Seeking input on what to do with a dying Horse

[kadetklapp 1]

Some of you may know the saga of my Wheel Horse (WorkHorse) GT-1800 I got at the end of last summer. Mowed fine with it for a while after replacing the coil and servicing it real well. Found it to be down on power to the point where it would stall on incline with the PTO engaged. Last week we tore into it and found the exhaust valve seat had popped out and no compression in the front cylinder (Engine is a Briggs 18HP twin old style). We pinged the valve seat back in and it's squared away, but it appears that the valve is way undersized and does not seal. I have compression, but it still runs badly. You can see light thru the valve when it's shut.

Located a new valve for $20, and we are going to put it in and see if that fixes it, but I was told not to hold my breath. So far I have about $350 in this tractor. It's solid, but has been neglected. The front spindles need replaced, the tie rods are shot, the steering shaft has issues, the seat is shot, front tires are rotted, carb needs rebuilt, needs a battery, and is in need of body, paint and decals in the worst way. The deck could use some attention, has a bad brake, electrical needs work, etc.

Without getting rid of it, what would you do? I know I can part it out, but I do like this tractor. I don't *NEED* it right away, so I can put some work into it, but money is tight.

Momma is against buying a new Chinese diesel motor. $650 is hard for her to swallow when it comes to such an old mower.

Rebuilding the old engine will be around $750 according to some places I talked to.

Repower confuses me because I'm not all that familiar with horizontal shaft engines. I don't know what will work with my PTO drive and what won't. I don't want to go too small because I would like to plow or blow snow with it eventually.

Again, just looking for some ideas here. Working on a small budget of -nill- at the moment. I will put some money into it, but only if it's reasonable.

[Hodge71 664]

I'm not sure putting money into a Breaks n Scrap em rebuild is the way to go. Its only my opinion that repowering it with a good used Kohler might be a better and cheaper route. A good 16 horse Kohler will run as well as the Briggs, if not better. It would also be a direct swap because many Horses came with Kohlers. The other option would be to find a running Briggs 18 to throw in her. Either way you are probably going to spend money. Maybe not as much as your quotes above state but still you must spend some green to get your horse motivating again. I guess it all comes up to what you WANT to spend/do. I bought a 1973 18 auto last December that I was told only had an hydro oil leak. I came to find out after getting it home it needed a new hydro pump, motor, the carb was shot and needed a rebuild a,d a whole ton of other stuff that has crept up. I bet I have a ton ( I'm too scared to actually add up the receipts) tied up including the purchase price of $600. I chose to keep the tractor and its been a huge labor of love since then. YOU are the only one that can decide what the right thing to do is. I say keep it and fix her up. I'm not a huge Briggs fan but a horse is a horse....

[Wheelhorse84 87]

She looks to be in great original shape otherwise. Keep her and fix it up.

[AMC RULES 37,130]

:auto-checkeredflag: Ditto, keep it and repower with a Kohler instead.

[kadetklapp 1]

I love this tractor. Once you get the hang of it, the hydro is so smooth and believe or not, the patchwork deck cuts my grass way better than my 2007 JD did. It's just a matter of $$. My concern is, knowing how I get into projects and never finish them, is I'll set it aside and lose interest. I want this baby to work.

First thing is I'll try a new valve and see where that gets me. If it gets me thru the summer, maybe I can get a diesel and drop it under the hood.

In the event that doesn't work, what Kohlers should I look out for? I mean, other than other wheel horses, what other tractors ran a swapable motor?

[Dockfishin 51]

Run an add in the wanted section, I see you're in Indiana if you're not to far from MI to drive up to see Kelly I'm sure he has some options for you. I'd start with a wanted ad and by pm'n him if it's not to far to see what options he has for you.

[kpinnc 12,096]

PM sent.

I have an old horizontal opposed Briggs twin in my shop, and it was running when I put it up. The tractor it was on was an old Snapper someone gave me, and I refused to have one of those in my shop, but figured the engine may be of some use...LOL It's not an 18hp, but they tended to be quite similar from one size to the other. If the whole thing or any parts from it are something you can use, let me know. I can get you the numbers on it if you want to try and check it out as an option.

[Hydro 131]

Even from way up here I would not scrap that tractor. If all you are doing is cutting grass you could easily go down to a 14 Kohler single if you wanted. I agree with Hodge, the 16 single gives you more options but with the 48" deck I would not go below 14Hp with a hydro-static transmission. I know some people on here really like the Chinese Diesels but they are noisy and they smoke when under a load. I would sooner have the Kohler :flags-canada:

[Rollerman 290]

To nice of a tractor to give up on, other than the engine...the other issues are minor.

A battery, front tires & a seat can be had from Rural King, TSC or Surplus Center for a reasonable price.

Tie rods & spindals are pretty easy to come by...."send a PM to Kelly".

I can't offer any advice on the Briggs, but if the valve seat is that torn up....?

Maybe watch C list for another B&S, or a Kohler.

Deffinatley follow up with Kevin though "kpinnc".

