Not WH, but it is a K301 !

[Lee1977 6,659]

8 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

I believe I've got a lead on an original gas tank!  and possibly an entire second 'parts generator' !

 

I got the muffler installed by unbolting the control box and moving it over a little to clear the elbow so I could thread it in.

 

I had this running yesterday.  Wow... I didn't realize how slow 1800 RPM is!  Heck, that's just above idle!

 

short video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CCQztp7caSia7aRW8

 

Loaded both sides of the 240 with a pair of 1500W electric heaters and the engine didn't even really grunt.

 

Still not running the way I would like though, it 'putts' or 'pops' every now and then.  Not loud, but annoying.  I think I need to do a 'deep clean' of the carburetor.  I did a pretty thorough cleaning, but maybe I need to soak it for a couple days.  Have not had the head off yet, so I'm going to do that also and clean the chamber and check the condition of the valves.  I doubt they are bad, this engine has VERY low hours on it.  In the video above, it wasn't doing this...

 

 

 

Did you check the vakve clearances.  My 312 Magnum was bad to miss untill I adjusted them.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

24 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

Did you check the vakve clearances.  My 312 Magnum was bad to miss untill I adjusted them.

 

Yes.  Didn't have to touch them, they were perfect.

 

Just finished reinstalling the head.  Hone marks still visible all around, top to bottom.

 

Valves perfectly seating.

 

LOTS of soot though, plug was black with it.  Obviously running very rich.  Plug IS the wrong heat range too.

 

Between too rich, and too cold plug, might explain the popping.

 

So, I'll get a new plug and super clean the carb and see how that goes.

 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Jeff-C175

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

I'm thinking I caught this just in time.  Doesn't look to be long before this blew all the way.  Looks like it was leaking a bit already based on the soot around the bolt hole.

 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

1 minute ago, Jeff-C175 said:

I'm thinking I caught this just in time

Yeah, that is certainly a problem... ya' think it was suckin' air in?

 

Don

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

Just now, Snoopy11 said:

suckin' air in?

 

Looks more like it was blowin' combustion out, but yeah, maybe suckin' in too?

 

 

[Handy Don 12,217]

4 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

thinking I caught this just in time

Definitely! 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

1 minute ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Looks more like it was blowin' combustion out, but yeah, maybe suckin' in too?

 

 

I'll betchya one of those AMEX cards I sent you that itsasuckin too....

 

Don

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

All nice and clean in there now.  

 

Not gonna run it again until I get the new (correct) plug.

 

Might not take the carb off again yet because I'm not sure that's the issue.  If it was running that rich, it's not likely that the carb needles would have adjusted as well as they seemed to when I did have it running.  I'm hoping that the plug is the problem... could well be, it was way off the correct heat range.  Some weird NGK plug number.  Like " XR5 " or some such.  I think it's some sorta 'racing' plug.  

 

I just googled a bit... the XR5 plug has a 'reach' of 3/8" and the correct plug has a reach of 7/16".  Not a big difference but that other plug was somewhat 'shrouded' by not going into the chamber quite far enough (threaded in when the head was off, could see...)

 

I wish the guy would get back to me and let me know when I can get the tank and air cleaner!

 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Jeff-C175

[WHX?? 48,815]

22 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Thanks, but the guy I got it from texted me that he found it, and the tank!

 

 

Good cause I struck out in the magic parts shed ... go fish on the tank.

I might have missed it Jeffrey but did the motor have a tapered crank? 

Edited September 30, 2022 by WHX??

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

2 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

tapered crank? 

 

Yes it did, and that was probably the main reason I decided to knock the balance gears outta the engine on the 125.  Thankfully that cured the knocking.

 

Otherwise it meant swapping the crank to use the engine on the tractor.

 

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

I have a question for all you Kohler gurus.

 

This engine has a steel insert in the spark plug hole.  Did they all have that? Or was this a Heli-Coil repair?

 

I never noticed this on my other engines.  But then, I never really looked.

[WHX?? 48,815]

Just for info Jeff they do offer tapered crank adapters. @Achto made one work with a backyard hammer and some outside the box thinking when he built his Hatz genny diesel powered tractor

Most likely a repair... 

Edited September 30, 2022 by WHX??

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

13 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Just for info Jeff they do offer tapered crank adapters. @Achto made one work with a backyard hammer and some outside the box thinking when he built his Hatz genny diesel powered tractor

Most likely a repair... 

 

I did look into adapters but the tapered crank is YUGE!  Much bigger, so adapter would not work.

