1990 Montgomery Ward 16/42 -16hp twin cyl. lawn tractor
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Remember going to Montgomery Ward? I do, it was one of the last real department stores selling a full line of products. They sold lawn tractors since way back, originally being made for them by Gilson. Then from the late 1970’s to the late 1990’s when they stopped selling tractors, they were made by MTD. In the later years, Ward’s also sold them under “Signature 2000″ and “Powr-Kraft” brand names. I saw this “needs work” tractor for a good price, so I snapped it up. Now that I think about it, this tractor was probably purchased at the same store loacation I used to go to. It has a Briggs & Stratton 16hp opposed twin-cylinder motor, a 7-speed Transmatic transaxle, a 42″ deck and 9/10ths of a grass bagger. The guy I bought it from said it had no ignition switch when he got it, and all he had done was verify the motor cranked over when jumped directly to the starter.
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July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Yeah, the pump is …
Yeah, the pump is attached to the carb, it’s not removable.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
i see no pump, it …
i see no pump, it think that the pump is in the carb. i followed the whole line, it does into the carb, to what looks like a “bowl on a car carburetor”, then that line from the carb into the engine, which you said was a vaccum line.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
The pump is on the …
The pump is on the outside of the carb (it’s small) the line you see going to the engine is a vacuum line. It provides the suction that pulls the fuel through the line.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
i just got an Agway …
i just got an Agway with a 18hp opposed twin , and a 46″ deck, the engine code says it from 1989. it has the tank in the back, where is the fuel pump? i see the fuel line go into the carb, the another like from the carb, that goes in to the engine, ( is the pump internal??)
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Older style …
Older style rectangle shaped metal vacuum pumps on the opposed twin Briggs motors.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
you mean the …
you mean the plastic ones that work on vacuum?
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Oh, forgot to …
Oh, forgot to mention, I loved Montgomery Wards, my dad used to work there in the automotive department. I also have an affair with collecting Wards products. I have an 85 Wards minifridge with wood paneling, in near mint condition, its been in the family since new. The Wards lawn tractor I mentioned, a early 90s Wards rear-wheel drive self-propelled push mower, as well as some stuff that was bought at Wards, like my mid 90s Admiral VCR, still works great and other things that I can’t remember!
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Oh, sorry for the …
Oh, sorry for the multiple replys, but its cool that I have found a mower nut like myself, except I only have a few, its a lack of space issue. I would have hundreds if I could. Like I was saying though, my 88 has a normal style wheel lug on the rear, but it is still considered a Garden model, because, it has the massive rear tires, heavy frame rails, and not to mention, it ways like 500 pounds, me and my buddy couldn’t pick up the front of it, we had to it into my truck with ramps!! it is heavy
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Still I love MTDs …
Still I love MTDs regardless, they may suck nowadays, but I can get them free all day long and with minimal work and I also correct some of the flaws my mix-matching parts and stuff, once you fix there flaws, they are not that bad. I agree though on all that plastic crap, I miss the days of tons of metal, and chrome, like my 88 mtd, it has a chrome metal grille, beefy frame, heavy as heck mower deck, and it still hauls . The only thing I wish it had is a 5 lug rear-end, it has a 1 lug.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I have seen yalls …
I have seen yalls Agway, I like the looks of it, its a lot like my mid 80s Montgomery Ward, except it has a one piece plastic headlight cover that goes all the across the grille. Yeah, it has a 12hp on it, but I can’t really seem to find a good location under the hood for the solenoid, without it beening hard to work on. My 88 MTD is very well made, heavy duty, and easy to work on. I got it for free from a barn, and barely had to do anything to it. It is in Near mint condition.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
We also have a mid …
We also have a mid ’80s Agway built by MTD. That one has a 12hp so theres lots of room, yet the solenoid is in the same place. What es me off more about the ’80s ones is the fact they take those expensive tiny powersport batteries. At least the newer ones (and the ones from the early ’80s and before) take a normal lawn tractor battery. I agree the ’80s were the best, ’cause I have newer ones and they use lots of plastics, and I also have had ’70s ones and they REALLY sucked; WAY underbuilt.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
The only reason …
The only reason that MTD put the solenoid under the shift plate is that there is no room uder the hood, especially with that huge twin cylinder. My 88 MTD Garden Tractor has the 18 hp twin 2, but its solenoid is under the hood, but I have a much bigger engine compartment on mine. MTD isn’t what they used to be, now they suck, back in the 80s was different.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
i hate MTD for the …
i hate MTD for the fact that they put the solenoid under the shift plate like that, my 1993 coast to coast had a bad starter that burned out the solenoid and i had a of a time replacing it
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
i have a 1996 powr …
i have a 1996 powr kraft that was sold by montgomery wards. Its pretty tuff and reliable. It has more than 3000 hrs. of use cause the guy i got it from used it to mow 4 acres of land.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I have the same sob …
I have the same sob it has problems right now though.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I have a spike …
I have a spike aerator, it’s a 36″ Craftsman tow behind model. Asking $60
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
i see that you sell …
i see that you sell attachments for ridding mowers. do you have any aerator and dethatchers for sell?
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Yeah I agree! …
Yeah I agree! Amazingly this is one of the smoothest running Briggs twins I’ve had.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
i had an agway just …
i had an agway just like that, and alls i can say is briggs and mtd is junk
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I usually buy that …
I usually buy that kind of stuff from my local small engine place, but you could try putting your engine model number in and searching for one online.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
where can i find …
where can i find replacement parts for such a project?
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
You can try to take …
You can try to take it apart and clean it, but a rebuild kit is like $7 so I usually just rebuild it. Those pumps are pretty simple inside, not much to it.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
its not corroded …
its not corroded and im not lookin to spend any money unfortunately. are there any tricks or tips on de-scumming it?
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
hmmm… hard to …
hmmm… hard to clean those. You might be able to find a rebuild kit for those pumps though, if the housing isn’t too coroded.
July 11th, 2009 at 12:54 am
i have an old monty …
i have an old monty ward from what looks like the ’80s with a Magnetron Briggs in it. it has the potential to run again, but i think something in the carb pump is clogged. any tips on cleaning?