[IthacaJeff 151]

^{The description below sounds like both my tractors; a 310-8 and a 416-8. Patched' emup with minimal cash (e.g., the metal baffles on my Kohler 341 are hand bent pieces ofsheet metal I had lying around). It's now been about 11 yrs I've had the 310, 3 yearson the 416, which has been my main mower. Steering on both is loose, front wheelswobble, rear seals leak (sometimes), gotta hot wire the 310, but the suckers keep ongoing. I'd look for a 14-16 hp Kohler and go from there.JeffIt's solid, but has been neglected. The front spindles need replaced, the tie rods are shot, the steering shaft has issues, the seat is shot, front tires are rotted, carb needs rebuilt, needs a battery, and is in need of body, paint and decals in the worst way. The deck could use some attention, has a bad brake, electrical needs work, etc.}

[Jake Kuhn 1,555]

Yes I agree,Put a used kohler in it. Jake

[kadetklapp 1]

I appreciate the input. What model number Kohler should I look for (I've never owned a Kohler in my life). K341?

[Rooster 191]

For $750 I can make that Briggs opposed put out 25HP! Of course it would not be worth anything on a Using tractor then...but my point is there is no reason to spend that much money on it!

The only thing that could be different on that engine is maybe the PTO shaft, Get some measurements. Very possibly you could bolt in a newer style block and have a lot better engine.

I could help you rebuild that engine for a song and it would be better than new, and you would retain the original engine!

As for just fixing the valve..after installing the seat, did you lap the valve to it?

[kadetklapp 1]

For $750 I can make that Briggs opposed put out 25HP! Of course it would not be worth anything on a Using tractor then...but my point is there is no reason to spend that much money on it!

The only thing that could be different on that engine is maybe the PTO shaft, Get some measurements. Very possibly you could bolt in a newer style block and have a lot better engine.

I could help you rebuild that engine for a song and it would be better than new, and you would retain the original engine!

As for just fixing the valve..after installing the seat, did you lap the valve to it?

After it was reseated, we just ran it to see what it would do. The valve is really undersized by the looks of things. It is not tight in the opening at all. Local machine shop wanted $200 up front just to look at it.

[Kelly 1,029]

First I want to thank everyone above for pointing people in my direction, I'm not sure where in IN you are , but I have a Briggs 18hp from a GT 1800 in pieces that was taken apart because it used oil, then the PO never put it back together, so I have a block and other parts here, I'd sell cheap, or I have a dozen Kolher single cyl. engines I can sell you, along with any parts needed to do the swap, send me a PM and what city your in, so we can see how far away you are.

[Callen 64]

You may be able to reset the lash and lap the valve in. When you put a seat back in, it will usually go in a little deeper. Do you see light all the way around the valve?

[Forest Road 594]

If you spend some cash on one of these old Wheel Horses it's money well spent. I've seen few pieces of machinery that are as affordable, durable, and parts easily available as these trusty little tractors. Dollar for dollar they're pretty hard to beat. Name another piece of equipment with a nearly 40 year span going virtually unchanged. That's 40 years of used parts and accessories just a keystroke away. Rebuild it right and you'll be working it for another 20 years. Good luck to ya!

[6wheeler 603]

Her shaft is bent and the rear-end leaks. You can fix er quick with an oily rag. She uses a little oil but outside of that , she's CHERRY . Put a 341 in it . Paint and such don't make it go any better. And besides, From here it looks fine. If you like it now, you will love it with a Kohler. As far as the rest of it? Fix it up on the fly . Wheel Horses like it that way (At least, MINE do.)

[can whlvr 993]

i would scrap her and send her up to canada but seriosly she can be salvaged,ive had way worse lookin machines,i agree with the kohler transplant.the other stuff you do as you can afford,most of my tractors have tie wire holding the tie rods together,and some time working on her she could be solid

[brybrychrismer 17]

Kohler transplant on that horse a little elbow grease and time and it will be right as rain.

[kadetklapp 1]

I just hate to put a Kohler on it, not because the Kohler is a bad motor, just because it's not original. At this rate anything is an improvement though. Rooster kindly offered to go thru the Briggs and do it up right for me, but the shipping would be a killer.

We'll see what the valve does.

[Indy w h 5]

If I had a B&S I'd let you have it !! But I don't Keep your head up !! You'll find something !!

[Jim_M 178]

I don't think it could get any easier or cheaper than Kelly's offer.

[SousaKerry 501]

Hell put a series II kt-17 in it, then when you repaint it put on some 317 decals and no one will ever know....The tractor in my avatar is a c-125 that has a 17 in it now, when I get to it I already have the C-175 stickers

[Rooster 191]

I just hate to put a Kohler on it, not because the Kohler is a bad motor, just because it's not original. At this rate anything is an improvement though. Rooster kindly offered to go thru the Briggs and do it up right for me, but the shipping would be a killer.

We'll see what the valve does.

I make it through Indiana a couple of times a year. It might take a bit, but whatever you do don't get rid of the original engine.

Get me some measurements on the PTO, I probably have everything to make a good engine for you, then we could just swap out on one of my trips through.

Even if you do repower it now to keep p it going, you could always put it back original later....don't give up on it!