# Newly Acquired Ariens... Questions!



## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

Hey everybody, got a good deal today, at least i thought it was a good deal...

Ariens YT-12 Lawn Tractor
12hp Briggs
Hydro Drive
38" Deck
36" Sno-Thro 
Chains
Weight Box

Got the whole works for $150... Good? It was for me..

The Engine needs some work, won't start, or if it does runs poorly, have to go through carb and fuel system, etc. Worst case if the engine is shot i will spend the money to overhaul it or just outright replace it, but it will probably become my winter project as i have another blower that i just rebuilt to get me through winter, but two is better than one... LOL

Anyway other than some engine work and the vinyl seat being cracked its in good shape from what i can tell. All i have seen is pictures so far, it was an eBay find. Originally i just thought i would get it for the large blower, had a custom build in mind but the tractor looks good enough to put back to running condition and has the hydro drive that everyone says is better than the gear drive on these older tractors.

Questions..

Manuals for both the tractor and the blower? Any source for these?

Year of manufacture? I don't have all the info yet on it, i plan on picking it up today or tommorow so will get the serial number etc. The ariens website that others link to on here won't let me do anything without the serial number to search.

Any good source of info on the YT-12 online? I have been searching but it must be pretty rare as there isn't much mention of it online, even when google searching.

Thanks!


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Deal*

On other forums I belong to when someone gets a great deal, it qualifies for a 'You Suck'.

Well in this situation I think it definitely qualifies for a "YOU SUCK".

Don't know the particulars on that setup but I'm sure you'll get it worked out. Given a deal like that, I'd grab it too if it came up around here.

Congrats on a great purchase.


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## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

HA! In this case i am glady accepting the YOU SUCK cause i truly do... 

I found out it actually has a Kawasaki FB460V for the engine. Not all that familiar with these so should be a learning experience.

From what the previous owner described they were mowing, engine slowed, lost power, and stalled out. Would never restart after that.

Its not locked up, turns over freely and without any weird noises, oil was changed regularly and is in good condition and full. I'm thinking fuel or carb related problem? Maybe ignition failure? 

Will start from the start, check fuel, spark, etc. Can't find anything online as far as common problems with these such as a failed ignition coil or such so i will start with the basics.


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## MRiderLeon (Dec 3, 2010)

*Nice!*

The two stage snow blower is worth twice that by itself.

Around here, any lawn tractor with a deck that can be started is worth $150. 

You got a great deal. That engine is used on the John Deere 160 lawn tractor as well as others.

http://www3.kawpowr.com/enginesecure/ServiceManuals/Fb460V.pdf is a location for the service manual for the engine.


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## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

Thank you for the link to the service manual... 

Put a compression tester on it today, it was low, was going to strip it down and check the valves as thats a common problem on these engines. Well the first two head bolts were tight, the next three were loose!

I tightened them down a bit but not overly tight, cranked with tester again, shot up from 35 psi to just over 55 psi.

Put the plug back in and cranked and she popped right off. However i can still hear a hiss hiss hiss by the lower head bolt so i suspect the gasket is still kaput.

Got a gasket ordered from PSEP for $13 and will retorque to spec using the service manual. So far so good. It runs and drives, although a bit roughly due to the leak, the deck engages, even the battery is good, just needed a couple hours on the charger, alternator output looks good.

So, will see how it goes! Just going over it, oil change, check the rear end fluid level and grease everything. Probably get some new belts too just to be safe. Bolted on the rear weight box, came with chains too. Plan on pulling off the deck and mounting the blower while i await the gasket.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Wow, sounds like you got a great deal on a cheap fix.


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## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

So far so good... I torqued down the head bolts, the leak went away, seems to be running good and strong, have a gasket coming to hang on the wall for when the other one gives up. Looks like at this point it was just loose head bolts causing a compression leak.

Worries me that some of the other head bolts won't even budge, could be looking at broken bolts if i tried to replace the gasket in the future.

Also browsing the web for a repower option... Looks like a Kohler or Briggs is about the only thing that would work on this. Wish i could find a honda clone in about a 13hp vertical shaft, even if it meant redoing everything it might be worth it.


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## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

Well it started leaking again, retorqued two bolts, got a bit better, then one of the head bolts snapped. 

My next repower project!! A new 13.5hp Intek OHV Briggs is on the way...


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

If you have a welder then take the head off and weld a nut on what is left of the stud to remove it. Or if you don't have a welder find someone to do it for you. If not you will probably have to drill and tap them.

