Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

   A guy a few streets away works on OPE out of his garage and occasionally leaves stuff out on the street for rubbish pickup, unless I can get there first.  I've picked up a few nice mowers which he dumped for some reason. ?  There was a riding mower out there but I diddn't have a way to transport it.  But after thinking about I went back intending to push it home and if I got stuck call my buddy with a truck.  When I got back it two guys were loading it in a van. 

   A few days later there was a Husquvarna out on his lawn.  I stopped by just in case he was thinking about dumping it.  He said it was screwed up and going to sell it.  He said it would not run right.  He showed me a new carb he bought but the probabem was still there so he took off the carb and put the old one back on.  It also had a starting problem.  Sometimes the starter gear would just spin.  I picked it up for $125 just for yucks.  After several spins the gear caught, it started and I drove it home.

   The teeth on the starter were chewed away so I replaced the gear and it started fine.  It ran rough but ran well enough to use.  I was busy and did not get around to cleaning the carb but after a few outings it cleared up, ran fine and has been ever since.   It going on it's fifth season and I've never touched the carb.  It fires right up every year.  

   It looked crappy though with lots of faded milky white splotches all over the thing.  Since the thing has treated me so well this year I picked up a cheap variable speed buffer at HF and buffed it out.  To my surprise it came out fairly well.  The key start has been a pain in the neck over the years but that was becaue its hold down nut was missing.   This year I sprang for a nut.  Other than the nut and gear the only other problem has bee a flat tire.    

   The engine is nice, a Briggs industrial 12 hp with a cast bore and roller bearings on the crank.  I put on a gas line filter and change oil every year and that's been it for work required.  Plenty of power, never changes sound or sag when going mowing or going up a very sharp hill here.  So far I have not even had to replace a belt.  Not bad for $125.

Nice! If it wasn't for the little bit of rust on the deck and flywheel cover, it'd look like it was only a year old. Paint looks great! With 12 hp on something that size, you shouldn't ever run out of power. Now keep your eyes open for a snowblower for it ;)

Looks like an early to mid 1990 model.  I love the front fenders on that machine...very unique.

$125 and you have a trouble free mower for five years and running.  I LOVE it!  I have a neighbor who spent over $3,000 on a new major brand lawn tractor a two years ago.  Unfortunately he's had nothing but problems with it.  Throwing deck belts, electrical issues, and now after approx 50 hours his hydro transmission is failing.  Is it really just the luck of the draw?  

How do you get so lucky finding stuff ? What is the secret. I Need to set up a spy cam on you

Trouts, What do you do for a living?  You have all this free time and goodies!

What year is the engine?....  That model had a weird float bowl carb that would leak badly if neglected... don't tear into it unless you need too. (I think Marvel made or designed that carb..)

---Friiy

Bill_H,

   The deck should be done over.  I’ve never worked on one of these things but I think the deck probably comes off.  It would be nice to get it on saw horses and go through it.  The blade edges are probably round.  The warm weather is back so it should go on the work list.

    I don’t think it can take attachments.  It would be fun to hook up a snowblower and see what it could do.

 

Paul7,

   The parts manual for it is dated 1994-07. 

   $3000 on a lawn tractor and that many problems.  I’d give it back to them through the showroom window.   My car did not cost that much and it’s on it’s 10^th year.  I’ve put about 600 into it but cheap enough over the years.

 

Friiy,

   The engine is probably close to the machine age so around 1994.  

   The carb has a cylinder at the back which I’ve never seen before.  The manual for it does not show a carb similar to mine.  I can’t find the crank bearings in the drawing.  I think an I/C is supposed to be roller bearings but I don’t see rollers or flanges in the drawing.  It’s a model 281707, type 013701, code 89021611.  May be the code 89 is the year. ??

   What ever the carb is it works fine.  Each year I run the carb and tank dry and each year it fires right up, no extended cranking, instant fire-up with choke.  No additives, no Mechanic in a Can.  Interesting that it’s is impossible to cold start without choke no matter what the temp is.  

    It’s got a generator but no lights on this model.  Even the bat is still working fine on this thing.

trouts2 wrote:

hey trouts.

 ALL briggs engines use first two numbers in the code to indicate the year.  and by the way NICE find...those 12hp i/c motors work really well.

Niper99 or Friiy,

   Any idea what rpm the engine should run at in riding mower service? 

   The machine works great as a leaf chopper and blower.  I can make a few passes to make a long line pile and the run over the pile.  It saves me oddles of time over using a leaf blower.  

Hey Trouts, That tractor came with a aluminum bore 11hp engine, someone must have blew it up and put that 12 hp I/C on ... ( I/C made in 89. The tractor was made in 94-97 ) Their loss your gain. The blades for those are cheap, you can get the number off them and buy them at Lowe's or Sears for $20.00 pair... Always nice to have spares, Friiy

That's a nice ride, especially for $ 125.00! It's amazing what a little spit and polish will do for a somewhat neglected piece of OPE. I see all kinds of equipment left out in the elements in my travels and wonder why the owners don't at least put a breathable cover over it to protect it from the UV rays and foul weather.

Friiy,

   You're right.  The engine that should be in there was a 1995 11hp.  No problem, the 12 I/C is nice.  I think it runs at 2200 rpm.  I'll have to stick a tach on it and see what it doing loaded.  

    OK on the blades, cheap enough.  The exploded view of the deck looks complicated but I should deal with it, clean it up and either sharpen or get new blades.