Work on your Googling...

Here is a link that might be useful: B&S Model # detail definition

I know the 2001 GT235 had no hour meter. Do you have any idea how many hours are your GT235?

You can get a 350777 18hp B&S for $749.00 Normal retail price is $1,302 or a 35777A-0113 20hp B&S for $699.00 Normal retail price is $1,374 and the shipping rates are very reasonable for either engine. Hope this helps you out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Small engine Warehouse(JDGT235)

rcbe,

I found that page.

That breaks down the model number, which I know about. I was asking about additional information on the "TYPE", the differences between a "-1137" and a "-1159". It says that "the type number identifies the engines mechanical parts, paint color, decals, governed speed", etc.

I was wondering if anyone knew what the specific type differences are between, say, the -1137 and the -1159. Decal, paint color, those are unimportant. If it's something mechanically significant, that might be important to me.

I did find this page.

For the 350777 model it lumps engine type -0034 to -1171 together in the same manual. So I guess I can take it to mean that mechanically the -1137 and the -1159 are mechanically the same engine.

I'm just trying to learn as much as I can so I avoid buying the incorrect engine.

cjsm,

No, I really don't know how many hours are on it. It mows in the summer, usually twice a week, and blows snow in the winter.

I'd guess 1200-1500 hours, and that's on the high side.

sergeant,

Thanks, "Small Engine Warehouse" is one of the places I've sent emails out to. Along with a few others. "Small Engine Surplus", "Tulsa Engine Warehouse", "Engines4less", etc.

Nope. That IPL for the 350700 engine series does detail mechanical differences between yuor 1137 and 1159 types. Look down in the lower section of the document where the part numbers are listed/identified - incrementally, you will find notations where different part numbers apply to one or the other of your two types vs the basic engine recipe... such as sparkplug, intake manifold and prolly a few other things.
A close study should give you a decent assessment of what /how the differences might impact your application...

Mongo, a quick look at the IPL shows that the intake manifold, choke linkage and air cleaner are specific to the type 1159. Most of the type changes are external. The one to watch out for is the crankshaft. You can have two engines in the same series with different diameter or length shafts. Changing the crank may be more trouble than it's worth as opposed to finding a matching engine to start with. Do you have parts sticking out of your old engine? Why repower over repair the one you have?

I've been keeping my eye on the shaft size. So far all of the 350777s I've come across have the same as my existing -1137.

Thanks for the feedback, I agree that most everything so far really won't be difficult to deal with.

Seems like I might have to fiddle with the wiring.

I have an oil cooler, I think that might be unique to the 1137. I might try to move that over to the new engine. I'll have to see when I get them side-by-side.

A different starter, too.

The problem? I lost a valve. Nursed it through the winter blowing snow. My snowblower isn't transferrable to another model frame, and the rest of my GT235 is in fine shape, so it makes sense to me to try to repower and keep this thing running.

Pop off the old engine, pop on the new, connect the muffler, throttle/choke linkages, wiring harnesses, fuel...I'm hoping I find no easter eggs.

The thing that had me scratching my head was the wide disparity in engine prices. Brand new model 350777s from $569 to $1450, just different type numbers.

That's what got me wondering about the real differences between one type over another and would those differences affect performance.

thanks for the reply.

The Vanguard is a nice engine, most of them have a 1"x 3 5/32" crankshaft drilled and tapped 7/16x20. The type differences are goind to have different cannon plugs for the wiring harness, the 1159 will plug and play in the Deere. These engines are relatively inexpensive now as the box stores nationwide are closing, and firms in the Midwest (something in the water) part these machines out. Small engine surplus has this engine for $569, great price.
What's up with your current engine?

Threw a valve.

Small engine surplus has a good price, plus on their website they have a couple for nice links for wiring info as well.

The Vanguard is a nice engine. It would be near the top of my list at any price.

I ordered the engine, it was delivered two days ago.

Now if it ever stops raining I can finally go outside and swap the engines out!

If anyone else orders from "smallenginesurplus" DBA "tonsoftools", stay on top of them.

I ordered online and got the online email receipt showing the order was placed. After 5 or 6 days I still had not gotten any UPS tracking number, or notification that the engine had been shipped.

