Garbage picked Agway/MTD front time tiller with 5hp Briggs engine questions

[man114]

My son garbage picked this for me from up the road as I was on the way to work when I spotted it. I am attaching a picture hopefully to identify the engine for specs purposes. The people I got it from claimed it didn't run (spark plug wire was loose). I had it running in 5 minutes. It starts well, runs fine with no seeming lack of power, doesn't burn oil. Compression doesn't seem that great though when I pull start it. Only thing I did was change the oil. I'd like to know if anyone has a vague idea of what the compression range should be. Even if it isn't in range, it runs, and has no real issue getting the job done, I think economically I'll just use it until it gives up. The engine has one of those round filters and a diaphragm carb (vacuflow or whatever they were called). I didn't tamper with any of it because it ran fine after tightening the spark plug wire.

 

[TomSeller]

It looks like a Briggs, but with all the chinese copy cats these days, can you post a close up of the engine? Is there a model number on the tiller or engine?

 

[man114]

I couldn't locate a model on the engine itself, there is one on the tiller which I will get tomorrow as it is dark out now.

This is not a chinese copycat though, the tiller is likely 30+ years old. I'd place it somewhere in the late 70s early 80s, my dad has a Snapper that uses this type of air filter, he purchased it around 1982. I don't think Briggs was making those vacuflow diaphragm carbs past the mid 80s.

 

[TomSeller]

I couldn't locate a model on the engine itself, there is one on the tiller which I will get tomorrow as it is dark out now.

This is not a chinese copycat though, the tiller is likely 30+ years old. I'd place it somewhere in the late 70s early 80s, my dad has a Snapper that uses this type of air filter, he purchased it around 1982. I don't think Briggs was making those vacuflow diaphragm carbs past the mid 80s.

30 years? It must have been under cover then. Looks good and is worth saving. Let us know what you find.

 

[man114]

Engine is Briggs 13202-2153-01 code 83101506, this would date the engine to October 15th of 1983.

I don't know where they stored it but it is in even better shape than the pics look because it was dusty when they were taken. It's in my garage at the moment.

I changed the oil and used higher ZDDP oil which I typically do with engines that old.

It works fine, sometimes the recoil doesn't retract fully. I haven't done much else with it. I was just curious what the typical compression would be in this type of engine so I could test it.

 

[flyerdan]

Not much help from the Briggs book, they dodge the question. I seem to remember around 65 - 90 psi on the small engines sticks in my head for some reason, maybe that's readings that I've taken. Here's a scan of the page dealing with compression:

 

[man114]

Yeah, I was trying to get a general benchmark to go by. It's had to judge by pull starting, I have a lot of engines that are electric start or have compression release, so it throws the feel off quite a bit. Additionally a horizontal engine where the starter rope pulls from the bottom up is inherently easier to pull, all my others are over the top so you don't get as direct a pull. I'm just going to run with it for now, it starts, runs, doesn't burn oil and has plenty of power.