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My Sovereigns


merlinct7

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Thought I'd put up a few pics of my tractors. I only have two; I'd add more, but I need more storage room first! That being said, I enjoy the ones I have and I think they're both at least somewhat interesting. My father bought the 1984 7112 new (in 1986), with a 42" mower, in 1986 for $4100. He babied it for 10 years, preferring to use his 700 series fdt for most things. I inherited it in '96 and it's been my main ride since then. It's been repowered twice: I replaced the K301 with a somewhat shaky k321 in 2006, and in 2008 installed a K341. With the last swap, I also replaced the electric lift with hydraulics. The tractor is otherwise all original, though it's been heavily used over the years for mowing, grading and blowing snow.


The 17GTH-L is relatively new to me. I picked it up a couple of years ago in great shape but, unfortunately, equipped with a splash-lubed KT17 which (I know now!) never liked to mow on a side hill.


I have the parts to rebuild this engine but it will not go back into the tractor as I've just repowered it with 1973 vintage Briggs 16 out of a 3016. Otherwise this tractor is all original except for the hood decals which I just replaced. This is a 20 year old tractor powered by a 38 year old engine, but it runs just fine.


A couple of shots of the installed Briggs. I've adapted a 7116 muffler:




I fabricated the heat shield out 16 ga. steel and extended the exhaust some:


Closer look at exhaust extension:


Will be mounting the cab this week. I look forward to the first big snowstorm (but not necessarily the rest of 'em).
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quote:
Originally posted by merlinct7
... I only have two; I'd add more, but I need more storage room first! That being said, ...
LOL, Since you have two, they'll grow in numbers like magic! Just wait. :D:D:D I like your Briggs repower in the GTH-L Looks like you did a great job.
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Good lookin engine install! Nice blower too. I've always liked to see a good original exterior like that, especially with family history.
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Those are some mighty sharp looking tractors! I too have a 17GHT-L with a briggs repower. The original engine would have been a pressure lubed KT17 series II so if you had a series I then it had been swapped in at some point.
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That's interesting, Chris. Perhaps it is a Series II. I had been under the impression that Series II engines were equipped with an oil filter. I now understand that there were "pressure lubed" and "full pressure lubed" KT17's. The latter had an oil filter, the earlier (mine) doesn't. Not sure of the full extent of the differences. Based on what you say and what I've learned I guess it would correctly be an early Series II. A dead Series II. Bob
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Bob, I believe all of the Series II had the same pressure lube system. The crankshafts are hollowed in areas with oil passages. You don't need the filter to have pressurized lubrication. Simplicity could have ordered the engines with an oil filter but they did not, as did most of the manufacturers at the time.
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Chris, you're right on all counts. Though I can't read the spec. no. off the tag, it is clearly a Series II engine. In fact, I'm not sure there was a "Series I" designation for the KT17. Spec. nos. 24299 and below were not designated Series I as far as I can tell, but they had relatively limited pressure lube, at about 5 psi. Series II engines, spec. 24300 and above, had more substantial oil runs and ran at 25 to 50 psi. Apologies to all the KT17 fans. To tell the truth, when it blew I was so disgusted with it I removed it and forgot about it. I'm pretty sure it failed because of inadequate lubrication, but it was never splash-lubed as I had erroneously stated. It is interesting that most of them fail on the right side. IIRC right-hand cases are relatively more difficult to find than left sides. Thanks for setting me straight. I should probably be more careful to get my facts straight before I make rash statements. But I've learned a few things, and that's good. In any event, I'm pleased with the Briggs and, though the KT17 was very smooth while it ran, I don't think I will suffer at all from a power perspective. Bob
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