18hp Briggs and Stratton twin tuning help

[FergusonTO35]

That is what I meant, variable speed pulley system. I thought Varidrive was the trade name for that particular setup?

 

[Al Smith]

Spring loaded pulleys,work like a snowmobile drive .Yes they will burn belts .

 

[Al Smith]

I've never had a problem with the opposed piston Briggs except a bad coil .However I did buy a mower the danged dealer told the owner was ruined because a mouse had build a nest in the engine .The guy was dumb enough to believe that BS story and bought a zero turn .I gave 200 bucks running on one cylinder .Found out which side wasn't firing,pulled the head and knocked the valve seat back in place and peened it in,running about a half hour after I got it .It still runs but doesn't see much action since I got the 54" Toro zero turn which BTW the 23 HP Kawasaki uses less gas than the Briggs 18 and mows about 3 times as fast--zoom zoom .

 

[FergusonTO35]

Those big Kawasakis are sweet. My dad has one on his JD riding mower.

 

[Al Smith]

I think they are made in Grand Rapid Mich .It's a pressure lubed engine I believe which should be more robust than a flat head Briggs .I think in 3 years I have like 65 hours on it mowing about 2.5 acres .Like I said it's fast .I even hook a little trailer to it,toss in my saws and go to the woods .I can't go over little downed saplings with a tractor type like that zero turn .Handy

 

[FergusonTO35]

I'm a big fan of Briggs OHV engines, even the cheaper Power Built series. I have always found they work better than side valves in just about every way. My 1990 Murray 12hp/38 riding mower had an I/C series side valve engine. My great uncle ran it dry a couple of times and then gave it to me. I bought a Power Built 10.5 OHV (same displacement as the 12.5 but costs less) for it back in 2008 and it still runs like new today. Uses less fuel, runs smoother, and just as strong as the old I/C was even before my uncle fubar'd it.

 

[AVB]

Are you sure that the 21 CI is the same displacement as the 28 CI? If I remember correctly the 10.5 OHV is a 210000 series where the 12.5 L head was a 280000 series which is the 14.5 in the ohv series.

Most applications here the 10.5 is way under powered and I need to put a 14.5 or larger engine in place of the 12.5 L head. Matter of fact I got a Yard Machines 42" cut that has 16.5 OHV that can't even cut a lawn if is the least bit over grown. Most these 42" takes a 19.5 HP which is why I am upgrading it to a 21hp. I know over kill you think but considering what I am planning to cut with it, it will need the extra HP.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I don't know whether the displacement of the 10.5 OHV is more or less than the 12 side valve it replaced. All I remember is, back in 2008 when I bought it, I looked at the parts breakdown for the 10.5 and 12.5 Power Built engines. The parts that affect displacement were the same on both engines. Sorry, should have been more clear on that point. I have always found that when mowing you get more useful engine power out of a gear transmission than a hydro, that's for sure.

 

[AVB]

On the Briggs the first digits of the model number is the displacement.