1997 Murray widebody trail mower

the mower is going faster than before, so there is more air cooling the engine.

No, because that's a offensive word. Please do not bypass the censor.

FIY, it also means to dis-advance your timing

In any case, name calling does nothing to help your credibility, or your popularity in a forum of free thinkers and tinkerers.  I believe in freedom of speech, and I'm against censorship... I believe a man (or woman) should censor themselves. Now, to unjack the thread...

How are things going now? Aincha done yet?

Lawren Wimberly wrote:

In any case, name calling does nothing to help your credibility, or your popularity in a forum of free thinkers and tinkerers.  I believe in freedom of speech, and I'm against censorship... I believe a man (or woman) should censor themselves. Now, to unjack the thread...

Good call LW. THanks for getting back on topic.

FWIW: I was asking because I was trolling, really. You can't turn a fan cooled engine into a "free air" engine. It doesn't work because the cooling fins are a different design for each style. Shorter and less space between fins on a fan cooled engine. No matter how fast you go, cooling will not be as good as keeping the shrouds on. So, just trying to help, but didn't go about it the right way.....  

That;s why I'm considering a small auto alternator... enough to run a good temp sensitive electric fan. I think the spool up could be seriously increased with the removal of the heavy flywheel

It all depends on your application: drag racing vs rally tractor etc...  But really, either way the difference is probably not worth the effort unless you're racing for a $1000 purse.  
The fan is plastic, the flywheel is cast steel and that's the heavy part.
So, you could run an ACR aluminum flywheel to allow quicker revs.  If you're drag racing this would make sense and you could eliminate the fan since you'd barely warm up anyway.  Low rotating mass and no fan drag.
However, if you're building a driver or rally machine like most of us, then I'd suggest keeping the flywheel fan and shrouding.  If you want to lower the fan drag, you could eliminating every-other plastic "fin" on the fan. But again, you're not going to notice the difference in performance.  But you might run a little hotter.
Running an aluminum flywheel is your choice.  I think I'd like to run one on my rally type tractor since it spools up, well, slow like a tractor.     

I spent $40 on a B&S 10 amp alternator and rectifier / regulator for my 12.5hp build. I should have spent th the $40 on a single wire GM Alternator and had like 30amps. I like the automotive alternator idea. It would have interfered with my pull start though. ...

well there won't be many updates for a while, as I start school today. but I did go on a romp and broke my dash.....I didn't even flip it over the one thing that I hate about Murray widebodys other than they are very slow stock, I did a speed calculation and it goes 4 mph stock.......

Back to school, back to work.... Welcome to 2014!    

What's the difference between a Murray Widebody and the machine I have? Is a widebody better? Sorry to hear you broke your dash. Now you can make a new one out of diamond plate!   

yours is a pan frame (solid stamped steel) widebodys have a c-chanel frame that the body, dash, and other suff bolts to. most people say that they have the best frame but the worst cluch (one pulley pushing halfheartedly on the tight side of the belt.

ahah, thanks!   

I'm thinking about replacing the kawisaki with a 14.5 briggs single. what do you guys think? It came out of a murray, cause the muffler looked like another murray muffler i have.

this is the engine that is going in it:

I had an engine exactly like that on my old rally. You'll be happy with it. They're torquey as hell.

thanks for the information, trb.

hopefully I can fix the dash this afternoon. got to get big washers, can't weld cause my uncle stole my welder

got it fixed! there was only one bolt holding it on, and my battery fell in the belt and got chewed up got a new throttle and a different carb so now it goes a lot faster hopefully I can get a new engine pulley soon, the stock one is terrible!

Pics Pics Pics!!!!      

here you are:



the new carb:



the dash:

richie thomas wrote:

1997 Murray wrote:

it worked! it got up to 300 degees f going up hills and smashing brush when I was making trails and mudding. once it warmed up it stayed at 300.

dont know if that is a safe temp for it to run at tho lol......most cars stay under that

Most cars run around 90 C. Also they take the reading from the block not the head. The head is gonna make a lot more heat then anywhere else other then the exhaust especially on an air cooled engine.

yeah, that seems really hot to me, hopfully its not too much for it.

the54 wrote:

richie thomas wrote:

1997 Murray wrote:

it worked! it got up to 300 degees f going up hills and smashing brush when I was making trails and mudding. once it warmed up it stayed at 300.

dont know if that is a safe temp for it to run at tho lol......most cars stay under that

Most cars run around 90 C. Also they take the reading from the block not the head. The head is gonna make a lot more heat then anywhere else other then the exhaust especially on an air cooled engine.

Looks like there's part of the shroud missing from the pic posted earlier. If so, putting it back on will help it run a little cooler and prevent hot spots on the head. But yeah, the head is going to run hot.

got rid of the john deere electrical system and the Kawisaki engine, and got the briggs on! now I have to make a wiring sistem and decide whether I want to do a direct throttle or leave the govenor on it.



also got a good picture of my dash

Briggs o death!