LT1045 puzzle

[Ron Armbruster]

This fancy high powered hunk is actually the first thing I owned that said cub cadet on it. Notice lower case cub cadet. This thing is so cheap and junkie it's an insult to Cub Cadets. Anyhow I inherited this or it was abandoned and I foolishly brought it home. Everything I find claims it should have a Kohler 20 horse engine. It has a 16.5 B&S Vanguard. I would think that this would be a repower/replacement engine. I am not able to acquire a muffler. Everything that says 20 horse Kohler on it looks way different. Any ideas?

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

I have the same mower. That is defiantly a repower. Mine is a 2008 model, I believe with ~180 hrs.

 

[Ron Armbruster]

I went to th B&S website,I couldn't find a single cylinder 16.5. I need a muffler and an oil filter. I even tried that exposed website, didn't find help there.

 

[Ron Armbruster]

Repower . Stupid spell check.

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/n...wer-engines/intek-series-single-cylinder.htmlMay be of some help.

 

[gary noblit]

A lot of experience with 1045 series cubs in the last few years. The Kohler "courage" engine has a nasty habit of coming unglued(thrown rods, cracked case etc) >At one time I had 5 in my junkpile and I'm small town country.I'm so convinced of bad odds I won't own one or sell one.Cub wasn't the only mfg using those engines(18-20hp)..I contacted Kohler,their answer was:If you were original owner(can Prove it),it's less than 5 yrs old and take it to a certified dealer Kohler would send a short block to replace the bad engine.Point is they knew they put out some bad engines....That is surely the reason for a replacement engine. I still have a lot of faith in the Kohler "command" with no issues like the "courage"....Hp wise your B&S is close and should be a good engine...

 

[gary noblit]

Forgot to mention..B&S ..if the first 2 numbers under the word code is 99 that's when that engine was built....

 

[Matt Ellerbee]

A lot of experience with 1045 series cubs in the last few years. The Kohler "courage" engine has a nasty habit of coming unglued(thrown rods, cracked case etc) >At one time I had 5 in my junkpile and I'm small town country.I'm so convinced of bad odds I won't own one or sell one.Cub wasn't the only mfg using those engines(18-20hp)..I contacted Kohler,their answer was:If you were original owner(can Prove it),it's less than 5 yrs old and take it to a certified dealer Kohler would send a short block to replace the bad engine.Point is they knew they put out some bad engines....That is surely the reason for a replacement engine. I still have a lot of faith in the Kohler "command" with no issues like the "courage"....Hp wise your B&S is close and should be a good engine...

Yep, the problem was the top cover bolts backing out, not the shroud but actual engine cover under flywheel. Then the flywheel grabbing them and cracking the block just in front of the starter.
Luckily I've had good luck with mine, though the hours are lower than most.

 

[gary noblit]

I know of 2 "courage" that have near 400 hrs but they still scare me. Back to the B&S; the main concerns are wiring especially charging system, kill wire, solenoid wire on carb. and the muffler location.If some one with knowledge did the swap you're probably fine. If not you may be chasing.....

 

[gary noblit]

Ron,I didn't address the muffler. It's highly likely you will have to fabricate an exhaust pipe because the two engines don't match on exhaust..Surely you know somebody who has some older engines who could spare a muffler.Nope,didn't say it was going to be fun. Just having the B&S ex. manifold pipe is a very good start and there's quite a bit of room in front of the engine.

 

[Ron Armbruster]

My biggest obstacle is that I work nights. When the mower repair guys can be reached, I am snoozing. The worlds 6 AM is my 6 PM. I bought this tractor in the middle of the night from a guy in the middle of a divorce, so it was cheap. I let my oldest keep it figuring he would drive it into the ground. When the drive belt came apart he parked it and bought something else. I said to him "What are you going to do with your mower?" Long story short he was going to sell it. I told him I wanted my money back if he was going to sell it. I got the mower instead. He smacked a tree stump and broke that big ugly muffler box off and split the pipe a little wider than I think brazing could cure. Might sell it w/out the muffler.

 

[gary noblit]

well there... problems solved