Recoil start conversion from blown donor engine

turbofiat124

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This post originally started out as "Briggs and Stratton parts compatibility" thread. The goal was to use the recoil starter mechanism from a 2000 14HP engine that threw a rod (after only 2 or 3 years) and use it on a 15HP engine that came from the factory without a recoil starter.

The 14 hp model number is a 287707
The 15 hp model number is a 276016 which baffles me because I cannot find any reference to this model.

This project turned out to be more than I bargained for. This mower must have sat out in the weather because allot of the fasteners were frozen and required allot of PB Blaster and a propane torch (not together!)

I found out everything will pretty much bolt up between engines (mounting holes in the block are the same) but I had to do some hacking on the metal shield to get the dipstick tube to clear. And some removal of plastic on the side of the dipstick tube. I couldn't use the dipstick from the donor engine because the hole in the block is larger on the 15HP engine.

I pretty much had to remove everything (flywheel, intake, muffler) to get the heat shields off. A guy I work who has been working on small engines for 40 years claims the shield that wraps around the cylinder is to prevent dirt from getting between the fins and without it, cools better. Any thoughts on that one? Looks to me that shield allows grass to get packed between the fins and cannot be blown out with compressed air. I'm going to check this with my infrared heat gun against one of my other mowers to see if this is true.

I was going to wait until my air cleaner arrived before taking photos. Instead of using the 14 HP air cleaner which would require adding a 7/16" port for the crankcase hose I ordered this 1.75" K&N look alike air cleaner.

After I got the recoil housing mounted, I discovered the hood wouldn't close all way! So I had to cut a couple of the louvers off so it would clear it. I also drilled out the pop rivets and rotated the recoil 90 degrees so the pull handle is coming out the side instead of toward the back.

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Scrubcadet10

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Looks good!! :thumbsup:
need ya a carburetor and air intake poking outta the hood :laughing::laughing:
 

MowLife

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The heat shields are designed to direct air flow through the fins for cooling. Air flow is generated from the flywheel...sucks in from the top and pushed the air through the fins. Without the tin shields you will overheat.
 

Romore

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276016 is not an engine model or even a valid part number. Your buddy is pumping sunshine, that shield is required to direct cooling air around the fins. Without it the engine will overheat. It does get plugged with grass and needs to be periodically cleaned.
 

turbofiat124

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276016 is not an engine model or even a valid part number. Your buddy is pumping sunshine, that shield is required to direct cooling air around the fins. Without it the engine will overheat. It does get plugged with grass and needs to be periodically cleaned.

I'll install it. I think I can install it fairly easily by removing the hood without having to take intake and exhaust off.
 

turbofiat124

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I did some more work on the Murray. I painted some yellow flames on the hood. Not the best flame job! After the paint cures, this fall I'm going to accent around the flames with a blue paint pen. Hopefully it will look better. And try to machine polish the red paint on the hood which is dead.

I painted the headlight assembly white. People says this reflects light better and installed some LED reverse light bulbs.

Sharpened the blades. Fixed the brakes. One of the pegs was seized.

The K&N knock off air cleaner I got off Ebay for about $10. I made a sock out of that shop vac foam rubber. I stretched it around the filter and marked it. Then applied RTV to one side and clamped it down in a bench vice and let it cure overnight. Then trimmed off the excess then turn it inside out.

I got a few more things to do. Like paint the foot rests and sprinkle this grout like stuff on it then paint over it.
 

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