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Sears Gt18 - Added To The Garage

5K views 53 replies 11 participants last post by  MH81 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I picked up a 1985 Sears GT 18 with mower deck from CL the other day for a steal (sub $200)! Got there, the tractor ran, cut, everything good to go minus the lights. Got it home, drove it off the truck, ran it up and down the street, and pulled it into garage to see if the bulbs were just bad. When I went to start it up again....squealing...high pitched squealing! I am thinking it is the starter...

Engine:
Briggs and Stratton
Model Type Code
422437 0721 01 85061412

Pics:
Motor vehicle Tread Automotive tire Gas Automotive exterior
Tire Wheel Automotive tire Vehicle Hood
Tire Wheel Vehicle Automotive tire Hood
Wheel Tire Vehicle Car Automotive tire


Video of it working:


Video of the Squeal:
 

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#8 ·
Just did the starter on my GT18 today. Every once in a while I would have to tap it to get it to turn. Unfortunately you have to pull the engine to get the starter off. The commutator was very dirty so put it in the lathe and cleaned it up with a dressing stone. Cleaned the mica grooves as they were plugged. The shaft where the bushings run was caked with sludge also. Cleaned everything up and it runs good now. If your going to pull your engine you might as well change your drive belt at the same time because they are unbelievably hard to do. Takes a 93" x 1/2" belt.

Good luck with your project.
 
#9 ·
Thanks guys! Cvans....I should have looked at this thread before finishing :)

SO, I finally got around to starting work on the tractor. Once I got a look at the starter, I knew! The nylon gear was totally rounded over. So, my brother and I started to try and get the starter out without removing the engine, and as you probably know, that was a futile endeavor. As we started to take things off we found so much caked on dirt and grass and years, I mean like 30 years of NEVER being cleaned or even blown off, of dirt! We were pulling handfuls of grass out. There was literally a 1/2" of caked on dirt in the shrouds. The fins on the cylinder heads were all plugged up. It was bad. And of course....I don't have any pics of it :(

So, we finally got the engine off and replaced the starter gear, cleaned it all up, I tried to clean the flywheel as best I could because it was dirty, but being new to this game, I didn't know how far to go. We got all back together around midnight and turned the key....and she started right up. Purred like a kitten too!

Now I have to find some lift linkages, figure out the lights, and put the plow on I just found for it! Maybe some new paint and new stickers too :)
 
#10 ·
Those are good tractors. I have the GT18 and a GT20 (minus engine). The GT20 has the electric lift under it that works great. I hope to have the B&S 18 HP put back together and get one of these two running again. What linkages are you looking for?
 
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#12 ·
Okay, those are the links from the tractor to the mower lift, right? I am not sure if I have any extras of those or not. Might get a chance to look today!
 
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#14 ·
If I don't, check out some of our sponsors. They may have them.
 
#17 ·
If I am correct, the shifter/shaft the lever hooks to on the tranny is out when in HI. I may have a layer of rust/crud on it keeping it from shifting.
 
#19 ·
No mods on the lights I know of!
 
#21 ·
Tried to swap out bulbs with 1156 LEDs from autozone....no go, wouldn't even light. Regular 1156 bulbs worked no prob.

A few pics and a video of it running.

GT 18 running:
 

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#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
At idle, there is not as much voltage being made. Speed it up and the voltage increases to a max of ~14.5 volts. So yes, the lights will get brighter as you increase the RPM's. Some of that depends on the battery too. A small battery will do this more than a larger battery.

I didn't get out back yesterday! Hopefully today will be better for looking for those parts.
 
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#26 ·
I think I have the mower lift links. I'll have to see if the part #'s are the same.
 
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