B&S 18HP Vanguard Engine Model 356447

[ras101]

Hi, back again and starting another collection:

In 2010 I was forced to replace my Onan BF 16HP due to a basic melt down while trying to snow blow a 250FT driveway. Could I have refurbished - possibly but the drive was about 2000 ft up and in direct line with anything that Lake Erie want to throw at it - often 24 inches over night.

As you might imagine I want a quick and well easy solution and chose to throw money at it! I bought an Engine (B&S 18HP Vanguard with back then an adapter to run my existing Case PTO). I fitted and used that for about 2 years before the shim clutch also needed work so I upgraded (I know some of you will say not an upgrade) to an electric clutch too) So it really worked well till 2020 and saw very heavy use doing both my drive and a couple of neighbors before the engine started burning oil through the carb/filter. Again wrong time of year to go messing so I bought a new B&S engine and moved the parts over and put the old engine in the basement for repair. No issue you would have thought, except that also was when my health issues started so the engine just sat there, as did my 444 project, cab project, etc. So where am I going with this?
I feel a lot better now, know there will be times I will need a break but I really need to keep my hobby alive too at least in my head an hopefully in my actions too.
So where am I going with this... well the engine has just been sitting in my basement... It's warm down there, and it's cold outside. and I need an engine for my 444 project - so what would you do?
Just found a used "Stub shaft" on Amazon for less than half price new, and I need to use an engine to measure my next Fusion 360 drawings...see where this is going..
I will leave you with those thoughts together with I contacted Jim's for the price of his electric clutch kit ($600) well that's more than I wanted to pay! The stub shaft (normally $203) I got for $83) now all I need is a clutch and some spacers. I can measure and make the spacers so that's not an issue so I just need the clutch so anyone know the rotation? I will buy an extended life one for a couple of hundred and save a LOT of money!

[myerslawnandgarden]

Hi, back again and starting another collection:

In 2010 I was forced to replace my Onan BF 16HP due to a basic melt down while trying to snow blow a 250FT driveway. Could I have refurbished - possibly but the drive was about 2000 ft up and in direct line with anything that Lake Erie want to throw at it - often 24 inches over night.

As you might imagine I want a quick and well easy solution and chose to throw money at it! I bought an Engine (B&S 18HP Vanguard with back then an adapter to run my existing Case PTO). I fitted and used that for about 2 years before the shim clutch also needed work so I upgraded (I know some of you will say not an upgrade) to an electric clutch too) So it really worked well till 2020 and saw very heavy use doing both my drive and a couple of neighbors before the engine started burning oil through the carb/filter. Again wrong time of year to go messing so I bought a new B&S engine and moved the parts over and put the old engine in the basement for repair. No issue you would have thought, except that also was when my health issues started so the engine just sat there, as did my 444 project, cab project, etc. So where am I going with this?
I feel a lot better now, know there will be times I will need a break but I really need to keep my hobby alive too at least in my head an hopefully in my actions too.
So where am I going with this... well the engine has just been sitting in my basement... It's warm down there, and it's cold outside. and I need an engine for my 444 project - so what would you do?
Just found a used "Stub shaft" on Amazon for less than half price new, and I need to use an engine to measure my next Fusion 360 drawings...see where this is going..
I will leave you with those thoughts together with I contacted Jim's for the price of his electric clutch kit ($600) well that's more than I wanted to pay! The stub shaft (normally $203) I got for $83) now all I need is a clutch and some spacers. I can measure and make the spacers so that's not an issue so I just need the clutch so anyone know the rotation? I will buy an extended life one for a couple of hundred and save a LOT of money!

If you are mounting the Vanguard flywheel forward in your 444, the rotation will be clockwise when viewed from the front.

And yes, I think that an electric clutch is a mistake..........

Bob

[ras101]

Hi, # myerslawnandgarden. Thanks Bob for your comments and help here. I know we will never agree on our clutch types but we can still be friends. For me I am fitting this to a Briggs Vanguard 18hp engine so already non standard, my 1987 dash already has a switch position for a PTO switch too and my GT says Ingersoll too. I have been using an electronic clutch in my 1977 re-powered and now in my 1987 444 with great success too so I will not apologize either. I'm not in any rush to buy so I will continue to look at what is available but know that my 1987 444 frame does not even support a manual clutch arm from the tower and expects an electric clutch!

Very interesting how things change...

Ray

[myerslawnandgarden]

Hi, # myerslawnandgarden. Thanks Bob for your comments and help here. I know we will never agree on our clutch types but we can still be friends. For me I am fitting this to a Briggs Vanguard 18hp engine so already non standard, my 1987 dash already has a switch position for a PTO switch too and my GT says Ingersoll too. I have been using an electronic clutch in my 1977 re-powered and now in my 1987 444 with great success too so I will not apologize either. I'm not in any rush to buy so I will continue to look at what is available but know that my 1987 444 frame does not even support a manual clutch arm from the tower and expects an electric clutch!

Very interesting how things change...

Ray

Ray,

To each his own regarding clutches and modifications made to equipment. I will add though that perhaps there is an error in your post regarding the model and year of your 444 project as #1) 1987 dashes do not have a location for an electric pto switch, #2) all 1987 444 frames have provisions and linkage for a mechanical clutch, and #3) ALL 444 tractors were manufactured with mechanical clutches. Electric clutches were not introduced until 1989 when the 4000 series with the engines turned around were introduced. Perhaps your project tractor is a 4014? I'm sure the group would be interested in some pictures when you get time.