 

 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Jeff-C175

[WHX?? 48,815]

I hear ya guy... you'd have to talk to Dan to see how he did it. 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

2 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

This engine has a steel insert in the spark plug hole.  Did they all have that? Or was this a Heli-Coil repair?

 

I never noticed this on my other engines.  But then, I never really looked.

My 341 has one...

 

Don

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 hour ago, Snoopy11 said:

My 341 has one...

 

Don

 

It doesn't look like this head was ever off so if it is a repair it would have to have been done with the head in situ, which is unlikely.

[Snoopy11 5,714]

13 minutes ago, Jeff-C175 said:

It doesn't look like this head was ever off so if it is a repair it would have to have been done with the head in situ, which is unlikely.

Unlikely? Yes. Impossible? Not with some of the -34 IQ's I have encountered...

 

Don

[Achto 27,570]

It's likely that you have a spark plug hole insert/repair done on the head at one time. 

 

For ideas on adapting the crank I will have to wait till I get home to look the pictures over better. Old eyes can't see squat on this little phone screen. 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

adapting the crank

 

Just an FYI, I'm no longer planning on using this engine on the tractor so no rush!

[WHX?? 48,815]

12 hours ago, Jeff-C175 said:

 

Just an FYI, I'm no longer planning on using this engine on the tractor till I miswire the Jenny and let the smoke out....

[ineedanother 1,369]

On 9/29/2022 at 1:14 PM, Jeff-C175 said:

 

I had this running yesterday.  Wow... I didn't realize how slow 1800 RPM is!  Heck, that's just above idle!

 

 

That makes a huge difference in fuel consumption. My diesel Onan (7.5kW, 3cyl. Kubota) ran for just over 24 hours yesterday at 1800 rpm powering the house thanks to Ian. I burned 8 gallons running the whole house but used just one 2 ton a/c unit and turned the other one off.

[Handy Don 12,217]

4 minutes ago, ineedanother said:

 

That makes a huge difference in fuel consumption. My diesel Onan (7.5kW, 3cyl. Kubota) ran for just over 24 hours yesterday at 1800 rpm powering the house thanks to Ian. I burned 8 gallons running the whole house but used just one 2 ton a/c unit and turned the other one off.

Great you have the generator and that is good fuel consumption.

To compare, my 4.5kw, 3600 rpm gas generator will run for 14 hours at about ½ load on six gallons, still not bad.

[Wheelhorse#1 1,657]

Very nice job...perfect !

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

On 9/29/2022 at 10:25 PM, Jeff-C175 said:

LOTS of soot though, plug was black with it.  Obviously running very rich.  Plug IS the wrong heat range too.

 

Between too rich, and too cold plug, might explain the popping.

 

So, I'll get a new plug and super clean the carb and see how that goes.

 

With the correct plug installed, it's running quite well now.  Not going to do anything further with the carb at this time.

 

I ran it for about an hour to get a 'read' on the new plug and it's just fine.  No black soot, color is perfect.  No more 'popping'.

 

Amazing how good an engine can run with the right parts installed, eh?

 

 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

I should finish up this thread I guess...  big shout out to Terry @Vinylguy for the excellent job on the labels!

 

This old girl has a (measured, yes, I own instruments capable of making the measurement) THD % just slightly higher than the electric service to the home.

The POCO service measured at 3.6%, this genset measured 4.5%, and the newer Generac GP5500 that I have measures about 7%.

I think the reason this one is so good is the type of voltage regulation used.  It's 'analog', a current sensing transformer, bridge rectifier, and capacitor feeding the field winding.

The Generac uses one of those potted AVR modules and from what I can tell, NO current (load) sensing at all, simply voltage sensing, and probably uses a 'chopper' circuit of some sort and that's the reason the AC waveform on the Generac appears 'jagged'.

 

It also surprises me the sheer SIZE of the generator head on the 3600W Homelite being easily TWICE the size and weight of the 5500W head on the Generac.

Makes me wonder if the generator output in this case is more related to the horsepower of the engine.  The K301 is putting about 7 HP to the wheels at 1800 RPM, the Generac is unknown horsepower, but it's running at 3600 RPM. 

 

Fuel tank refinished and mounted:

 

 

Air cleaner too:

 

 

Hour meter installed in one of the 'knockouts' on the panel.  Going to dig through my junque boxe and see if I can come up with some analog AC voltmeters to fill the other two holes... maybe ammeters... if I have them, dunno...

 

 

Thank you Terry!