you input.

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Paul

03-14-2004 16:12:28




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
I have an MTD that is about 10 years old. It is an 18.5 hp from Lowes. The engine is a B/S. I use it to mow around my fields to keep a walking path open, which means from about May (after the last frost) until October (after the first one), I mow an average of an hour a week. Then the mower comes off and the chains and blade (42") go on and I push snow on the driveway until it is heavy enough to use my F150 with 6' blade. About four years ago I switched to Mobil-1, just like I use in our cars. I change it about every two years. I clean the air cleaner every sixty days or so. It runs like a charm. Starts easily, doesn't smoke (or drink) and will outlast the plastic and sheetmetal it is bolted to. But I always run it wide open, using the gears to control speed.

I also have a Kohler generator that I switched to M-1 several years ago. It gets the air cleaner treatment regularly, too. Easy starting, smooth running. Again, this is an engine that runs flat out or off. Might try that with yours.

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lee

03-12-2004 21:06:33




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
Basically you just can't get the really good true industrial motors in the cheaper tractors. The motor alone can cost as much or more than the tractor. These would be the industrial Onan, Yanmar, Kohler, Wisconsin. So looking at what you can get you have the consumer product oriented I/C rated motors built by Briggs, Onan Honda, Kohler Tecumseh. Any one of these may run a long while but there will be some bad apples in there too.

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LB

03-12-2004 05:08:29




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
I'm shocked no one has mentioned TECUMSEH yet, lol. Most people I've talked to hate them. I've had good luck with them. Both the old cast irons and the newer engines. Also Honda is supposed to have a good reputation. I think parts are pricey on them too. Does Wisconsin/Robin/Subaru make vertical shaft engines? I know they make horizontals.



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Bill

03-11-2004 18:51:44




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
Briggs is probably the best in terms of overall value for "most" people. In the cheaper model tractors generally by the time the engine goes the rest of the tractor is getting wore pretty good too so best to replace whole unit. Biggest things I have noticed for cause of early failure #1- lack of basic maintenence (oil changes,tune ups) # 2 Heat - alot of people run these big twins at less than full throttle and they don't get the air flow needed. This is because most all of the tractors are generally overpowered now ( who really needs 18 - 25 h.p. to run a 42" deck ??) and people throttle them down so they run quieter.

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Kent of SW MO

03-11-2004 08:59:30




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
You said you hada valve seat failure. Did it come out of the block. If so per B&S repair manuel you can set the seat back in the block and use a center punch to repean the area around the seat. I have done this on several engine and I have had good luck with this repair.



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buck

03-11-2004 16:04:17




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 Re: Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to Kent of SW MO, 03-11-2004 08:59:30  

Yes I had previously made that repair just as you describe and got another year out of it. In reality I could have made it again and got some more use out of it but my wallet was a little thick so I got a new replacement. The mower is still in use by another person who had a good used engine for it.



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Jonathan

03-10-2004 20:03:05




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
I'd look for an Industrial grade engine. My grandfather picked up a 12hp "Rally" (Rally is another cheap brand) lawn tractor and used the crap out of it, now the engine still runs like a new one, but the rest of the tractor is pretty well whipped. I think it's a Briggs, but it is an Industrial series engine.



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Jim

03-10-2004 14:14:46




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
All engine manufacturers build engines to the degree of quality that the OEM requests. The lower price the tractor, the lower quality the engines are built, the higher quality, the better built the engines are. I do this for a living and the MTD, Murry, etc engines always give out a lot quicker than the same size engines on a Toro, Snapper, Simplicty, etc. Most Kohlers, with care with get better than 2000 hours, we have a 982 Cub Cadet with a 19.9hp Onan with over 10,000 hours on it, on 3rd engine, first went out at 4500 hours. If you are looking at MTD, the engine would not be the part I would be concerned about. The new engines with good care can last a lot of hours, but the engine will only last as long as the rest of the tractor and the box store tractors are not made to last that long.

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greg

03-10-2004 14:00:26




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
i agree with lucas. onan parts are expensive, and sometimes hard to find. when i worked on construction equipment i used briggs whenever i could, often times a kohler was twice the price of a briggs. and engine failure can be the result of running with the air filter loose for just a short while, then 100 hours later it goes. IMHO, stay with a briggs.



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lucas

03-10-2004 13:38:01




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 Re: A little more on lets be honest in reply to buck, 03-10-2004 12:34:15  
that briggs engine you have was built to last 800 hours depending,,at least that's what they say at briggs school....onan has great industrial engines but i wouldnt get one on a riding mower,they just dont seen that good and parts are a real shocker. look at kohler if your fed up with the briggs .kohler engines are 1200+hour engines but alas..some of them dont make it that long..lucas



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