"Scrappy" MTD 18/46 14 Speed Grass Cutter

This is my new to me MTD 18/46 GT "Scrappy"!
It was a part of a 2 for free deal and this is the one I got and my friend got the other. His was a MTD Gt aswell but it has a peerless 2300, like @RichieRichOverdrive Budgie. Not sure what will happen to him yet hopefully something cool I can post!

But back to Scrappy!
Like I said this has a "14 Speed" not your normal "7 Speed" That MTD Varidrive F-N-R's have.
(Sorry I somehow managed to take a pic upside down so if anyone can fix it that would be great!)



For a motor it has an 18hp Vertical Briggs oppy thats has good compression and I have had it running for a few seconds but the starter gave up the ghost.
My friend who built the Project Scraptor has one of a dead oppy that I will pull but will be a few days till then.


Has some really cool wheel weights on it as well.

And yes that tires is shredded It needs at least one tire but I kinda want to get Ags for it. If anyone know if good ones for cheap it runs 23 10.5 12's.
On that note it does run 12 in rims and 1 in axles I am pretty sure.

I do have it 46 in deck and its pretty solid. It is pretty flakey in some areas but no holes. It also runs a 3 blade unit which i thought was weird but maybe not.




The plans for this build are tires on the rear at least one but a set of ags sounds cool.  Maybe a small pulley swap for getting places faster and thanks to my low range I don't have to worry of bout cutting speeds.
I want to make a hood as the old one was shattered but at the looks of it, I can make one fairly easily. When I am done with the tractor, I might sell it unless I really like how it cuts then she will stay! Well thanks for looking and I think this whole 14 speed is a rarer tractor, not that its worth a whole lot just thought it was cool!

The VariDrive with HI/LOW, nice find! Alot of guys don't like VariDrive for offroading but I still have it in The Warhorse and I love it, it lets you control your speed with the clutch/brake pedal so you can slow down for corners or obstacles without touching any controls then let it out to get back up to speed.

Be ready that pulley swapping it will be very finicky as the belt lengths have to be perfect for the VariDrive to still operate correctly and you'll have to use B belts (5/8" wide). You may find you have to move the varible pulleys and motor itself to dial it in perfect but with that said, it's worth the hassle in my opinion!

@Brianator Do you or anybody know what transaxle this is and how tough they are?

I'm searching around now but if there is a info tag (under the seat) post that info, also the transaxle should have a tag on it, if not find the numbers cast into it and post them. I'm sure it would have a F/N/R but a standard Peerless 910 wouldn't handle a tractor or engine that big.

@Brianator Ok I will as soon as I get to look at the tractor again.
Also are you saying you think this has a 910 in it, or is that what a normal FNR is?

I think I might have found something.
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/threads/mtd-14-speed-hi-low-transaxle-question.170416/
He says his reads either 618 or a 753?

Edit- After looking at parts diagrams I am pretty sure its a 618-0312 but maybe not? Perhaps you found something? @Brianator

Way too new to be a match, your tractor is early to mid 80's based on it's looks and speaking of looks it's really throwing me for a loop so far! Lol. No doubt it's MTD built, that much is apparently to me at a glance. The body side panels scream Cub Cadet to me (which has been owned by MTD since 1981), it even has floor board rubber pads which is a premuim touch. Another possible brand it could be from under the MTD umbrella is Yard Man. I found the existence of a MTD 840 with the 14 speed but it's also too new (1990-95) so that's out. I'll have to do separate research on the transaxles you mentioned when I get a chance as I'm not sure to be honest.

You seem to have an oddball so I think I'll sit back and wait now and hope you find some info physically on it, thinking about it, if you can post the info from the engine tin that might help a little too (pending it's original to the tractor).

K thanks for all your help! I currently and getting a partsmotor for it that will have all the parts i will need for it Aswell but tomorrow i will try to get the pics of the info for it!

Let me throw in my .02 How about a Ranch King MTD 18/46?

Maybe this will help? Seems close.

https://www.partstree.com/models/141-849h205-ranch-king-garden-tractor-1991

Here it is!
The Tag under the seat was to worn out and it has been raining all day so i didnt get under to look at the trans!