Bob

[Harry]

Many years ago I changed a 446 to a electric clutch . I use this GT for only blowing snow. The clutch I purchased off of CL and have had no problem with it. I have no idea what kind of machine it was off of but it has worked flawlessly since. Having said that now I may experience a clutch situation! Harry

[ras101]

Hi, # myerslawnandgarden. Thanks Bob for your comments and help here. I know we will never agree on our clutch types but we can still be friends. For me I am fitting this to a Briggs Vanguard 18hp engine so already non standard, my 1987 dash already has a switch position for a PTO switch too and my GT says Ingersoll too. I have been using an electronic clutch in my 1977 re-powered and now in my 1987 444 with great success too so I will not apologize either. I'm not in any rush to buy so I will continue to look at what is available but know that my 1987 444 frame does not even support a manual clutch arm from the tower and expects an electric clutch!

Very interesting how things change...

Ray

Ray,

To each his own regarding clutches and modifications made to equipment. I will add though that perhaps there is an error in your post regarding the model and year of your 444 project as #1) 1987 dashes do not have a location for an electric pto switch, #2) all 1987 444 frames have provisions and linkage for a mechanical clutch, and #3) ALL 444 tractors were manufactured with mechanical clutches. Electric clutches were not introduced until 1989 when the 4000 series with the engines turned around were introduced. Perhaps your project tractor is a 4014? I'm sure the group would be interested in some pictures when you get time.

Bob

Bob, hope this clears up your concern about model year, etc..
my GT is definitely a 1987 444 and has the hole for the PTO switch in the metal part of the tower/dash (I believe you will find all chassis towers for 1987 model year have this hole too for all 446 and 448 models too that is hidden behind the model year plastic dash). I bought the frame only and it did not come with the plastic dash cover. I added the later Ingersoll plastic dash cover dash that also had the PTO switch hole that fit perfectly and has the Ingersoll Logo.

[myerslawnandgarden]

Hi, # myerslawnandgarden. Thanks Bob for your comments and help here. I know we will never agree on our clutch types but we can still be friends. For me I am fitting this to a Briggs Vanguard 18hp engine so already non standard, my 1987 dash already has a switch position for a PTO switch too and my GT says Ingersoll too. I have been using an electronic clutch in my 1977 re-powered and now in my 1987 444 with great success too so I will not apologize either. I'm not in any rush to buy so I will continue to look at what is available but know that my 1987 444 frame does not even support a manual clutch arm from the tower and expects an electric clutch!

Very interesting how things change...

Ray

Ray,

To each his own regarding clutches and modifications made to equipment. I will add though that perhaps there is an error in your post regarding the model and year of your 444 project as #1) 1987 dashes do not have a location for an electric pto switch, #2) all 1987 444 frames have provisions and linkage for a mechanical clutch, and #3) ALL 444 tractors were manufactured with mechanical clutches. Electric clutches were not introduced until 1989 when the 4000 series with the engines turned around were introduced. Perhaps your project tractor is a 4014? I'm sure the group would be interested in some pictures when you get time.

Bob

Bob, hope this clears up your concern about model year, etc..
my GT is definitely a 1987 444 and has the hole for the PTO switch in the metal part of the tower/dash (I believe you will find all chassis towers for 1987 model year have this hole too for all 446 and 448 models too that is hidden behind the model year plastic dash). I bought the frame only and it did not come with the plastic dash cover. I added the later Ingersoll plastic dash cover dash that also had the PTO switch hole that fit perfectly and has the Ingersoll Logo.

Ray,

Thank you for that explanation, as you purchased just the frame, I now understand that you do not have the linkage for a mechanical clutch. It's not that the donor tractor did not have it, it's just that you did not obtain it with the frame.

Thanks again for the clarification,

Bob

[ras101]

Thanks Bob for the "like" here. I guess the point here though was that Ingersoll started to make changes to the chassis to the three digit tractors earlier than introducing the 4 digit versions. For me I got a deal on a 444 frame from Joe's that I could not pass up , I think I paid less than $100. yeah I had some welding done at the time I decided to sand blast the frame as my first action. The PO had cut a slot on the left side just back from the Left oil cooler mount? I had the hole for the PTO handle closed as I intended an electric clutch too and some minor "other work" done. Almost ready to pull the plug and get the frame cleaned and painted this year. This is the frame I have used to make all the measurements for my CAD drawings.
I chose the 444 frame though for a reason - strength!!!!. For me I saw the 446/8 frames with the frame cut out for the engine as weaker.
When I did the sums - I was going to use a re-power B&S 18hp Vanguard I found that this fitted under the hood quite well too.
When I had examined the tower area of the frame I was surprised to see the PTO switch cutout as I has expected to have to cut that as a mod. Even more surprised to find that the plastic dash available new also had the PTO switch cut out and fitted perfectly (that type of thing never happens to me but I saw that as 'sign" if you know what I mean. The plastic dash even has the info on it to identify it as the PTO too.
Recently (I mean in the last couple of weeks) and following a member fitting a tank fuel gauge I went again to the new dash cover and found there was not any identity for the 2" what was Ammeter hole so guess what I will repurpose that as my fuel gauge location!
I guess my rambling here guys is that our GT's are an extension of ourselves and should work how we want them too...
Enjoy.....