GT 16 after 20+ years storage

23965 Views 141 Replies 35 Participants Last post by bhayden, Aug 30, 2020

bhayden

Discussion Starter · Jul 20, 2014

I'm pulling my GT 16 out from the garage and going to give it a shot at getting it running again. This tractor had a shot deck back in the 80's when I bought it. Not sure where to look for the VIN plate but I'm guessing it's from the mid 70's.

There's lots of love for round fenders. How about some love for round headlights?

OK folks. Next step is to air up the tires and roll it out into the carport. I'm inclined to blow out the air cleaner and see if the carb looks serviceable. If that's a go then a squirt of WD40 into the cylinders. Add some fresh gas and see if it'll crank over with starting fluid. :hide:

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101 - 120 of 142 Posts

gardentractornut

· #101 · Nov 24, 2014

Dang it! If only I had seen this thread sooner! I have the same engine, only a horizontal shaft. I was told to take a ball pein hammer, place the round on that center cup that you busted, and whop the hammer with another on the head to crack the flywheel loose. Worked for me, I can't see why it won't work for you. That's a great engine and worth saving.

bhayden

Discussion Starter · #102 · Nov 24, 2014

gardentractornut said:
Dang it! If only I had seen this thread sooner!... That's a great engine and worth saving.

Maybe not too late. It's true I've busted out the "button" on the end of the crank but it's easy to redistribute the load with the B&S puller tool. It can provide a much wider surface area than a ball peen hammer would. Appreciate the support; next assault on the flywheel coming this Wednesday.

sploke

· #103 · Nov 24, 2014

The MAPP gas cylinders are a mixture of propane and acetylene, effectively. Temp-wise, they are somewhere between pure propane and pure acetylene (go figure). You can get torch setups that allow a combination of MAPP and oxygen that is hot enough to braze with.

gardentractornut

· #104 · Nov 24, 2014

Actually, I believe it's to break the shaft loose from the wheel, not breaking the wheel loose from the shaft. You gettin' what I'm saying? All you need is a sharp pound to break it loose.

mikeinri

· #105 · Nov 25, 2014

I agree, it probably needs a good whack to break the rust bond.

Have you checked over in the Small Engine section? Someone over there may have other ideas.

Mike

sploke

· #106 · Nov 25, 2014

I had a vertical shaft zero-turn that I got stuck with as well, also on a B&S engine. I torqued up the puller as far as I dared, and found a solid fulcrum point near the flywheel. I put a large crowbar under the flywheel and applied slight pressure upward (you are not trying to pry the flywheel off, only keep an upward pressure on it). Then, I proceeded to smack the end of the shaft with a hammer. After 4-5 solid blows, it popped.

bhayden

Discussion Starter · #107 · Jul 25, 2015

She's B-A-C-K

Closed on the property where I had a shop and the GT 18 had been in hibernation the last two decades. Hauled her home instead of to the dump :hide:

So, still stuck on the stuck flywheel. I think next step is to go buy some grade 8 bolts and torque down the puller and see what gives :dunno:

0725151507 by Alden_Sloe, on Flickr

Next question. Is this a three point hitch? If so, is it "standard" enough that other attachments (i.e. not specific to this ancient Murray built manchine) would fit?

0725151507a by Alden_Sloe, on Flickr

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SuburbanRick

· #108 · Jul 26, 2015

That hitch is worth more than the tractor and will fit other versions

bhayden

Discussion Starter · #109 · Jul 26, 2015

SuburbanRick said:
That hitch is worth more than the tractor and will fit other versions

Thanks, sort of what I thought and why I've kept the beast all these years. So, it is a 3 point? I've been trying to figure out what a "sleeve hitch" is.

I have a rear blade for this set-up and what I think is called a cultivator. The rear blade is what I bought it for and used (years ago).

SuburbanRick

· #110 · Jul 26, 2015

Its an electric 3 point hitch A sleeve hitch attaches thru one hole that is a few inch long tube to support picking up an attachment

bhayden

Discussion Starter · #111 · Jul 26, 2015

SuburbanRick said:
Its an electric 3 point hitch A sleeve hitch attaches thru one hole that is a few inch long tube to support picking up an attachment

YES! It is electically driven to raise/lower the rear implement. Haven't figured out if that still works. Did 20 years ago :fing32:

After looking at several threads about sleeve hitches I sort of figured out that's not what I have. Then there were threads about different 3 pt hitch standard types that I didn't understand. But, sounds like this is a semi-standard attachment that will work on other machines.

I really don't want to let this get the better of me and am bound and determined to get that dang flywheel off. But finding a mower deck for this machine would be a miricale so I'm thinking take the engine (if I get it running) and the rear hitch attachments and buy a tractor that it will bolt up to.

skills4lou

· #112 · Jul 27, 2015

The 3pt is Sears specific sizing. You'll find that "universal" 3pts come in Cat 0,1,2 and 3. (0 being smallest, 3 largest). The Sears version is closest to Cat 0, but much narrower.

