MTD Mower ATV engine swap

Hi everyone

I thought I would share my idea of converting my MTD from being a vari-drive to using a solid rear axle and using a ATV engine in front with a chain drive to the rear. The reason why I am doing this is because my old engine a 14.5hp OHV Briggs dropped a valve into the cylinder, piston hit it and sent it through the head and bent one of the pushrods.

I hope I will get some photos up when the new engine arrives but for now I want peoples opinions on the idea.

Here's a link to the engine I bought   http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-125cc-3-1-Semi-Auto-3-Speed-Reverse-Engine-Motor-PIT-DIRT-BIKE-QUAD-ATV-TA-/141764063547?hash=item2101cbf13b

I was going to possibly do the same with my Agway. I have a polaris 250 motor and the f/r gearbox for it.

Maybe a little less power than you had originally, but might be neat. OHC is pretty interesting. I thought most of those things were 2 strokes.

I'm hoping to gear it down a bit using a centre sprocket since the engine has 3 forward gears

Today i received some bits for the new engine. I got a carb and a wiring harness. Here's some pics

Can you post pics of your tractor

Well I finally recieved the engine and we started to see how we could mount it. As you can see we stripped the whole tractor and took off all the Vari-Drive bits and removed the transaxle. We also thought of using a gokart axle and chopping it down to the right length and getting a new keyway milled into it as you can see in one of the pics. Hope you like it so far and and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Heres some pics.



















Didnt know what this plug was but found this on google its a gear indicator switch

Looks like its going to be a cool build. Are you going to drop down to a jackshaft then to rear or just challel it through ?

Nope I am going to do it straight through to the rear axle with a chain and some tensioners

Neat, I love new parts. Is suggest bracing the frame up on those because they are very weak, like welding sections together, running 1x1" stock down the hole length, and some cross braces should get it really stuff and good for handling.

Sorry Redline we already built the mounts before your post but I reckon that I can do some extra bracing

since your doing a solid axle and a verticial chain drive, you should think about a rear swing arm suspension, that would be really neat