Briggs Vanguard 23 Frontier 650

[North Country Tough]

My Bud has got a starter issue with his Frontier 650 and it needs to be replaced,dealer claims that it requires engine R&R so the price tag is steep has anyone had to change one out and is it a motor pull.Cheers NCT

[Noel Woods]

Yes, I've done it, does require some dexterity but it can be done. It takes a good light, a mechanics mirror, a small socket handle and a couple hours of time. To r&i the engine would be overkill and I doubt a dealer would actually go to the trouble of pulling the motor.

I wouldn't go back with a stock starter either, there is a high torque starter available from B&S, and its possible to have the stock one rebuilt to high torque standards.

[ARGOJIM]

Def. can be done, don't forget the remove small cover. The last one I did had a hex and Torx built in.

[North Country Tough]

Well finally got the time to tackle the starter job on the frontier,talk about mislead the dealer that told my Bud that engine removal is smoking the wrong things,pulled the batt terminal,the rectifier,the starter drive shield,the positive cable,# 40 extra long Torqs bit,10 mm 1/4 drive socket extension and ratchet,7 mm socket for the bottom of the stater shield,and twenty minutes or less later its on the bench,my coffee is still hot.You guys must of laughed at my first post but I was going by what the dealer had said to him,now the starter that was supplied to me looks a lot more heavy duty,large cast aluminum end rather than a press steel end cap hopefully a better starter next we are going to put a beefier solenoid on and mounted where you can get at it then a Conquest electric fuel pump.NCT

[Noel Woods]

Glad to be able to help a fellow enthusiast out. Its a knuckle scraper operation changing the starter out and there is a lot to say about the packaging of these machines.

I'd prefer to have an engine mounted mid-ship with all around access.

[North Country Tough]

Glad to be able to help a fellow enthusiast out. Its a knuckle scraper operation changing the starter out and there is a lot to say about the packaging of these machines.

I'd prefer to have an engine mounted mid-ship with all around access.

Noel working on my Max IV engine is done off a stool with a pop sitting on the motor board,the engine position of a Argo makes things difficult at best but the extra room created for packin stuff in and out of the Cabin and the numerous chores it runs around the ranch allows me to forgive the design,years ago I had a latter eighty,s Argo magnum that the starter packed it in on of course it was in the bush and the 24th of May opener you could walk across the black flies the starter was positioned between the engine and transmission on that one pretty much all of the engine cowling had to come off as well as the brake rotor cooling ducting and a pile of other stuff,it was a test of my patients and dexterity for sure all the time feeding Northern Ontario,s bug population,at least this job was inside a shop with heat,the only real trick to the Briggs starter is the top bolt which is partially hid behind the starter drive,I had a long and slender #40 bit that allowed me to get pretty much straight on to start it other than that it was a breeze.Thanks NCT

[JoeMeg]

[QUOTE=North Country Tough;183909] the starter was positioned between the engine and transmission on that one pretty much all of the engine cowling had to come off as well as the brake rotor cooling ducting and a pile of other stuff

Sounds like a Kohler M-18 or M-20

[North Country Tough]

[QUOTE=JoeMeg;183911]

the starter was positioned between the engine and transmission on that one pretty much all of the engine cowling had to come off as well as the brake rotor cooling ducting and a pile of other stuff

Sounds like a Kohler M-18 or M-20

Yea M-18 red colored opposed twin,stupid starter is bolted to the engine with only the small little starter thru bolts and had came loose then sheared one of the bolts off.NCT

[JoeMeg]

[QUOTE=North Country Tough;183919]

stupid starter is bolted to the engine with only the small little starter thru bolts

Yep,lol. I have one of each that I refuse to give up on,despite the fact that both are just [begging] for a trip to the local scrap dealer

Speaking of not throwing in the towel,I gotta go bump my parts wanted/needed thread.