So, I did something stupid: purchased a 1983-ish medium frame looking Bolens with a nice rototiller on it with the thought of using the tiller on my 1668, and just selling the tractor.
I dragged the tractor home, looked up the tractor spec, and.... it is NOT an XL frame, it's a 5017G, whatever that is.
Anyway, it has a Kohler KT17QS engine which would initially not turn over when I tried to start it. I ended up putting a pipe wrench and cheater bar on the "collar" where the drive shaft connects to the engine, about 150 ft-lbs later the engine now turns with the pipe wrench, and the starter can now turn it also. NOW THE QUESTION: do I just try to start it, or would it be a good idea to first.....
maybe change the oil,
squirt some oil into the cylinders
take the cylinders out and clean them up before starting
2nd QUESTION: I know the Bolens documentation says that a tiller (50333) from a 5017 will not fit on an XL medium frame, but, has anyone every tried it? Maybe it is possible to take the "rear panel" (frame part that connects the left and right frame halves at the rear of the tractor) off the 5017G and put it on the 1668, ... I'm getting a headache thinking just about it...
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Brad