MTD 960.....Odd thing about it, I think

poncho62

poncho62

Hangin' with the cool kids
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OK...Tomorrow morning, I am going to pick up this 960 (I think) that I bought just through the pictures. A friend went and got it and feels I did good.

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Anyways, I already have an MTD 990. Its a 71, has a 14hp Briggs. This new one has a 16hp Briggs, which from what I understand started in 73. Funny thing is, the 71 has a starter whereas the newer one has a starter/generator. This is puzzling me, as why would they go back to a S/G later on?.....Or, is the tractor older than I think?
 
HorsesHogsandDeeres said:
My 73 990 has a starter/generator. The engine on the 960 might be a replacement engine and could be a 16hp. I need @olcowhand to chime in here but I believe the only difference is in the Carbs between the 14, 15 & 16 hp engines.
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Yeah, they are all the same displacement. The tractor looks like it hasn't been altered, from the pics anyways

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Maybe my 990 is the one thats been altered...The starter is kind of weird. Instead of being energized but putting 12v to the solenoid, it is wired so that the solenoid grounds when the key is turned. Only 2 terminals on the key switch being used. Also, the starter drive gets pulled in instead of getting pushed out. It works just fine though.

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I think ??? the 990 has had the engine changed in it.
 
The starter is kind of weird. Instead of being energized but putting 12v to the solenoid, it is wired so that the solenoid grounds when the key is turned.

Our GILSON and Montgomery Wards are both kind of like that. The solenoid is actually insulated from the frame with plastic bolts. The "safety switch" on the brake peddle actuals completes the start circuit.
 
poncho62 said:
Maybe my 990 is the one thats been altered...The starter is kind of weird. Instead of being energized but putting 12v to the solenoid, it is wired so that the solenoid grounds when the key is turned. Only 2 terminals on the key switch being used. Also, the starter drive gets pulled in instead of getting pushed out.QUOTE]

Sorry, I meant the 990 had a replacement engine in it, not the 960.
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The “hump” started out low
Then went middle
Then went high.
The starter was a little slow to follow!
The tractor is probable older than stated.

I see you’ve got MTD bug now!

Joe
 
Rock farmer said:
The “hump” started out low
Then went middle
Then went high.
The starter was a little slow to follow!
The tractor is probable older than stated.

I see you’ve got MTD bug now!

Joe
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Which one are you thinking is older, 960 or 990? I am thinking you are saying the 960 as the hump is lower. If a later 16 hp was put in, what would have been in it originally?

Also, my 990, I cant find any tags to determine serial #s etc.....Where should I look on the 960 to see if there are any?
 
I’m thinking the “960” is the older.
MTD didn’t really care, they just wanted to make money!
I think most were 16 hp with the hydro
14 hp hydro was just the first year or two.
The standard trans was matched up with a 12 or 14 hp.
Do you know the tranny on the new to you tractor?
 
Rock farmer said:
I’m thinking the “960” is the older.
MTD didn’t really care, they just wanted to make money!
I think most were 16 hp with the hydro
14 hp hydro was just the first year or two.
The standard trans was matched up with a 12 or 14 hp.
Do you know the tranny on the new to you tractor?
Click to expand...


No, going to get tractor tomorrow. It is a gear trans.

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My understanding about the years is that 71 was 14hp, 72 was 15hp and 16hp after that. Maybe this was just with the hydros and the gear trans were different?
 
The 14,15,and 16hp are all the same 32 c.i. engine. While the 900 series did have a low,medium,and high starter generator hump depending on the year,the very last of the 990s didn't have any grill hump at all and had a traditional gear drive starter.
I have had all 4 grill styles and have had both types of gear drive starters on them in addition to starter generator setups.
Briggs was slow to go to a traditional gear drive setup on their iron giant engines. I prefer the engines with traditional gear drive starters but they are fairly hard to come by.
I have a 16 hp set up that way now out of a Simplicity and while I'm always on the lookout for cast iron Briggs to drag home if I can find a traditional gear drive starter model that's a bonus.
I used to do a lot with the 900 series but haven't messed with them much in several years.
 
Thanks for that, makes me think that my 2 machines haven't been altered too much if at all...
On a side note, my wife thinks the tractor is ugly, she says it looks like it is scowling at you..
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I kind of like the look......being the miserable old fart I can be.....lol
 
Worked on the tractor this morning while it was cool, too damn hot now. It took about a 1/2 hr to get it running on gas squirted into carb, filed the points, set them and got spark. Rigged up a fuel line and can drive it around now. The clutch is howling a bit, the deck bearings are noisy, it smokes a tiny bit when worked.......but all that will come.

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