982 onan, 900+ hours, rebuild before problems?
 

I am buying a 982 with an Onan engine, if it's original and not already rebuilt (I don't have any engine history yet) it has 900+ hours on it, it is said to run great. I want to keep the Onan if it's possible. I can buy a full rebuild kit for 1,200$ which I'm good with.
Now the question, should I have this engine rebuilt before it craps the bed and gets even more costly? This is the pic of the parts in the kit from the Onan parts site.
Opinions.

Sounds like a lot of $$$ just for the parts. If you insist on keeping it Onan powered I'd consider a re-man maybe something like this.
http://shop.kustomlawnandgarden.com/...ACTURED_c5.htm

Now that's what I'm talking about. I could get a full re man for that money and have it on stand by just waiting for the inevidible to happen. I have to do more research in this direction to take in all the fine print about cores and shipping and what not.
Thanks Sam that is a great lead.

Or you could take the Onan out. Moth ball it and drop a brand new 23 HP Vanguard in. This is for a 2082 but it should be the same. may need to play with wiring and drive shaft a bit but no big deal.

http://www.smallenginewarehouse.com/...tegory=1710610

Here is the deal that 982 has all the desirable options I'm wondering if keeping an Onan in it would be best for the originality, but on the other hand a repower might be in the best interest of me and the machine.

All depends on what your plans are for using it.

"Here is the deal that 982 has all the desirable options"

So is it a 986?

Rear PTO
Hydraulic outlets
3pt

What I want for it is simple, I want a fully loaded, fully functionable, rock solid reliable beast that I can work the a$$ off of and still show it off like a show tractor. U know the cub cadet dream that most of us have.

No SGT tractor ever carried the numbers of 984, or 986, they were packages (as Far as I know). This one has 3pt hitch, PTO, front hydraulics, power steering, and dual brakes. Of course power steering is a add on.

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=19862

986 on the SN plate not hood.

If it runs good when you get it and doesn't smoke or knock I would just run it. This would give you time to decide on a rebuild or repower.

Hard to believe a rebuilt kit costs $1200. I can rebuild a small block Chevy for less than that.