Rebuilding a 3HP Briggs *Photos*
- Thread starter Tommy2
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You might be able to pick up a vintage one for less than 100, but the newer spun aluminum tanks will cost that much anyway. I was lucky to find something similar to the newer cylinder types, but for only $40, ...and then you gotta go carb and manifold shopping. And maybe even have to go pump and pulse hunting too.
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The first photo is of the old tank... I'm going to throw it away... It's just not worth saving.
On the plus side, my dad had another 3HP engine he said I could take. It has the wrong tank on it, but I think I can adapt that tank for the engine I'm currently building. You can see in the last photos how the mounting bracket is different. I might just cut the bracket off the old one and weld it to the new one...Since the "new" tank bracket is bent pretty badly anyways.
At least I'll have some extra parts between the 2. Maybe I'll still build one to run a separate tank/carb since I only have one decent tank.
On the plus side, my dad had another 3HP engine he said I could take. It has the wrong tank on it, but I think I can adapt that tank for the engine I'm currently building. You can see in the last photos how the mounting bracket is different. I might just cut the bracket off the old one and weld it to the new one...Since the "new" tank bracket is bent pretty badly anyways.
At least I'll have some extra parts between the 2. Maybe I'll still build one to run a separate tank/carb since I only have one decent tank.
Getting ready to start working on it again... I will probably build one back to stock, and go "all out" on the other and order a billet flywheel/rod/heavy springs and separate carb/tank setup / no governor.
Does anyone know of a billet rod for a 3HP briggs? Also, do they make RPM limited coils for these? That could also be a fail safe, if there are no aftermarket rod options. Just some thoughts..
Edit: I called ARC and they do not make a billet rod for a 3hp. I guess I'll just build the engine and put a tach on it if I don't want a governor. Maybe still add the billet flywheel for fun..
Does anyone know of a billet rod for a 3HP briggs? Also, do they make RPM limited coils for these? That could also be a fail safe, if there are no aftermarket rod options. Just some thoughts..
Edit: I called ARC and they do not make a billet rod for a 3hp. I guess I'll just build the engine and put a tach on it if I don't want a governor. Maybe still add the billet flywheel for fun..
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I chose to buy 3hp arc flywheels because at the time I was having fun with a 3hp. I just purchased coil drop brackets and use the 3hp flywheel on the 5hp’s now. The tires are 16x7.50-8 and it was a 10t-60t gearing setup. Go WOT and it took forever for anything to happen. But once it wound up ohh let me tell you it was wound out hard. I would just hold it there once it finally did wind up. I at one point thought about making it a set throttle so I didn’t have to hold it a WOT the whole ride. I could never break this little 3hp... maybe something about the rod being so short it’s tougher?
Well I don't care if you waste your money either but you seem like a total neophyte at this and you're going to immediately rebuild something that you haven't assessed first, much less run even once. You're "going nuts" and 'loading up the parts cannon' on a type of engine that's mostly ignored by the hop-up community. You may find a roadblock there before your project gets off the ground. No worries, having fun and learning is the best part.
All that "oh my gosh, dirty carbon" is normal for a used engine and is not a good indication of wear and tear. But you didn't know that and you didn't ask anyone or do your due diligence. You're just guessing here and you could actually be further along on your project if you just did a proper assessment. In other words, the engine could already be Neon Lime Green and 'rad' just by unclogging the carburetor and putting vinegar in the tank to clean it. You assumed the compression was bad enough to warrant new rings and a cylinder hone just because you saw carbon on the head.
By the way, de-carbonizing (my made up word) the cylinder head is what Briggs prescribes as part of routine maintenance. FYI.
All that "oh my gosh, dirty carbon" is normal for a used engine and is not a good indication of wear and tear. But you didn't know that and you didn't ask anyone or do your due diligence. You're just guessing here and you could actually be further along on your project if you just did a proper assessment. In other words, the engine could already be Neon Lime Green and 'rad' just by unclogging the carburetor and putting vinegar in the tank to clean it. You assumed the compression was bad enough to warrant new rings and a cylinder hone just because you saw carbon on the head.
