K341 from a Cub Cadet

[Cory Lee 8]

Good afternoon all,

I'm new to posting here but have lurked for a long time. This website is a wealth of information. I created an account to make this post because I think i may have made a critical mistake.....

 

I was willed my grandfather's Wheel Horse when he passed almost over 20 years ago. He owned 3 and i received his 1968 Raider 12, this first one he ever owned.

 

My father was using it at his house one day and it slung its rod and cracked the block of the stock K301. I was too young at the time to do anything about it (15), but kept it because I always had a dream of not only replacing the engine but also doing a full restoration/restomod in his homage. He was, and still is, the greatest mechanic I've ever met, and a big part of why I became a mechanic. 

 

It's taken me far too long to actually getting around to getting on the project (life has a way of getting in the way sometimes), but through all these years I've been learning, searching, researching, and picking up odds & ends parts here and there that I figured I would need.

 

About 10 years ago while trying to find an engine and speaking to a knowledgeable older gentleman that owned a local small engine shop, he told me that the K series cast iron line were more or less all the same, just the bore was different on each which would give you the different displacement and therefore the different HP ratings. 

 

I'm sure he meant well, but hyper-literal me took that as they're all identical, so then therefore why would I get another K301 12 HP when I could drop in a K341 16HP, and then went to searching for one.

 

I found another older gentleman in TN that rebuilt Kohler and Tecumseh engines back to factory specs and sold them out of his shop. I called him and asked him if he happened to have a K341 and he said he had one just rebuilt, ready for the specific OEM application flywheel and PTO to be put on. Great news, or so i thought.

 

This K341 was out of a Cub Cadet, he even had it written on the bearing plate so he wouldn't forget. I happily paid him the $450 he was asking for it, and loaded the cast iron lunk into my truck and strapped it down. Then it sat on my shelf for about another 7 years, now here I am to get my last few pieces to restore this old girl back to my former glory and decide to start at the beginning, mounting the engine to the Raider 12.

 

From the pictures you'll be able to immediately see what took me 7-8 years to realize, the engine oil pan and mounting case are opposite. The K301S has an outward flange on the block base with through holes and threaded holes in the oil pan, with the oil pan having a flat bottom surface to accommodate the frame rails a steering shaft directly underneath them, whereas the K341 I purchased some-odd years ago that apparently came off of a cub cadet has a shallower oil pan with a sump for the slinger on the connecting rod cap, and a wider crankcase with new outward flange, and the crankcase itself has the threaded oil pan bolt holes, and the bolt holes go in from the bottom of the pan.

 

Dear all-knowing Wheel Horse Elders, is there any way of using this engine? Is there an oil pan that DOES work? An adapter plate to MAKE this one work? Anything? Any and all help is welcome and appreciated, and thank you in advance.

 

Have a great weekend,

CL

[953 nut 55,228]

Great introduction and a wonderful backstory on the life and legend of your Grandfather's Raider.

You aren't the  first person to run into the dilemma of mounting this type of Kohler where it wasn't born. Fortunately for us Jay @JPWH documented his build including several photos while overcoming this challenge.

 

 

[JPWH 6,033]

You will have to modify the frame to get it to fit. Also check the hood clearance, 

 

 

[Cory Lee 8]

@953 nut and @JPWH, thank y'all so much for responding. I'm going to your 854 rebuild page now to look through it. I spent some time mulling in my shop after making the post and tossed around the idea of drilling the threaded bolt holes of the wheel horse oil pan all the way through to the bottom of it to allow for a long bolt to be installed through the bottom of the oil pan and threaded into the block of the cub cadet long block. 

[Cory Lee 8]

@JPWH I went through your 854 build and first of all I'm compelled to tell you how blown away I am with how in-depth you went. Absolutely astounding work, bravo. the finished product looks incredible and you should be very proud.

 

One question I have is that the thread that @953 nut linked to show the modifications you had to make to fit a Cub 16 HP on a Wheel Horse? The engine in those pictures DOES have the mounting flange to accept the correct mounting pan. I'm very new here and i may be missing something or going to the incorrect place on your profile.

 

Regards,

CL

[JPWH 6,033]

The engine @953 nut was referring to was in this thread. It was a 12 HP from a cub cadet. Page 4 of this thread addresses the motor.

Edited August 25 by JPWH

[Cory Lee 8]

This will probably be the route I take, building a bracket/framework to lift this engine I have high enough to clear the frame and pull the mounting bolt holes closer together, like you did. 
 

Looks like the wide footprint engines that would drop in are $200-ish, bare block, used, with close to $100 shipping, then I’d still have to purchase an overhaul kit, plus a crank & cam, plus various extra engine internals, OR $850 plus close to $100 in shipping for a freshly rebuilt one. 

I’m going to try to keep from cutting the frame in case I happen upon a wide footprint engine in the future. 

 

This was invaluable information, Jay. Thank you so much for it. 

[953 nut 55,228]

9 hours ago, JPWH said:

The engine @953 nut was referring to was in this thread. It was a 12 HP from a cub cadet. Page 4 of this thread addresses the motor.

                             Ya,       that's the one.             

[ebinmaine 67,492]

On 8/24/2024 at 12:54 PM, Cory Lee said:

Good afternoon all,

I'm new to posting here but have lurked for a long time. This website is a wealth of information

 

 

 

[oliver2-44 9,749]

This thread will help you understand big block styles. 

There are quite a few oil pan shapes so I bet you can find one to make it work. 

 

 

[oliver2-44 9,749]

On 8/24/2024 at 6:58 PM, Cory Lee said:I spent some time mulling in my shop after making the post and tossed around the idea of drilling the threaded bolt holes of the wheel horse oil pan all the way through to the bottom of it to allow for a long bolt to be installed through the bottom of the oil pan and threaded into the block of the cub cadet long block. 

Your idea is not too far fetched.  
In the early to mid 70,s the Jacobsen/Ford GT,s had the oil pan welded to the frame.  

[Bill D 1,920]

Can you put the cub engine on a shaker mount from a C165/125?

[Moparfanforever 844]

   And maybe use a flat WH pan ??

 

Might have to check to see if the rod dipper clears?? If not, maybe do some trimming on it??