I called the listed phone # and got some guy's voicemail. Left a message. Then sent an email asking if the unit had been shipped. SmallEngineSurplus/TonsOfTools had a CT address, I live in CT, so I thought if it had not been shipped, and if they had the engines in stock and were not drop shipping from elsewhere, that I'd simply go pick it up.

That afternoon I got an email saying that the engine had shipped from somewhere out in the midwest (I forget where...Kansas City?) and they sent me a UPS tracking number.

So...I got the engine. Good deal. Looks great.

But stay on top of them if they go incommunicado after you order.

Follow-up:

For you gifted mechanics, this writeup is lengthy and you might want to blow off reading this. For the "combustion engine challenged" like me that prefer to DIY these things, it's a long write-up and maybe it'll help someone else out there...

I swapped out the new engine for the old, for a non-mechanic like me it actually went fairly easy. I labeled wires as I disconnected them to help with the installation of the new engine. Getting the old engine off and the new engine bolted on with the pulley installed underneath took about 40 minutes. Much faster than I had anticipated, I was pretty shocked at how fast it went.

That turned out to be the easy part!

Wiring: My old -1134 voltage regulator had two yellow wires in and one red wire out. The new -1159 regulator had two yellow wires in and four wires coming out. I did a bit of reading and couldn't find any decent solutions that applied to my specific situation. So after spending an hour or so researching, I gave up and just swapped the two regulators, putting my old VR on the new engine. That took about two minutes.

Starter: The old starter had a solenoid attached to it and a solenoid tab. The new didn't, so I swapped those out too. In order to get the old starter to fit the new engine I had to cut away part of the lower blower housing. The cuts are invisible after the upper blower housing was installed. Even though it was just a couple of quick slices with the grinder, I was slow doing it, it took me about 45 minutes to cut the metal, give the cut edges a shot of primer, then install the old starter.

I did have a little difficulty wiring in the new anti-fire solenoid. I found wiring diagrams, etc, and knew what terminal on the ignition switch I was supposed to wire it to, but my ignition switch has a circuit board on the back of it so I had a tough time identifying which terminal was which.

I found a reference that it can be on the same circuit as the battery charge light, so I wired it there, and I could hear it "click" as needed. It had power in the ignition "start" and "run" positions.

Last thing? My old -1134 has an oil cooler, the -1159 does not. So I swapped that out, adding the oil cooler to the new engine.

With all that done, I added oil, cranked it a few times, rechecked the oil, then fired the engine up. It started right up.

Ran great at idle but would show signs of fuel starvation when the throttle was increased. Hesitation and a willingness to stall. When I pulled the throttle back to idle it recovered and puttered away just fine.

First thing I found was the impulse tube that runs out of the bottom of the fuel pump was not clamped. there were two clamps on the tube, but in the middle. They were never slid down over the nipples. Figuring I had an air leak there, I reset the clamps, then fired up the engine again.

No change.

The new fuel filter was opaque, I replaced it with a clear from my old engine so I could get a visual on the flow of fuel. Fuel would never pool in the filter. It would pool maybe 1/4" deep max, but once the engine was started it would look just about empty. I could see fuel dribbling into the filter, wetting the filter media, then being siphoned up the media and towards the fuel pump.

I checked for a kinked hose, a clogged hose, I swapped out the new fuel pump for the old, I checked all I could check.

No change.

Finally I went after the anti-fire solenoid. It was "clicking" as needed, but I pulled it anyway. Checked the voltage, it was fine. Checked that it as actuating, which it was, but not being familiar with them I didn't know how far the pin was supposed to travel. So I left it off the carb bowl and in its place I plugged the bottom of the bowl with the bowl screw from the old carb.

The fuel filter was full of fuel. The engine fired right up, the filter remained full. Ran it through all rpm setting, no problems.

Took the anti-fire solenoid to a JD shop, they bench tested it and said it was bad.

Overall, a pretty good learning experience for me.

Mongo

Though you are emphatic about "not being a mechanic", your abilities and determination have done you well. I feel that your "experience into the unfamiliar" should be testimony to the potential help and advice availed by this forum, and to what "a non-mechanic" can accomplish when they focus on the task. I also infer that you are a
"quick study" and have good observational skills. Never stop learning!

The interesting part of this experience is the engine wore out before the tractor did. My son-in-law, whose is good at about everything (machinist), bought an old JD mower years ago, finally wore out the engine, put a new one on and it's still going, still mowing.