Maybe the bolts were stressed from heat or corrosion or old age. I know on cars they recommend replacing the bolts every time you remove the heads because torquing them down stretches them out.


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## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

I do have a MIG, and this was my first thought as well...

Tried removing head, figured i might as well now. Snapped two more bolts, they are siezed tight. Not worth fighting anymore.

Going to unbolt the engine, remove it, all i need to save is the pulley, might even just go to the local farm store and get a new pulley to replace that also as it looks like someone smacked it with a hammer at one time, one side is dented a bit, don't want any problems to follow to new engine.

I ordered a 13.5hp Briggs Intek with a dual alternator output, 14v AC for the lights and DC output for battery charging.

I already got the wiring changes all diagrammed and figured out. I think that project starts this weekend, will warm back up to nearly 60 degrees, twice what it is now. Tomorrow is the coldest day this week so won't get anything done but planning.

Oh well, still a good deal to me. Last rider i saw with a mower deck and a blower attachment went for nearly $600, with a new engine i still have only $500 invested!


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## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

White wire from the existing three wire engine plug to new Briggs ignition kill wire.

Remove regulator and six pin plug. Splice red to one of the existing engine plugs black wires, splice orange to the other. Verify with meter which is which at engine end and connect red to red on engine and orange to black on engine. This puts DC output from Briggs to the red wire on the output side of the existing regulator which is removed. This also puts the AC output from the Briggs black wire to the orange lighting wire. Splice together the two brown wires from regulator plug, this provides ground to lights and seat safety switch.

Remove orange wires from ignition switch light position, splice together, this connects Briggs AC output directly to light switch. The lights now run off the 14v AC output from engine.

Cut battery cable behind engine near dash, install ring terminal and connect to battery side of new starter solenoid (current kawasaki has solenoid on starter), install new ring terminal on remaining piece of battery cable and install to starter side of new solenoid and starter. Smaller gauge red wire, charge output, from old solenoids battery terminal to new starter solenoid battery terminal.

Connect purple start wire from old solenoid to new solenoid, may have to splice and lengthen or separate out of harness farther back for correct length. 

Changes made... 

Regulator removed
Lights connected to AC output
Ignition switch and battery connected to DC output
New starter solenoid

With those changes i can electrically switch from the Kawasaki 12.5hp to the Briggs 13.5hp OHV.

Engine will bolt down to the frame without modification. Just have to get the pulley off the old engine and put on new and bolt it in.


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## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

Kawasaki pulled and tossed.. Wiring almost done, just waiting on new Briggs and starter solenoid to finish the whole job. Just need to pick up some bolts for the Briggs, the Kawa has threaded holes in the block the Briggs doesn't. New drive belt also as its plenty worn looking. But otherwise shouldn't take a half day from parts arrival to running once everything is here.


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## abumpa (Nov 21, 2010)

Too bad you had to trash the Kawasaki. I bought a John Deere 165 tractor new in 1987 with a 12.5 Kawasaki and it has been the best engine I ever had, and is still going strong. This was my only tractor for years and handled both the grass and snow removal. These days I have other equipment to go with it, but below is an example of what the 12.5 Kaw-JD could do. I will never sell this tractor. 











Congrats on the new equipment!!!


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## kb0nly (Sep 22, 2011)

You must have got one of the rare good ones. The FB460V is a known problem child the world over. Guys on other forums are literally lined up waiting for new engines to replace them. I had over a dozen PM's suggesting replacements. They like to lose valve clearance and then won't start, or run really rough and backfire through the carb. They also like to toss out the valve seat and puke head gaskets.

I replaced it and after posting i had another dozen PM's on another forum i also posted to begging for info on how i wired this or changed that, probably a lot of JD's going to get a new Briggs now and put back on the job! LOL

I did what i could with the Kawasaki, i had it running ok, but it took forever to start, had to crank for like 10-15 seconds and keep cranking when it caught to help it up to speed. But when it got running it was running good, just couldn't get it to start good. Then it got down to 20 degrees the other night, figured lets see if it would start before winter really gets here, crank crank crank, dead battery, jump starter, crank crank crank, jump starter dead, jumper cables and jeep, crank crank crank, pop, crank crank crank crank, pop pop... 

I gave up.. LOL

The Briggs fires on one pull and no choke. Once i get the electric start wired up tomorrow it will awesome!

Thanks!


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