310-8 needs a heart transplant

[kpinnc 12,065]

My hardest worker, most dependable, always ready 310-8 has developed a problem. I used it earlier in the week and it smoked pretty bad. It's never done that, even as recently as two days before. It also used about 1/2 quart of oil in about 20 minutes, and barely had power to pull the 42 inch deck. I'm thinking it broke a ring or something, but it's definitely got issues.

 

I rebuilt the engine about 20 years ago. The cylinder had a gouge in it that required .030 bore to get past. Guess I'm gonna have to go in and see what's going on.

 

So I'm gonna pull the Magnum off and repower the 310-8, hopefully just temporarily. I have to have this and my 520-H ready for mowing duty. Luckily I have a couple to work with.

 

 

Edited March 19, 2023 by kpinnc

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,318]

Does that air filter housing clear the hood? 

[953 nut 55,280]

May as well go out and buy another Vanguard.    Once you get accustom to the added power on the 310 you won't want to go back.      

[ebinmaine 67,551]

Like those V-Twin engines... 

[Bill D 1,922]

Following this build.  What did you get the engine off of?

[tunahead72 2,423]

10 hours ago, kpinnc said:

... I rebuilt the engine about 20 years ago. The cylinder had a gouge in it that required .030 bore to get past...

 

Do you remember why or how the cylinder was gouged?  Any photos?

 

Yeah, I know, a long shot, just curious.

 

[kpinnc 12,065]

5 hours ago, Sparky said:

Does that air filter housing clear the hood? 

 

Yes.

[kpinnc 12,065]

1 hour ago, Bill D said:

Following this build.  What did you get the engine off of?

 

I have several of these that came from a project at work. Look close in the pic. There are two more engines under the table.

Edited March 19, 2023 by kpinnc

[Bill D 1,922]

25 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

 

I have several of these that came from a project at work. Look close in the pic. There are two more engines under the table.

Very nice.  If I had a stash of good Vanguard engines I would probably convert most of my machines.  I love the smooth running twins. 

[Brockport Bill 1,663]

how much do those Vanguards sell for retail to buy - and where?

[kpinnc 12,065]

The

14 minutes ago, Brockport Bill said:

how much do those Vanguards sell for retail to buy - and where?

 

Varies by hp. Mine have no governors, and I have to change cams, and add mechanical governors. 

[Brockport Bill 1,663]

so they are not "off the shelf"

[kpinnc 12,065]

7 hours ago, Brockport Bill said:

so they are not "off the shelf"

 

No, not plug and play. 

 

But they are basically new. I don't mind putting some money and time into a new engine. 

[kpinnc 12,065]

Well, I got the engines swapped today. I hate to pull the Magnum, but it's gonna need some work.

 

Yesterday I made a new engine mount adapter for the Vanguard so it bolts right into the factory frame mount holes. 

 

So the Vanguard is now mounted up (after a bath). I'll take care of the electrical connections tomorrow. The ignition type is the same, so it's pretty simple. 

 

I had ordered a new seat for it, but they shipped a completely different one, so I have to send it back. 

 

 

[Bill D 1,922]

Beautiful looking swap.  Looks like a factory install.  Could you post some close up pictures of the engine mounting plate you made?  

[kpinnc 12,065]

2 hours ago, Bill D said:

Beautiful looking swap.  Looks like a factory install.  Could you post some close up pictures of the engine mounting plate you made?  

 

I should've taken pictures before mounting it.

 

It's just two heavy 1 inch pieces of angle and a 1/4 inch flat drilled to accept both the frame holes and the engine. The footprint of the Vanguard is much smaller than a Kohler or Onan. 

 

I raised the Vanguard only an inch. It just places the PTO shaft at the correct height.

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,594]

Nice!

 

[kpinnc 12,065]

It's been a debacle of a weekend, but the 310-8 is now a 314-8. Might be time to change out the light duty 8-speed for an 8-pinion...

 

As I said before, I have three of these engines. One of them I'd never heard run or seen inside it, but it was the newest of the three. Since I "knew" none had more than 150 hours, I installed the one that seemed newest. Big mistake! 

 

Some dummy set the govenor backwards when I installed it, which would have been surprising enough. But no, it also has a stuck valve. It sounded like a runaway diesel when I cranked it, and I shut it down in less than a few seconds. So that engine came back off and went back on the shelf. I'll dig into it later, as I have plenty of spare parts. It'll get fixed soon.

 

So I changed the engine AGAIN. This time she purrs like a kitten. The mufflers I picked up years ago are kinda chubby, but they have a nice gurgly tone and are pretty quiet. I had forgotten just how smooth these Vanguards can be. 

 

So it was nearly dark when I took it for a spin. But my LEDs had no trouble lighting up my path. Even with the lights burning, the charging system pushes 16vdc. 

 

Then I used plastic spiral wrap to tidy up the wiring and put her to bed. Now I gotta swap the spindles on the deck and she's ready to work! 

 

 

[Bill D 1,922]

Very nice.  Would you happen to have any pictures of the PTO side of the engine?  I'm curious how it all fits together.

[ebinmaine 67,551]

Looks excellent 👍👍

 

Like a factory fit there.  

[kpinnc 12,065]

7 hours ago, Bill D said:

Very nice.  Would you happen to have any pictures of the PTO side of the engine?  I'm curious how it all fits together.

 

Other than the adapter plate, everything bolts up as usual.

 

One thing to note: 1 inch PTO shaft so it has a .125 spacer in there. 

 

 

[Bill D 1,922]

10 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

 

Other than the adapter plate, everything bolts up as usual.

 

One thing to note: 1 inch PTO shaft so it has a .125 spacer in there. 

 

 

Is the exhaust custom made?

[kpinnc 12,065]

21 minutes ago, Bill D said:

Is the exhaust custom made?

 

Yes, and it's ugly! 

 

I have a brand new manifold, just gotta put it on there. Muffler is a Nelson similar (fatter) than the stock Wheel Horse version.

[RED-Z06 2,221]

 

 

17 hours ago, kpinnc said:

It's been a debacle of a weekend, but the 310-8 is now a 314-8. Might be time to change out the light duty 8-speed for an 8-pinion...

 

As I said before, I have three of these engines. One of them I'd never heard run or seen inside it, but it was the newest of the three. Since I "knew" none had more than 150 hours, I installed the one that seemed newest. Big mistake! 

 

Some dummy set the govenor backwards when I installed it, which would have been surprising enough. But no, it also has a stuck valve. It sounded like a runaway diesel when I cranked it, and I shut it down in less than a few seconds. So that engine came back off and went back on the shelf. I'll dig into it later, as I have plenty of spare parts. It'll get fixed soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wasn't uncommon for vanguards to hang a valve after a long sit up, i think it was the guide material they used..we used to have to pull the valve covers sometimes and lightly tap on the stem/rockers to gey them to pop up.  Or we'd see it the other way...stuck closed and bend a push rod...same fix.

[kpinnc 12,065]

48 minutes ago, RED-Z06 said:

Wasn't uncommon for vanguards to hang a valve after a long sit up, i think it was the guide material they used..we used to have to pull the valve covers sometimes and lightly tap on the stem/rockers to gey them to pop up.  Or we'd see it the other way...stuck closed and bend a push rod...same fix.

 

These engines all have super low hours, but have sat for years. 

 

I'll tear into this one later. I'm sure it's ok. Just needs a little TLC.