As for the flywheel I can't help you there. I've got one of these engines in a GT6000 ('93 version) that I tried all sorts of tricks and it still hasn't budged. Thankfully mine still runs, but I dread ever really NEEDing to remove it.

matt167

· #113 · Jul 27, 2015

If your really daring. You can drill the rock shaft holes out on your 3pt to 5/8" and get Cat-0 hitch pins. Then you can order Cat-0 parts from Bill Ruegg and have a Cat-0 Sears hitch. Being you have the electric hitch, you have clearance for the lift links. The handle collides with the right side one on a manual hitch and needs 'adjustment'

bhayden

Discussion Starter · #114 · Aug 9, 2015

skills4lou said:
The 3pt is Sears specific sizing. You'll find that "universal" 3pts come in Cat 0,1,2 and 3. (0 being smallest, 3 largest). The Sears version is closest to Cat 0, but much narrower.

As for the flywheel I can't help you there. I've got one of these engines in a GT6000 ('93 version) that I tried all sorts of tricks and it still hasn't budged. Thankfully mine still runs, but I dread ever really NEEDing to remove it.

Great info everyone on the 3 pt hitch. Today's news... I got the flywheel off!
:00000033:

I came across this thread, B&S Opposed Twin Rebuild Guidance Needed. Maybe the key is leaving it under tension. I'd left it torqued for a few months while finishing up the sale of the house. I'd tried beating on it before but, really procrastinating on the other stuff I needed to be doing, decided to give it another try per the encouragement in this thread.

Dang if it didn't work. I couldn't believe it.

0808151020 by Alden_Sloe, on Flickr

This thing was on there. I didn't get a good shot of it but it completely sheared one of the washers I was using to spread the load from the puller.

0808151022 by Alden_Sloe, on Flickr
It fractured the swivel on the end of the puller I was using in conjunction with the B&S puller:

0808151023 by Alden_Sloe, on Flickr
And mulched the end of the crankshaft.

0808151024b by Alden_Sloe, on Flickr
But in the end... SUCCESS!!!

0808151032 by Alden_Sloe, on Flickr

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larrybl

· #115 · Aug 9, 2015

Yep, those need persuasion sometimes. The damage seems minimal, the crank should be fine, at least on mine it was. When you get into the engine might want to look this over. http://www.mytractorforum.com/44-small-engines-repair/152946-hulk-repower-18-hp-b-s-build.html

Any chance you want to sell the 3-pt?

bhayden

Discussion Starter · #116 · Aug 9, 2015

Getting the flywheel off

Boy, no kidding. I read through your entire thread. :thanku:

I did use Kroil on mine. So maybe the extended time under tension combined with the months it had to work it's way down helped. I know I'd tried beating on it without success but I'm not sure I'd ever tried the hand sledge with the impact socket on the end of the puller. Hard to believe it was that easy after all the "tricks" I'd used to date :bonk:

Cast into the flywheel is the warning "DO NOT PRY" :tsk: But with my engine there's nothing to pry against. It's all just the shroud tin underneath. In fact the main reason I needed to pull the flywheel was to remove the shroud that cover the old points so that I can make a nice clean swap over to the Magnatronic ignition.

Now, to pull out the instructions for the Magnatronic again and relearn which wire goes where. As I remember it wasn't as straight forward as you might think.

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llawrence9

· #117 · Aug 9, 2015

You might consider pulling the shrouds and dislodging any critter nests that seem to grow in those places. Critter nests make great tinder. That was an exciting day. roast rodent, Yum.
Pulling the heads on an old flathead flat twin may not be too hard for you.
There is an good chance you have a stuck valve or two and you will be able to see what the bores look like. If you can clean up the bores before you crank it you are less likely to clog and stick a ring in place with trash.
A circle of cardboard against the top of the piston to prevent trash from going past. Steel wool, shop vac repeat as needed.

best of luck bringing the dead to life.

larrybl

· #118 · Aug 9, 2015

llawrence9 said:
You might consider pulling the shrouds and dislodging any critter nests that seem to grow in those places. Critter nests make great tinder. That was an exciting day. roast rodent, Yum.
Pulling the heads on an old flathead flat twin may not be too hard for you.
There is an good chance you have a stuck valve or two and you will be able to see what the bores look like. If you can clean up the bores before you crank it you are less likely to clog and stick a ring in place with trash.
A circle of cardboard against the top of the piston to prevent trash from going past. Steel wool, shop vac repeat as needed.

best of luck bringing the dead to life.

I agree, but make sure the shrouds are in place before running it. It will overheat quick.

bhayden

Discussion Starter · #119 · Aug 9, 2015

Shrouds are all off and (mostly) repainted. It's just the one covering the points that I couldn't get to with the flywheel on. It was remarkable free of debris when I pulled them off. I plan to see if it will fire before putting the shrouds back on. I figure it should be OK for 5-10 seconds. I suppose I could point a big floor fan at it when I test fire it.

bricklayer81

· #120 · Jun 16, 2017

this is my gt 16 1979 sears tractor made by the murray company and i love it

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