Hi Gang. I've been waffling on putting a replacement engine on a 1991 Simplicity 12.5 LTH that I bought last summer with a blown motor.(Hole through the side of the block. The owner sheepishly told me he never checked his oil, but would now.) LOL. Well I finally decided to to go ahead with it. This was originally to be a parts mower for my 12.5 LTH. Over the weekend I was cutting my lawn and when I finished I went over the my elderly neighbors yard and cut her lawn just to clean up up from the fall. She has a lawn service that takes care of it, but over the last few years, the quality of their work has gone down hill. I used to be envious of how nice her yard looked compared to mine, and now it's reversed. She wishes hers was as nice as mine. The next day she was out in her yard and my wife and I went over to shoot the breeze. She thanked me for cutting the lawn and remarked on how nice it looked. Then she said, she need a caretaker for the property and someone she can trust and that if I wanted to do it, the job was mine. She said she would pay what she paid the service, but I said no, just take care of gas money and any materials I may use on the lawn. Anyway we worked out a deal and now I have approximately another 11/2 to 2 acres to mow. Hard to tell since I will be cutting paths through some fields and some wooded areas.Shes always been a great nieghbor, so what the heck. And now I have a good excuse to add some more OPE and not get the "Look" from the wife. LOL
Anyway I want to replace the engine on the other Simplicity to have a back up LT. I want to replace the 12.5 Vanguard V-twin with a 16 hp Vanguard V-twin. I have one pretty much ready lined up online. I just want to make sure that it is a direct replacement for my engine and that no mods will have to be made. So far I've basically been told to measure the shaft and mounting holes but there are other variables within the type code. I called Briggs about 3 hrs. ago and a tech said no problem, then that it was problem, because that part of their computer program was not functioning at the time. He took my name and number and said he would call me back. ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I guess what I would like to know, is there any site or would anybody know where I could find out if these engines are interchangeable. I finished taking the old one out yesterday. Shouldn't be to hard with a matched replacement to install the new one
OLD---12.5 HP Vanguard V-twin Model 290777 Type 0410
NEW--16 HP Vanguard V-twin Model 303777 Type 1165
Any help is much appreciated, in the mean time I'll call "Bruce" at Briggs and see if the computers running at full tilt again.
Thanks, Kevin
PS. I edited the type on the 12.5 HP. I was using the type# from my LT that runs.
This message was modified Apr 19, 2005 by Vangellis
Simplicity Conquest
