TecumsehBriggs

Here's a 1996 Murray I picked up last year. The 16hp Briggs twin was cracked, but running. I got her for $125, but had an engine for her that was given to me a couple years earlier. I replaced the 16 with an 18. It had a hydrostatic trans. Fixed her up & sold her this year for a handsome profit.

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BBY_Murray

The Murray's throughout the 1990's are just classic, economical and dependable lawn tractors. Nice to see the pulley covers are still there. Many times owners leave them off while changing belts, and that is just lazy and creates a danger point on the tractor.

BBY

dangeroustoys56

I have 2 of those style murrays - ones a '94 red one that had a 14.5HP single briggs and the other is a '99 black murray with a 16HP teccy.

I ended up taking the black one apart for now because the teccy motor was junk- the red one i had as a modifed tractor and slapped a 18HP twin on it - its awaiting a rebuild sometime to handle more speed - the red one's front grille was all smashed, but the black one's was in mint shape.

Murrays are a great tractor, easy to work on- good solid tractor.

farmertim

Nice unit TecumsehBriggs, I am very happy with my 1996 12.5/30" teccy engined Murray, but I paid $770.00. it seems to be a great little motor in mine, I don't know why the Tecumseh engines are looked upon so poorly?.
Cheers

__________________
Einsteins theory of insanity; doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result

G'day from Tim in Australia.

TecumsehBriggs

It's the old "Coke vs. Pepsi" debate. People like what they like & are afraid to try something different. In the gun world, it's "AK-47 vs. AR-15". In the automotive world, it's "Chevy vs. Ford". I like Briggs engines; there are millions around, as are there Tecumsehs. The 16hp Tecumseh in my 96 Ranch King runs just as well as a Briggs (don't gasp you Briggs purists). The 390 engine in my 67 Ford LTD ran better than some Chevys I've owned. It's all what you put into it.

TecumsehBriggs

[QUOTE=dangeroustoys56;132804]I have 2 of those style murrays - ones a '94 red one that had a 14.5HP single briggs and the other is a '99 black murray with a 16HP teccy.
QUOTE]

I'm currently working on a black 1999 Murray WideBody. It originally had a 14.5 Briggs twin (locked up when I got it), which I replaced with an older (1988) 18hp Briggs twin. After a few mods (switched stater & coil and intake manifold/carb)from 14.5, she's running pretty well. I'm re-furbing the deck; rust removal, paint, new blades, new blade adaptor & grease, so she should be good to go sometime this week after the parts come.

BTW, what's the deal with the bracket & spring that attach to the hood? Doesn't really seem to do anything...

TractorWrangler

I'll give ya $200 for it if I can have it in Blue.

farmertim

Thanks for the clarification TecumsehBriggs.

__________________
Einsteins theory of insanity; doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result

G'day from Tim in Australia.

TecumsehBriggs

Your wish is granted! Another happy customer! BTW, I removed the "hood ornament" (it was a rubber squeaky killer whale).

TractorWrangler

I knew there was something on there but I didn't know what. Don't forget the stickers...

dangeroustoys56

Personally i prefer briggs motors - the old flatheads and opposed flathead twins - OHV motors need too much maintence ( valve adjustments) and just dont seem to have the power of the flatties ( without doing some serious internal work like cam/springs/roller rockers).

My oldest briggs is a 5HP (with electric start) on my 70 toro - still runs good , i need to do some restoration work on it tho- my newest is a 2003 murray with a 16.5HP - runs good, but the 13HP on my 99 widebody murray will run circles around the 03 - most my motors are around the 19 - 28 year old range - all still run great.

Ive had teccy motors and they just dont stand up to briggs power wise/longevity in my experience.

TecumsehBriggs

Oh yeah, the stickers. My cousin's goofy wife gave my son an Easter basket last year & inside were some stickers; winged skulls, weird occult stuff, etc.

At one time, I used masking tape to make shark's teeth on the front & around the sides of the hood. It wore off after time...

When the apartment complex I worked at bought a new lawn tractor (and I inherited the one TractorWrangler owns now), I applied flame decals on the sides of the hood & a flaming skull on the back. The shift gate was made of plastic & broke a few times. I replaced it once, then made my own shift gate out of aluminum plates. Way sturdier. A week later, I lost my job due to an unrelated incident.

dangeroustoys56

TecumsehBriggs: "The shift gate was made of plastic & broke a few times. I replaced it once, then made my own shift gate out of aluminum plates. "


I did that with my 90 task force ( MTD) - shift plate ahead of the seat was MIA when i bot it - since i like to keep all my fingers n stuff - i bot a piece of diamond plate aluminum and carved a slot for the lever - works and looks much better.

TractorWrangler

Occult stickers for Easter? Indeed an unusual woman...hummm. I'm not really a religion buff but that's just a little odd to me too. Perhaps she just didn't relate the stickers to the event? lol

Not seeing the aluminum plate though.. Where did you say you used that?

TecumsehBriggs

TractorWrangler, the custom aluminum shift plate is on the tractor that replaced the one you currently own. The shifter was on the right rear fender, as opposed to being between the seat & steering column as on yours...

TractorWrangler

Ahh that makes more sense now. I was Soooo confused...

Thank You.

TecumsehBriggs

Doesn't take much, eh?