There were a few in Michigan as well. No need though, I got the one in northern Illinois. $200 it runs great. Doesn't smoke, and while the rest of the tractor is a bit rough, the motor is very clean. I read somewhere on the internet that this engine has the same exact output shaft as my GT17. Let's hope so as that will make this swap really easy
Well, I put the crapsman to work, to really test how well it runs. The battery is dead, as in doesn't take a charge well, but it jump starts. I've got it on the charger,v but I have nearly no confidence that it will take a charge as it could barely turn the engine over, literally right after I parked it after running it for 40 minutes or so. I loaded up the green honey locust that I snagged a few weeks ago and split. I moved it to my piles down in the lower part of the yard. No issues. I did notice that the throttle cable isn't adjusted correctly and it doesn't go into full rpm unless I move the throttle at the carb. That's not a big deal as I'm sure I won't use that cable on the ariens.
So it appears that the m18 should have the same 1-1/8" shaft as the original kt17. Now it might be longer so it might need a cut down. I imagine that can be done without disassembling the motor, right? Sawzall or cutoff wheel?
Just fire up the motor and hold a hacksaw blade on the shaft. I have no idea if that would work...but sounds dangerous and interesting.
Running it and using a cut off wheel works great. I have cut many a large 3450 rpm pump motor shafts that way. A sawzall will work fine also. Keep the hot chips off of the crank seal.
Lol. I was going to say to run the engine and cut it. As a joke. That said... Now my buddy that will be assisting me with this swap had a question regarding if the clutch bolt hole well need to be drilled and tapped? I'm not even certain if it had a bolt in the end? The ariens is by his place, I'll have him look. I'll look if there's a bolt in the end of this m18 output shaft.
If you have to shorten it and you need threads drill it deeper through the existing hole before you cut it off.
I put the crapsman to work again last night. I mentioned it in the what's up bs'ing thread that I missed more firewood diem below to the stacks and picked up downed branches with it. I was amazed, but the battery took a charge overnight and started up without jump starting it. The magnum 18 runs good, even tight it probably needs a set of new plugs.
