Retired Wrencher 5,649 #1 Posted October 27, 2022 Hi am asking what do K181 owners do about valve springs #230168 p/n, that are now obsolete from Kohler from what I have been seeing. Is there aftermarket ones? Funny I can by the valves but not the springs. Let me know what you think. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 23,072 #2 Posted October 27, 2022 This link is from the Kohler site...I see P?N 230010-S . After digging a little deeper, it appears to be the same spring for the K-161S also. The part is discontinued, but it says Available for in store purchase only. (whatever that means) This site looks to be very valuable to find out what engines use the same spring. Lots of used engines out there at shows for cheap. Check out this site. https://kohlerenginesparts.com/oemparts/a/koh/61857321855d461d14599d90/camshaft-valves-4-2-51-tp-2045-b Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,717 #3 Posted October 27, 2022 21 minutes ago, stevasaurus said: This link is from the Kohler site...I see P?N 230010-S 230168-S is exhaust. 230010-S is intake. What I would really like to know is the height and spring rate of the valve springs themselves. I know a specialty shop that could make them if I knew the details. Don 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,717 #4 Posted October 27, 2022 Perks of being an anthropomorphic beagle... 230168-S is 1-9/16" uncompressed height. 230010-S is 1-11/16" uncompressed height. That does not tell me spring rates though... hmm... Don Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 42,565 #5 Posted October 27, 2022 I may have a used spring if it helps. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heatingman 971 #6 Posted October 28, 2022 6 hours ago, Retired Wrencher said: Hi am asking what do K181 owners do about valve springs #230168 p/n, that are now obsolete from Kohler from what I have been seeing. Is there aftermarket ones? Funny I can by the valves but not the springs. Let me know what you think. Are the springs bad? Best I can tell all they need to be able to do is provide enough force to get the valves to reset back to closed. They dont have to hold back any real force. They are in the down position during the explosion. If they have lost their springiness, they may be restorable with heat treatment. So long as there is still a viable amount of carbon left in the spring. Heat your oven to about 400 degrees put the spring in there for about 20 or 30 minutes, reform if needed while its hot. Let it cool down in ambient. Should be good to go. If not, spring is trash. If the spring is truly junk anyways, cant lose anything but time. But you might be able to breath life back in it. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Wrencher 5,649 #7 Posted October 28, 2022 16 hours ago, stevasaurus said: This link is from the Kohler site...I see P?N 230010-S . After digging a little deeper, it appears to be the same spring for the K-161S also. The part is discontinued, but it says Available for in store purchase only. (whatever that means) This site looks to be very valuable to find out what engines use the same spring. Lots of used engines out there at shows for cheap. Check out this site. https://kohlerenginesparts.com/oemparts/a/koh/61857321855d461d14599d90/camshaft-valves-4-2-51-tp-2045-b Thanks Steve will do. Enjoy your day. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Wrencher 5,649 #8 Posted October 28, 2022 15 hours ago, Snoopy11 said: Perks of being an anthropomorphic beagle... 230168-S is 1-9/16" uncompressed height. 230010-S is 1-11/16" uncompressed height. That does not tell me spring rates though... hmm... Don I have two dealers' books one very old and one newer. I used the old one because it is a 1968 engine, for the numbers I will check out the newer edition. thanks. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snoopy11 5,717 #9 Posted October 28, 2022 16 hours ago, Heatingman said: Heat your oven to about 400 degrees put the spring in there for about 20 or 30 minutes, reform if needed while its hot I have never heard of that... Thanks for sharing @Heatingman Don 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 13,744 #10 Posted October 31, 2022 On 10/27/2022 at 8:35 PM, Heatingman said: Heat your oven to about 400 degrees put the spring in there for about 20 or 30 minutes, reform if needed while its hot. Let it cool down in ambient. I am not being disrespectful- I may be showing my ignorance... Would this kind of heat cycle not be regularly encountered during normal engine operation? Especially on a flathead air cooled engine? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heatingman 971 #11 Posted October 31, 2022 (edited) 46 minutes ago, kpinnc said: I am not being disrespectful- I may be showing my ignorance... Would this kind of heat cycle not be regularly encountered during normal engine operation? Especially on a flathead air cooled engine? Fair question. Head temperature could get that hot, but the engine oil will start breaking down when approaching 250 degrees . Normal operating range would be around 200. The valve springs are below the head, and get a fair amount of cooling from the fins via the airflow from the flywheel, and also from the air movement through the breather, and from the incoming air during the intake stroke. Edited October 31, 2022 by Heatingman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 13,744 #12 Posted October 31, 2022 34 minutes ago, Heatingman said: Head temperature could get that hot, but the engine oil will start breaking down when approaching 250 degrees . Normal operating range would be around 200. The valve springs are below the head, and get a fair amount of cooling from the fins via the airflow from the flywheel, and also from the air movement through the breather, and from the incoming air during the intake stroke. Makes sense. Guess I figured the exhaust valve would easily get that hot, and the intake being so close would be pretty much the same. But since the springs are blocked off from the exhaust, it wouldn't get that hot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
