wse100 0 #1 Posted June 11, 2008 I really Love this little Tractor. It is easy to work on, Tuff as nails And has Kind of a "My tractor can whip your tractor" look. It is very practical And the more I do with it the more I like it. I really wish it had just a little more power- Maybe 16-20 horse or so. The 11 runs great but I want enough power So I can mow my back field and it won't bog down the engine. Any advice on what is reasonable (Price), And what would fit (Models) and how much engine I can put in this thing (HP?) I am not ready to do this yet, But making plans to do this sometime in the near future. As always thank for your time, Charles Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 11,084 #2 Posted June 11, 2008 Charles, Congrats on catching the fever. We all have that "my tractor can beat your tractor" thing... If I'm right, the GT1142 has the 8 speed rear with the 1 inch axles. It's a 4 pinion differential, identical to a 308-8, 310-8, etc... I said all that to say this: You're not as limited to the engine because of the deck as much as you would be by the tranny. A 20 HP Onan on a 520 won't harm a little 36 inch deck, but I would be concerned about tearing that differential up if you get cocky with more HP under the hood. A 520-8 has a 8 pinion differential, and bigger rear axles. On the other hand, unless you're really trying to pull something way too heavy, or dumping the clutch to stand wheelies with a bigger engine, you should be fine. Also, I would think you'd have much more power from a cast iron Kohler of similar HP as you'll ever get from that aluminum Briggs. You may not need to go very much higher (12-14 ) in the HP range to see a big difference in performance. Good luck! Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorseFixer 2,012 #3 Posted June 11, 2008 I agree with Kevin a 14hp kohler would be a nice UP grade for that tractor. Has frien with a GT 14 and his mows like the dickens!! Duke Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wse100 0 #4 Posted June 11, 2008 how much is a good price for a desent 14 hp kohler? Any ideas what to look for? And why would a cast iron sleeve Kohler make much of a difference over an aluminum Briggs? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hondahorse 0 #5 Posted June 11, 2008 Hi all This is my first post on the forum. I recently got my first 'horse when my dad gave me a gt1142 with a dead engine.I wasn't about to spend $500-1000 on a new engine for a free tractor.So I bought a gx390 (honda)clone on clearance from Pep Boys for $208 w/tax!The thing is completely self-contained with recoil start,attached gas tank and controls.Out went the wiring harness,under seat tank,throttle & choke etc.She runs awesome and mows great.Install was a breeze. The clutch/brake 8-speed was so dangerous on our hills I decided to convert it to hydro.So I bought a unit on ebay for $50 out of a 516h.Dad's a little pissed now,wants his tractor back!LOL You have more affordable options with the 1" shaft on the gt1142,but I have to say 13hp is quite adequate for my 42" deck and hills. Now I'm sticking a gx610(real honda 18hp v-twin) in place of the Onan in a 520h I picked up. Anybody have a 1" crank/drive pulley for a gt1142?(I need one)Did the 308-8 or 310-8 have a 1" crank? The original 14hp(and up) kohlers has 1 1/8" crank I believe.Not sure about 8,10,12hp.The 1 1/8" pulleys are easy to find.(I have one do not need) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rustyoldjunk 127 #6 Posted June 11, 2008 the cast iron engines arent cast iron sleeve,they are complete cast iron block engines.these engines are super durable and with proper maintance last for decades.they are more powerful because they make more torque and they make it off idle up to redline.they have more rotating mass which helps alot with the torque.the aluminum 11 hp briggs in your tractor,if i remember correctly,doesnt have a cast iron liner and are notorius for wearing out and burning oil prematurely.even a good cast iron kohler K301 12 hp engine would most likely show you alot of improvement.the aluminum engines have a narrower power band and once out of their narrow power range pretrty much fall on their faces,where as the cast iron engines make good torque off idle clear to the 3600 rpm red line. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 11,084 #7 Posted June 12, 2008 You'll have to forgive me Charles, I'm a huge fan of the older K series Kohlers. There are all kinds of advantages of using them if you find a good one. For one, with proper maintenance, they are darn near indestructable, and last for many many years. That's why they're still out there... Kohler Magnums are also a very sturdy engine, and have very little differences internally from the old K series. My 310-8 uses a Magnum 10, or M10, and is quite a sturdy tractor. I use the 42 inch deck on it with no problems, even in what I at least consider to be deep grass. You'll want an engine with a 1 and 1/8th keyed PTO shaft, about 3 inches long minimum. The oil pans WH used were the deeper ones (2 qt), and 2 of the four mounting bolts are "offset" up into the pan and tapped. Even if you find an engine without the tapped holes, the pans are easy to find on Ebay, etc... I would also agree with "HondaHorse's post about Honda GX (only GX!) engines. One of those will certainly be an upgrade, and will be much more durable than the briggs. They have cast iron cyinder sleeves, and ball bearings on the PTO side. Not completely sure about the Chinese knock offs when used on a tractor, but there's one on my daughter's go-kart that has not given me any problems for several years now. And HH, my 310-8 has a 1 and 1/8th PTO shaft. Can't speak for all of them, but mine is an 87 model... Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,365 #8 Posted June 12, 2008 Hondahorse, I would love to see pictures of your tractor with the Honda clone in it and also a picture or two of your latest project. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Curmudgeon 28 #9 Posted June 12, 2008 Charles, Congrats on catching the fever. We all have that "my tractor can beat your tractor" thing... If I'm right, the GT1142 has the 8 speed rear with the 1 inch axles. It's a 4 pinion differential, identical to a 308-8, 310-8, etc... I said all that to say this: You're not as limited to the engine because of the deck as much as you would be by the tranny. A 20 HP Onan on a 520 won't harm a little 36 inch deck, but I would be concerned about tearing that differential up if you get cocky with more HP under the hood. A 520-8 has a 8 pinion differential, and bigger rear axles. On the other hand, unless you're really trying to pull something way too heavy, or dumping the clutch to stand wheelies with a bigger engine, you should be fine. Also, I would think you'd have much more power from a cast iron Kohler of similar HP as you'll ever get from that aluminum Briggs. You may not need to go very much higher (12-14 ) in the HP range to see a big difference in performance. Good luck! Kevin I'm not sure I totally agree with this. To a degree, yes, you have more power, more potential to break something. But I broke a 1 1/8" axle with a 16 horse engine barely off idle. I seriously doubt I was making anywhere near 16hp and broke it anyway. The standard engine, given the right circumstances has MORE than enough umph to break the tranny. It's more a matter of how much weight you wanna hang on it, how big a tire, etc. Under "normal" circumstances, it'll spin. It's when we get crazy that the drive line breaks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
