Just ordered a new engine for my Tiger Cub

Hi Troops,
With spring just around the corner and an ailing engine on my Tiger Cub, I just ordered a new repower engine. Having agonized some about this, I decided to go with a Briggs 49M977 which is a 30HP twin with the cyclonic air filtration system. I really wanted a Kawasaki FX730, but the dollars to complete the job would be more than twice the cost of the Briggs and just not in my budget!!! I need to get this done and put some time on the engine before spring cleanup starts. The present engine, a Briggs 26HP ELS engine with 500 hours is loosing compression in the L/H cylinder and a leakdown test shows all the leakage going by the rings. I'm not happy with this situation but it is what it is. I'll tear down the old engine later on this year to see what is ailing it, however it will not be a priority. I also need to buy a new hedge trimmer as my Echo is also ailing and I'm undecided about which hedge trimmer to buy.
Anyway, this is what is going on with Mad Mackie in CT:laughing:

Cool, where did you end up getting your briggs from?

eBay seller equipatron.
Mad Mackie in CT

Mad Mackie said:

eBay seller equipatron.
Mad Mackie in CT

Click to expand...

That should push that tiger around pretty good.

I wasn't crazy about going from 26 HP to 30 HP but the only engine available with cyclonic air filtration is the 30 HP model so I went with it. Eventually Briggs will make other HP models available with cyclonic air filtration, but I can't wait until then. The new engine has a ' fuel management system', and I have mixed feelings about fuel management on carburetored engines, but I'll soon find out!!!! The seller, "equipatron", sent me info from Briggs regarding the change from my original engine to the new engine and it is basically a direct swap over with possibly some electrical changes. I may replace the hour meter however it was new about two years ago. I'm also going to replace the key switch as I suspect that it has been the source of intermittent cranking problems. With the weather in the mid west being as it is I expect that shipping the engine to me will be delayed some. Where I have the machine stored there is still piled snow so I will need to deal with this to get it out and into my trailer to bring it my shop, always something!!!!!!:confused2:
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing:

Mad Mackie said:

I wasn't crazy about going from 26 HP to 30 HP but the only engine available with cyclonic air filtration is the 30 HP model so I went with it. Eventually Briggs will make other HP models available with cyclonic air filtration, but I can't wait until then. The new engine has a ' fuel management system', and I have mixed feelings about fuel management on carburetored engines, but I'll soon find out!!!! The seller, "equipatron", sent me info from Briggs regarding the change from my original engine to the new engine and it is basically a direct swap over with possibly some electrical changes. I may replace the hour meter however it was new about two years ago. I'm also going to replace the key switch as I suspect that it has been the source of intermittent cranking problems. With the weather in the mid west being as it is I expect that shipping the engine to me will be delayed some. Where I have the machine stored there is still piled snow so I will need to deal with this to get it out and into my trailer to bring it my shop, always something!!!!!!:confused2:
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing:

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Let us know how it works out, and some pictures too if you can.

Engine just arrived so the ball is in my court so to speak! Now I need to get the Tiger Cub running and get it out of storage and back to my shop!! I'll take some pics as I progress thru the repower. My trailer is still snowed in some and filled with stuff so I have to deal with snow both here and where the machine is stored. Hopefully we won't get nasty weather over the next few days so I can get going on this project! My plow tractor is in the ready position and I'll probably need it to move some snow around, oh well it is what it is!!!:confused2:
Later
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::smile::wink:

Looking over the paperwork that came with my new engine which is a Briggs Commercial Turf Series model # 49M977-1036-G5. It has an engine oil cooler, nice to have, and a Fuel Management System. There is no choke in the carb as the fuel management system handles the cold start fuel management, it will take me a while to get aquainted with a no choke system. I will probably remove the choke cable from the control system and leave the choke lever in place. The Cyclonic air filtration system takes some of the incoming cooling air where some of the dust particles have been discarded and passes the air around a cylinderical filter supposedly removing more unwanted particles and blowing them overboard thru a valve. Then the incoming air then passes thru the air filter element and into the carb. I hope that this system does as advertised as I am looking forward to not having to replace the air filter element every 12-18 hours of operation as I have had to do with the original engine. I had been buying two 4 packs of air filters every season at $80 per pack!!!
Right now where my trailer is parked I need to drive on the lawn which is very soft, so it may be a while before I get to pickup my machine where it is stored where I will have the same problem plus the plowed snow piles.:confused2:
Later
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing:

Getting anxious to get the Tiger Cub repowered but my truck is at the dealer getting some items addressed while it is still on warranty. Getting my trailer emptied out so I can go and get my machine and the ground is drying so I probably won't tear up much grass getting my trailer back onto the driveway. I am cautiously optimistic that we have seen the last of deep snow, but surprises do happen!!!
Later
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing:

Hi Troops,
Today the old engine came off and the new one went on. No problem removing the clutch and the drive pulley. The new engine fired right up. I'll put some time on the engine before I start spring cleanup for my customers.
I had been out in PA for a model train show, but canceled the Ohio part of the trip due to weather so we got home sooner than scheduled. I got home Sunday PM and relaxed yesterday, but today was repower day so I got myself motivated and got the job done. I'm going to put some time on the engine before I reinstall all the stuff and the collection bags on the rear. I took some pics and when I figure out how to post them here I'll do it!!!:confused2:
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing: