What have you done to your Wheel Horse today?

[SylvanLakeWH 25,489]

26 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

That's just mosquito repellent. Keep it working!

 

uh oh… 

 

 

@Maxwell-8 and @ebinmaine… you guys in trouble… 

[ebinmaine 67,257]

10 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

uh oh… 

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

@Maxwell-8 and @ebinmaine… you guys in trouble… 

Not me ...

 

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

34 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

uh oh… 

 

@Maxwell-8 and @ebinmaine… you guys in trouble… 

Haha, no worries, I will start on getting the KT-17 running tomorrow.

 

I am thinking about rebuilding that Honda engine.

I have never done a rebuild of an engine and I think this would be a good candidate. If something goes wrong, no big deal.

[peter lena 8,580]

@cleat  nice handle ! found  that steering quadrant really responds well to lubrication detailing , especially that slide pin spring area , and those pop off caps for greasing the swing arc area , squeeze handle clicks into place , keep it greasy , pete

[peter lena 8,580]

@cleat

Edited March 2, 2022 by peter lena
duplication of reply

[peter lena 8,580]

@cleat  nice handle ! found  that steering quadrant really responds well to lubrication detailing , especially that slide pin spring area , and those pop off caps for greasing the swing arc area , squeeze handle clicks into place , keep it greasy , pete

[squonk 41,018]

On 2/27/2022 at 5:36 PM, ebinmaine said:

How time consuming is it to install/remove?

I can slide my plastic pipe edge on and off in about a minute

[8ntruck 6,991]

I stopped by a local outdoor power equipment that has been around since the early 70s.  Turns out that it used to be a Wheel Horse dealer.  I asked if he happened to have a carb stashed somewhere for a KT 19.  No such luck.

 

He does have a NOS 48" deck shell.  His asking price was not crazy.  I do have a 48" deck on the project list.  It will require patching and de-twisting. 

 

Do I buy the new shell and use it as a basis for the rebuild, then put it to work, or pass on it and leave it for somebody doing a full (trailer queen) restore?

[Handy Don 12,131]

9 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

I stopped by a local outdoor power equipment that has been around since the early 70s.  Turns out that it used to be a Wheel Horse dealer.  I asked if he happened to have a carb stashed somewhere for a KT 19.  No such luck.

 

He does have a NOS 48" deck shell.  His asking price was not crazy.  I do have a 48" deck on the project list.  It will require patching and de-twisting. 

 

Do I buy the new shell and use it as a basis for the rebuild, then put it to work, or pass on it and leave it for somebody doing a full (trailer queen) restore?

You could buy it and then offer a trade here: queen candidate deck for a solid working deck with something else thrown in to sweeten the deal?

[squonk 41,018]

I think a good deck has more value as a working deck. Hardly ever see a "Queen Deck" Good decks are getting scarcer. A new deck can add 20 years or more to a good tractor's usefulness

 

[Wheelhorse#1 1,645]

2 hours ago, squonk said:

Good decks are getting scarcer.

 

 

True.When ever I see a decent one with not to much “weight reduction” for sale cheap  I buy it and refurb.

Good decks are getting  harder to find.

[TonyToro 1,044]

Well…we aren’t working on a WheelHorse but we are working on WheelHorse parts for the gokart project. The rims came off a Commando V8. They are 10” rims.

if anyone wants the factory 10” WheelHorse branded tires let me know.

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

23 hours ago, Maxwell-8 said:

I will start on getting the KT-17 running tomorrow.

Well bad news. 

One cylinder is getting oil in it., it's seeping thru the rings. and shooting out when it cranks with the sparkplugs out. (You can see the oil on the enginecover. 

The pushrod for the points was stuck, so I had to hammer it down.  Moves freely now.

 points adjusted, new condenser, new wiring, still no spark, so I guess a bad coil.

This engine is 69 units older then the KT17 in my C175 hydro

Looks like I will have to put the M16 in my C175-8

Edited March 3, 2022 by Maxwell-8

[pfrederi 17,654]

Based on what it cost to overhaul my M-18 I would say your KT-17 will make a nice doorstop

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

10 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Based on what it cost to overhaul my M-18 I would say your KT-17 will make a nice doorstop

I am going to do a compression test and then take of the heads to see in which shape the bore is.

Or just throw a Harley coil on it and pray it's just a stuck ring. 

I think WH only used 1 series KT17 on the C-175's which are weak engines. 

 

[kpinnc 11,895]

19 minutes ago, Maxwell-8 said:

think WH only used 1 series KT17 on the C-175's which are weak engines. 

 

 

The method of distributing oil around inside is the weak part. Magnum twins are almost identical, but have full pressure lube and an oil filter. Many parts will interchange between the two. Just nothing with an oil port on it.

 

I have a "short block" M18 that I'm gearing up to rebuild, and then robs as much as possible from a complete KT-17 that I have with weak compression.

 

 

Edited March 3, 2022 by kpinnc

[ebinmaine 67,257]

2 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

 

The method of distributing oil around inside is the weak part. 

 

Does your experience with these series 1 engines tell you that they are inferior in general build to the series 2 or is it just that the distribution system doesn't allow for any kind of tilt during operation?

 

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Does your experience with these series 1 engines tell you that they are inferior in general build to the series 2 or is it just that the distribution system doesn't allow for any kind of tilt during operation?

 

even then, Belgium is as flat as a pancake lol

 

The C175-8 didn't come with an hour meter, meanwhile my c175 hydro did. That original kt17 lasted only 1000hours

Edited March 3, 2022 by Maxwell-8

[kpinnc 11,895]

2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Does your experience with these series 1 engines tell you that they are inferior in general build to the series 2 or is it just that the distribution system doesn't allow for any kind of tilt during operation?

 

My experience ends at what I can dig up on the web, and the fact that I just have one of each.

 

I've read the horror stories same as everyone else, but have nothing much to add to them. Kohler says the KTs can operate on pretty high angles- so this might be in the same situation as 'Onans and the rear valve seat'. Might all be best guesses and theories based on proper maintenance or lack thereof. 

 

Translation: I only know what everyone else says... 

[ebinmaine 67,257]

2 minutes ago, Maxwell-8 said:

That original kt17 lasted only 1000hours

Not to argue one way or the other .. just pointing out the fact that a lack of maintenance will easily wipe out many types of engines after a thousand hours. 

[kpinnc 11,895]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

lack of maintenance will easily wipe out many types of engines after a thousand hours. 

 

Or only 100 hours...

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

Just now, ebinmaine said:

Not to argue one way or the other .. just pointing out the fact that a lack of maintenance will easily wipe out many types of engines after a thousand hours. 

You would be surprised how very few of these engines get new oil every 25 hours.

 

[kpinnc 11,895]

3 minutes ago, Maxwell-8 said:

You would be surprised how very few of these engines get new oil every 25 hours.

 

 

Single cylinder Kohlers can tolerate poor maintenance for a while- and no, I'm not condoning it.

 

But those KT twins do not! 

[Maxwell-8 4,275]

3 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

 

Single cylinder Kohlers can tolerate poor maintenance for a while- and no, I'm not condoning it.

 

But those KT twins do not! 

The fact that the Honda on it now is also worn to the bone, tells me the previous owner doesn't know what maintenance means.

[ebinmaine 67,257]

9 minutes ago, Maxwell-8 said:

You would be surprised how very few of these engines get new oil every 25 hours.

 

Unfortunately I would not be all that surprised.

It's flabbergasting to me how many people will buy something of good value and quality and treat it like it was a dollar store purchase.