OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Briggs & Stratton Engines Briggs Quantum on a Rover Base - Self Propelled

Hi Guys,
My Dad has been on the job picking me up some good mowers from his home area and he came across this self-propelled Rover which I have never worked on before. Best thing is it came with a mint catcher for $10 bucks all up so good find in my book.
After a quick carby clean and air filter replacement the mower actually runs quiet well however I suspect in will need the valves lapped and ground because once the engine warms up you get a light miss through the exhaust � I will check the clearances in the morning but I suspect it will need a valve job which is pretty simple. I am not concerned about this problem.
Now to the self-propelled function � All Dad and I actually did is clean out the area which surrounds the belt which included sticks, dirt and just about anything else you can imagine. The self-propelled now works really well. It�s actually a struggle to keep up with the mower once it is going.
My question surrounds how I properly service the self-propelled function to ensure longevity. I have tried to find other threads but the forum is pretty light on from what I can find.
Before I bring the mower back home I�d like to understand more about the self-propelled function and understand the servicing requirements.
Thanks a lot
Peter

Would love some pointers on the self propelled if possible!
Thanks
Peter

Hi Peter, couldn't find much on that particular model but I believe the self propelled mechanism doesn't need servicing except for belt tension. The rear wheels are held on with metal single use clips that I push on with a socket. I guess you will see them when you pop the hubcap off.

I've never pulled the rear wheels off my Procut 560 because it rarely gets used but the John Deere I had used to come apart every 6 months for a clean and regrease with a light/minimal grease application to minimise dirt sticking.

Try this for a bit of an idea
http://www.rover.com.au/files/editor_upload/File/04016218-I_ProCut.pdf

just picked up an almost identical one myself, upside down in a rubbish pile, flipped it over and took it home, it started and ran first pull without any issue except the belt seems loose, time to either play with the tension or replace the belt and it will be good as new

Interesting - I havent come across one of these before. I am curious about the age of this engine so I am hoping grumpy can give me the details.

Codes are as follows 12F802 1975-B1 03101757

Well after a good service and clean of the self propelled area the engine is running really well. The valve clearances where within the required tollerances so I didnt need to grind the ends as suspected earlier - I just decoked the head and cleaned it up.

I gave it a good run through some pretty thick grass and it performed really well. I have included a few extra photo's of the finished product including the unique catcher just incase anyone cant find one.

I am pretty sure this engine only got thrown out because the belt came off. Well I am pretty sure the old belt had snapped because the belt I found it with was brand new. I suspect the previous owner bought the belt and couldnt fit it correctly.

Joe I have included a few extra photo's for you of the finished product. Would love any pointers you might have.

peter

Hi Peter, that engine was made on 17 October 2003. Because its "plant number" is actually an administrative center at Briggs HQ, I suspect it was made in the then-new Chongqing plant, at a time when their quality control was in sad shape. It is interesting that Briggs never seems to put the actual Chongqing plant number (which is 28, and would appear as the last two digits in the Code number) on their engines. At first it seemed like a good idea to conceal that their side valve engines are all made in China, because like nearly all new plants, that one took a while to get its act together. However to continue to do this now that the plant has been operating for over ten years, does not seem nearly so reasonable to me. It is treating their Chinese plant like a shamefully disabled family member, and is an insult to China.

Anyway, back to business. Here are the Operating Instructions for the engine:
http://bsintek.basco.com/BriggsDocumentDisplay/29lpAFKT9FzXFix2.pdf

Here is the Illustrated Parts List:
http://bsintek.basco.com/BriggsDocumentDisplay/18hruJXHnfBhU7y.pdf

Thanks Grumpy for the details on the age, its actually in quite good condition I think considering the mower is 12 odd years old.

Strangely enough my Dad picked up another Rover Self Propelled mower which is just about exactly the same. This mower however got discarded due to a lack of maintenance and a broken belt.

I have since been liaising with Bruce (ODK owner) and wanted to provide the following detail for anyone looking for a replacement self-propelled belt. The engine number does not help, you will need to supply the model number that is on the catcher flap Bruce will be able to help. Note that you have two belts to choose from which are A16120 or A03692 depending on the pulley that is fitted on the gearbox which is either pulley part number A16119 (fast) or A03665 (slow).

In this instance the numbers off my second self- propelled mower were:

Model 07032 Serial Number 3664239

Part A03692 was deemed as the replacement item for my second near identical Rover Self Propelled Mower.

For anyone looking to replace their self- propelled belt I hope this is useful. To make sure I�d suggest a quick email to Bruce (ODK Owner) and you will find your exact part.