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I have a 1987 model Snapper rear engine rider and I have a replacement engine ordered for it. I have been told that there is a keyway at the end of the shaft coming out of the [vertical] engine. If I remove the mounting bolts, will the engine slip off of the top of the pulleys, or how much work will be involved? I am somewhat of an auto tech, but when it comes to small engine replacement, I'm starting from scratch. It's an 11 hp vertical Briggs engine. Any advice is appreciated!! Thanks in advance!!

Swapping engines on a scale of 1-10 is probably around a 5 - not hard, but theres some stuff involved. The rear engined tractor is a bit tougher, with all the mechanicals located at the back, but it can be done with normal tools.
First off id reccomend taking photos/drawings of linkages/belt paths/ect before taking anything off, to help with reassembly.
The wires from the starter motor, and charging system need to be unhooked, the fuel lines ( gas should be drained out) and throttle/choke cables need to be unhooked, since the old motor is no good, id drain the oil out of it ( ive tipped one over- its a mess!) to be on the safe side. Pretty much the only thing left is removing the motor mount bolts, it might be easier to either jack it up and block it or since its a Snapper - it could be stood on end and easily unbolted. The motor and drive plate/pulley should come out thru the chassis.
Once the motor is off the tractor, you'll have to remove the pulley/plate to put on new motor, theres a small allenhead screw holding it on the motor- loosen that , it might be a bit tough to pull off, but it will.
When putting on the new motor, use a light coating of never seize on the engine crank end, so if it needs removing later- itll come off easier. Remount the motor back on the chassis, and reattach all the linkages/hoses. Id suggest a good high quality SAE 30 motor oil and using a new fuel filter on the fuel line. The only thing that might be a problem is the charging system wire - you might have to splice it, depending on the wires from the motor and chassis. After the first mowing- to be sure , just recheck all the engine mount bolts- check it over.

2007-08-27 22:47:44 by DP

A short video of a clean nice running Murray Lawn Chief riding mower.

Like what has to be removed to get the belt off the engine shaft pulley?

Which belt needs replacing? The blade belt is quite a bit easier than the drive belt. It is pretty hard to describe. It will probably be easier to go on line and pull the manuals. You should be able to pull up some blow-ups to get a better idea of what it entails. Sorry.

2009-06-09 17:15:44 by Jimmy S

Price: $1,199.00 $1,178.45

Non-CARB Compliant/Not For Sale In California
Better visibility for maneuvering in tight spaces
Single blade, deep draw deck

I have a Snapper rear engine lawn mower. When I turn sharp in one direction, the front wheels get stuck. The steering wheel is very hard to straighten out and one in a while it gets stuck in position and I have to kick the wheel while driving to get it to turn straight.

What is the problem and what can I do to fix this? I have alredy stripped/sheared the bolt at the steering column from forcing the wheels straight from turning.

Thoughts anyone?

My suggestion is to check the gear and steering plate (called a sector gear) and seeing if there are problems with their movements This can be done by setting the machine up on end and looking at the steering as you move the wheel. If you need to replace the parts, then search http://www.snapper.com for your nearest dealer, as Snapper does not sell parts directly to the customer.

2007-07-06 09:15:19 by skobie

Price: $119.99

Includes mower, handle, composite wheels
2-year warranty
20-inch reel mower with 10-inch dual tracking wheels and rugged radial tires

I am the proud inheritor of a Yard-Man "Easy Rider" rear-engine riding lawn mower powered by a 12.57 cu. in. 5HP Briggs and Stratton vertical crankshaft engine. The following are the identification codes off the engine tag:

MODEL: 130902
TYPE: 0355 02
CODE: 76102507

I cannot seem to find a replacement engine out there, as the machine was probably built around 1980 or so (I'm guessing). I'd have to imagine that there's a more up-to-date engine that I can drop into this beast.

Is it workable to replace such an old engine with something with a few more "horses?" I'm really having trouble getting any info on "OEM"-type replacements.

Thanks!

Jayson

As stated, the shaft size is the most important thing. The mounting pattern will be the same on a similar sized engine. The engine you have was made in 1976, they haven't changed much over the years. I would think that you could go up towards 10 hp before the shaft size changes.

2008-05-11 17:02:08 by Chainsaw On Idle

We just bought a used rear engine riding mower, runs good and cuts good. But after my hubby mowed our acre, when he turned it off he said it spit flames out the back...maybe from the muffler??? It only did it for a second, but we would like to know whats wrong with it so we can try to fix it.....did it get too hot or what?? I need help please!

There are some good answers here. The most likely cause is as mentioned, hot muffler and fuel cause the backfire. It is always a good idea to let the machine run for a couple of minutes at idle after hard use. That allows the engine to cool itself down. You might check the air flow through the cowling. It could be pluged with grass and causing the engine to run a bit hot. One other thing could be that the engine is running a bit rich.

2007-09-16 13:50:42 by CKristi247