I have recently acquired dad's 97' Vanguard that was given to my BIL after dad passed, the BIL had left it sitting in a shed for 9 years unused. After I spent several hours pressure washing and degreasing it so I would not feel like I might catch something from touching it. Took the engine out to make it easier to work on, found he had burned up the starter and trashed the bendix trying to make it run (he was going to get it running to sell it). The carb was trashed from the 9 year old gas, some of the ports I had to open with drill bits they were so tightly plugged but the carb was beyond rescue. Anyway after cleaning and resetting the mag gap, installing a spare starter assembly, carb and manifold (manifold was cracked, I have no idea how he did that) from a junker 18hp Briggs engine I had it turned over twice and was running.
I will need to replace the engine, only 230 hours on the clock and it is terribly weak but good for spraying for mosquitoes. Gear box, bearings, seals and chains are all in good shape. Tires are worn and have some cracks but they will wear for sometime before needing replacement.
I have been running it almost everyday to take a trip through the woods and bottoms having a grand ole time just poking along, old enough now that speed is not necessary. Smoke free is though.
So for the engine I am thinking about using a Harbor Freight Predator 22 hp. I have heard good things about them but not had an opportunity to use one in anything. Has anyone here replaced the 16hp Vanguard Briggs with a Predator? If so any issues or tricks or pit falls to making it work?
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by trevorakm1