By the way, de-carbonizing (my made up word) the cylinder head is what Briggs prescribes as part of routine maintenance. FYI.
It looks "bad" on the outside but how is the inside? I'm not convinced it is at the throw-it-away stage. Even holes in the tank are relatively easy to fix but if there's none, just ramp up the tank cleaning regimen. Use some serious solvent/acid/evaporust and some gravel (or wood screws, or nuts and bolts) to the tank and shake and roll it vigorously in every direction for about 30 minutes (or more) and it should come relatively clean. If it still has brown rust stains that keep producing rust particles, you can add a tank coating. Nearly anything is possible.
I'm with you on throwing money at it so forget all that advice I said about cleaning it. Look up Briggs & Stratton part no. 397789 (2 quart fuel tank) and buy it.
That is a 4-5 HP size tank. It can be used but it will take days to empty it with a 3 HP. It's worth something as-is especially if you start collecting Briggs engines and need that tank but I've seen it used on a 3HP more than once. Cut off the excess metal from the mounting bracket and drill a new hole in it for the threaded hole in the engine block.
Wait. This is all wrong. Throw a few hundreds at the project (brand new fuel tank) and drive on.
I'm with you on throwing money at it so forget all that advice I said about cleaning it. Look up Briggs & Stratton part no. 397789 (2 quart fuel tank) and buy it.
That is a 4-5 HP size tank. It can be used but it will take days to empty it with a 3 HP. It's worth something as-is especially if you start collecting Briggs engines and need that tank but I've seen it used on a 3HP more than once. Cut off the excess metal from the mounting bracket and drill a new hole in it for the threaded hole in the engine block.
Wait. This is all wrong. Throw a few hundreds at the project (brand new fuel tank) and drive on.
Wow... You're making a lot of assumptions about my abilities and my knowledge on engines. I've put together more snowblowers, mowers, and motorcycles than I can remember. However, I'm not at all an expert. I learn something new everyday and I'm certainly not going to talk down to anyone else as you.
I never said this engine "needed" new rings. I'm rebuilding this engine completely for fun. Why in the world would I think carbon on the head meant the engine needed new rings? That makes no sense. The engine could have ran perfect (and I'm sure it would have with a simple carb cleaning), and I was still going to rebuilt it for fun. The point of the project is to rebuild the engine. That's it.
As far as the tank, of course it could be saved, but it is not something I'm interested in saving. You're going to have to trust me, that tank was VERY bad. The scale is very thick inside, the cap spout is broken, the fuel retaining section (whatever it's called under the carb) is completely gone.
I've saved motorcycle gas tanks many times that had light rust with some muriatic acid... I'm not afraid of a little rust in a gas tank. This tank had about 2 inches of sediment in it from the start.. About 10 minutes of messing with it made it clear it wasn't worth saving, to me at least.
I finished this car over the summer and also had some negative folks on another forum saying I had no idea what I was doing and would never finish the project. However, I have a pretty good track record of actually completing projects, no matter how impractical they seem or off the rails they get lol.
I never said this engine "needed" new rings. I'm rebuilding this engine completely for fun. Why in the world would I think carbon on the head meant the engine needed new rings? That makes no sense. The engine could have ran perfect (and I'm sure it would have with a simple carb cleaning), and I was still going to rebuilt it for fun. The point of the project is to rebuild the engine. That's it.
As far as the tank, of course it could be saved, but it is not something I'm interested in saving. You're going to have to trust me, that tank was VERY bad. The scale is very thick inside, the cap spout is broken, the fuel retaining section (whatever it's called under the carb) is completely gone.
I've saved motorcycle gas tanks many times that had light rust with some muriatic acid... I'm not afraid of a little rust in a gas tank. This tank had about 2 inches of sediment in it from the start.. About 10 minutes of messing with it made it clear it wasn't worth saving, to me at least.
I finished this car over the summer and also had some negative folks on another forum saying I had no idea what I was doing and would never finish the project. However, I have a pretty good track record of actually completing projects, no matter how impractical they seem or off the rails they get lol.