If that's the original engine to the tractor then it does look/sound like it could be a 840 or possibly a variant of it as @MightyRaze mentioned as that engine was built in 1993. I didn't think it would actually be it but maybe the picture on Tractor Data isn't right?

https://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors/004/6/8/4684-mtd-840.html

Found one for sale in Ohio that looks like yours.
Model:140-849H301  Date:D060B1
Has the same engine.

I bet your model is pretty close.  I would go an say maybe all the numbers before the H may match.

https://offerup.com/item/detail/478913283

@Brianator and @MightyRaze
Thanks for all of your effort guys!
I do think what Mighty found is prob closest to what Scrappy is.
Little update: I got a Key Switch for it that might work, it has one extra blade connector. I have a choke cable that was going on Putt Putt but decided to use the original one so it will go on here.
I also want to get the deck on soon but I dont know if I should get it running first? I dont think I need to get under there as the belts are good enough to mow the yard. Decisions, decisions.

That definitely, 100% looks like it!

Quick question.
So new starter and new carb is on but it spins real slow fast enough to start if it was happy but sitting nothing is really primed and it will smoke with starter fluid. I wound not think too much compression as I can spin with out too much effort.
Will keep tinkering but pls help!

Well some things have been done!
First this transaxle is a DRUMROLL PLEASE... A 618!

Sorry bad pic...
Also got a carb and a starter off of a 17.5 oppy put on er. They are both known good parts but still doesnt spin over very fast or for very long.  
Also it has the red engine tin as it looked more hotroddy



I will grind some paint of for a better ground and will wash and clean of the connection on the starter and go from there.

Also this is my friends MTD. It's called Big Bertha. Its got a horizontal 16 HP oppy thats missing a starter.


Also just look at this tiller! Its huge!


I am mainly talking about its gearbox, if anything more happens that is interesting I will make a thread on it but not sure on him yet.

If anyone knows anything else to do to get it Scrappy's oppy to spin over faster pls help!

Have you had it running before?

@PizzaKitty26
No I got it for free a few days ago. I have had the motor spit and pop but nothing more then that.

liquid lock was what I was thinking but if it popped off...

I got it to run!
Dont know what was wrong but some tires are on order and I need to unplug a fuel line so it will run of the tank then onto the deck and some wiring which I am not looking forward to, 
Then she should be done, and off to mow the yard!

Maybe your battery is weak or a low cranking amp model? Being a twin you'll want lots of cranking amps (230+).

Glad to see you making progress!

Nice tiller too thats awesome!

The wiring harness in Scrappy needs some repairs before I can use a key and the battery I have for this is a 230 Cold Cranking Amps, so I have been just jumping he starter with a jump pack. I cleaned the starter post, so I think that was part of it. I don't know much on wiring so if anyone has any helpful hints please do tell!

Starter post? You talking about the solenoid? You mentioned a new starter so I would not think you mean that post. Check the ground wire on the solenoid (4 wire), if it does not have one (3 wire) check the base where it bolts down. I sometimes run a jumper wire from the engine block to the solenoid base for extra grounding.

@MightyRaze
The post on the starter is indeed what I mean. Not sure if it was a great ifea but thats how I got it to start. Thanks for the grounding tip. There are got a lot of bad/ broken wires I just need to sort them out then I need a key switch. I have a spare solenoid in case. I am pretty sure its a 3 wire set up if I remeber right.

I'd be happy to write up some intsructions to help you but it will take me a while so I'll have to do it after work but here's some things to keep in mind and a list of what you'll need.

- Not all keys are "wired" the same which brings me to my next point...
- you'll want a multimeter and know how to use it. I prefer ones with an audible continuity tester for ease of use.
- make sure you have some spare wiring kicking around, you can probably use wiring from the interlocks as you'll want to bypass most of if not all of them anyhow.
- soldering and heatshrinking wires is best but if you're not able you'll want some butt connectors on hand or at the very least small wire nuts (marrett caps) and some electrical tape to tape up the joints.
- look to see of your carburetor has the anti-backfire valve (wired). If it does you can either wire it up if it works properly and if it doesn't you can cut the plunger off, either way it's a good idea to have a shutoff valve on the fuel line.