K181 Swap

[ebinmaine 67,553]

On 3/4/2023 at 1:42 PM, csvt99 said:

I'm thinking I might just need to replace the carb instead of messing with it. I cleaned the gas tank, blew out the lines, replaced the inline fuel filter, and added fresh non ethanol fuel. I never use ethanol in my small gas equipment. Thanks.

 

2 minutes ago, csvt99 said:

I removed the carb and the bowl. The bowl did still have some gas in it. Any thoughts? Not quite sure where to start. Thanks!

 

 

 

That carb needs to be cleaned. 

 

NOT replaced.  

 

Send it to me and I'll check it over.  

 

[Handy Don 12,233]

25 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

That carb needs to be cleaned. 

 

NOT replaced.

That carb will likely be fine. The critical parts are the inner passages, the jets, and wear and tear on the holes in the body where the throttle shaft pivots.

Many of the folks on here have seen WAY worse carbs that have been saved.

[csvt99 173]

So the next question I have is where do I go from here, currently having a carb that leaks gas, to a carb that doesn't leak so I can put the tractor back together and start teaching my kids how to work.  Given the era I was born in, these carbs seem to have some secret code that I do not possess. I of course know this is not the case and that they are not that complicated and the real problem is that my head is filled with too much computer jargon.

 

Anyway, any suggestions on where to start? My dad is pretty good with these things but he keeps following my mom around on vacation so I'm on my own 

[ebinmaine 67,553]

4 minutes ago, csvt99 said:

So the next question I have is where do I go from here, currently having a carb that leaks gas, to a carb that doesn't leak so I can put the tractor back together and start teaching my kids how to work.  Given the era I was born in, these carbs seem to have some secret code that I do not possess. I of course know this is not the case and that they are not that complicated and the real problem is that my head is filled with too much computer jargon.

 

Anyway, any suggestions on where to start? My dad is pretty good with these things but he keeps following my mom around on vacation so I'm on my own 

 

Send me a pm. Give me a call. I'll guide you through this.

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,553]

Been a while since I've perused through this but I believe this particular thread has some good info in it for you.

 

 

 

 

 

[csvt99 173]

I got it done today. Cleaned and installed the rebuild kit. We will see if it worked!

[ebinmaine 67,553]

2 hours ago, csvt99 said:

I got it done today. Cleaned and installed the rebuild kit. We will see if it worked!

Keep us posted! 

[Sailman 1,291]

If it still leaks gas double check that float. I went through the same process with one of my C-120 tractors. No leaking, rebuilt and cleaned the carb including tiny holes in the jets. Ran fine but started leaking gas. Turned out the float had a tiny leak with enough gas ingress to not completely close the needle valve. Thought I had checked it when I rebuilt the carb but was VERY hard to tell.

[csvt99 173]

So far it hasn't leaked. Will give it a couple more days.

[csvt99 173]

Ran it a bunch today and it seems good to go. However I did have some oil leaks🙄. I tightened down some bolts so I think it should be good now. 🤞

[squonk 41,136]

What bolts did you have to tighten? I ran that engine for 2 hours on my stand and it was dry as a bone. Was it the four bolts on the bottom? The oil pan gasket is very thin on the long sides and likes to shift. The only other place it could really leak oil is the breather cover and the fuel pump which I didn't have on it. 

Edited April 3, 2023 by squonk

[csvt99 173]

4 hours ago, squonk said:

What bolts did you have to tighten? I ran that engine for 2 hours on my stand and it was dry as a bone. Was it the four bolts on the bottom? The oil pan gasket is very thin on the long sides and likes to shift. The only other place it could really leak oil is the breather cover and the fuel pump which I didn't have on it. 

It was the four bolts on the bottom.  Perhaps the vibrations shook it loose a bit after running for a while. I tightened the bolts and got it all cleaned up, so I should be able to see if I still have an issue or not.

[squonk 41,136]

4 hours ago, csvt99 said:

It was the four bolts on the bottom.  Perhaps the vibrations shook it loose a bit after running for a while. I tightened the bolts and got it all cleaned up, so I should be able to see if I still have an issue or not.

Possible. It will leak from the pan when it's full of oil just sitting if the gasket slipped. It sat on the bench for a few month's with oil in it and didn't leak at all. I had torqued the bolts but sometimes I wonder if the spec is really tight enough.

[ebinmaine 67,553]

1 hour ago, squonk said:

had torqued the bolts but sometimes I wonder if the spec is really tight enough.

Seems to me I thought the Kohler manual spec was a little light so I added a tad.   

[csvt99 173]

5 hours ago, squonk said:

Possible. It will leak from the pan when it's full of oil just sitting if the gasket slipped. It sat on the bench for a few month's with oil in it and didn't leak at all. I had torqued the bolts but sometimes I wonder if the spec is really tight enough.

Here is where I think it is leaking. The oil pan gasket seems to be okay.

[squonk 41,136]

No seal at the governor shaft. Check your oil level. Do not screw the dipstick in when you check it. Make sure it's not overfull. And check the oil for gas in it by smelling it.

[WHX?? 48,823]

Most leak a bit in those spots.

 I have tried a o-ring on the governor shaft with no luck. 

Breather cover a thin coat of gasket maker works. 

[csvt99 173]

2 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Most leak a bit in those spots.

 I have tried a o-ring on the governor shaft with no luck. 

Breather cover a thin coat of gasket maker works. 

Thanks so much guys, this makes me feel better and helps with knowing what to expect. I will try to adjust the breather cover and seal it up with gasket maker. 

Regarding the oil pan bolts, I hand tightened them with a 6" long 1/2 inch wrench. Is it important to back them off to factory spec plus a bit or should I be okay as is?

[ebinmaine 67,553]

8 minutes ago, csvt99 said:

Regarding the oil pan bolts, I hand tightened them with a 6" long 1/2 inch wrench. Is it important to back them off to factory spec plus a bit or should I be okay as is?

The correct answer is to check them with a torque wrench.

The actual answer that I did is, probably tighter than what yours are.

 

 

 

Don't forget to check your oil. Especially after that carb leak.

[csvt99 173]

7 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Don't forget to check your oil. Especially after that carb leak.

And the concern here is that the level would actually be too high if gas mixed in correct? I just checked it again and the oil was about 3/16 below the Full mark on the dipstick. The color was a watery black, even though I had put fresh oil in it after I installed the motor. I checked it my resting the bottom of the threads on the dipstick against the top of the oil fill hole. it did not smell any different than the fresh oil in my 314-8.  

[ebinmaine 67,553]

7 hours ago, csvt99 said:

And the concern here is that the level would actually be too high if gas mixed in correct? I just checked it again and the oil was about 3/16 below the Full mark on the dipstick. The color was a watery black, even though I had put fresh oil in it after I installed the motor. I checked it my resting the bottom of the threads on the dipstick against the top of the oil fill hole. it did not smell any different than the fresh oil in my 314-8.  

 

Sounds you're good. 

Just keep it topped off and check it often. 

 

[squonk 41,136]

9 hours ago, csvt99 said:

 The color was a watery black, 

What kind/ weight oil did you put in it?

[peter lena 8,632]

 @csvt99  might consider getting a battery tender at walmart , wire it in , so its just a simple plug in point , have that on my 3 horses , only a suggestion , pete

[csvt99 173]

15 hours ago, squonk said:

What kind/ weight oil did you put in it?

Kinetix SAE 30

[csvt99 173]

It looks like I will need to remove the fuel pump in order to get access the whole way around the breather to get gasket maker in there to seal it up. Does the oil come that far that I will have to drain it in order to remove the fuel pump without making a mess?