'74 C160-8 Restomodification in Process

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Sooooo..... here's the old carb throttle butterfly.  Notice anything missing?

 

I did check the engine bore while I had the head off and it's ok. ... 

Those screws if sucked in tend to leave "fossils" of themselves in the top of the pistons at least it did in the old engine in the BU lost a center squirter holding screw smashed a plug electrode shut other guys couldn't hear the "miss" over the headers and big cam but I did, funny thing was the squirter was too big to go by the throttle blades, now there's a "blower" style gasket with screen mesh to catch anything else that might ever dislodge from the carb, not that you will need that, but anyways when I tore it down after a head gasket went south there it was fossilized in 3 piston top no noticeable scarring on the cylinder wall, must have passed out the exhaust the same way it came through the intake, Jeff.

[Sarge 3,463]

I've dug a lot of lost screws and other things out of engines - sometimes it costs a new piston or valves or both...that hurts. See above about properly staking those things - it's important .

You couldn't use the choke shaft out of the original carb ?

 

Sarge

[ebinmaine 68,157]

7 minutes ago, Sarge said:

You couldn't use the choke shaft out of the original carb ?

 

I tried ..... too much wear on the shaft at the lever end.

Definitely gonna stake down the screws.

I appreciate the reminder.

[Sarge 3,463]

Shaft should be available , might want to order one to rebuild the original as I doubt the Chinese castings will last all that long. The shafts in mine are already showing some slop - not that many hours on it since mid-summer. It's fairly easy to re-bush those Kohler carbs if you have a drill press and buy a few cheap reamers sized to fit new bushings - once installed and ream them to final dimension they work soooo smooth and will stay that way for a very long time.

 

 

Sarge

[ebinmaine 68,157]

2 hours ago, Sarge said:

Shaft should be available ,

I'm definitely interested in purchasing ALL the linkage to rebuild the Kohler carb when I can..... 

Where might one find those?

[Sarge 3,463]

You can either look up the part numbers here -

http://www.kohlerenginesparts.com/?brand=eng&id=ps_adw_eng_ongoing-paid-search_2017_56258290-VQ6-246154525348-VQ16-c-VQ15-1t1&source=google&mat=e&cat=branded&kwd=kohler+engine+parts&adpos=1t1&creative=246154525348&device=c&matchtype=e&network=g

 

Or, use the Kohler single cylinder service manual and parts manuals - we should have them listed in the files section. You need the model/spec and serial numbers and dig through the tables to get the right section , then find the part numbers using the books. It's a pain , but there were so many variations built for different equipment it was necessary to list them all. The online lookup usually works pretty well - never let down yet. From looking for those parts on the K482 (same basic carb) it looks as though they may be discontinued now, rats. I have grabbed used parts off the auction site as well - many times they like new in comparison.

Just don't toss the original - some of us are saving those cores and especially the rebuilder shops.

 

Sarge

[ebinmaine 68,157]

3 hours ago, Sarge said:

Just don't toss the original

Thanks for the link Sarge....

Definitely NOT tossing the core.... I'd really like to try my hand at fixin' it at some point. Knowing me that could be tomorrow or a year from now but I'll mess with it at some point.

[Sarge 3,463]

Same here - my original is in the tool box or down in the shop , not sure at this point but I want to fully go through it and ditch this inconsistent Chinese copy. For the money it works well enough for now, but not long term. Kohlers and looking up parts can be a challenge but after you learn them it's not too bad - plus we have some here that can do it in their sleep...I'm not one of them .

 

Sarge

[ebinmaine 68,157]

I got the New carb cleaned out,  sprayed out, and blown out... adjusted both butterflies. ... and reassembled.  Thanks to all who've given a tip or two there.

 

I won't have time to fiddle with this for a few days. I have a house appraiser arriving Tuesday and theres a couple things to button up before then.

 

Maybe that afternoon I'll work on getting the breather reassembled and put the carb back on.

 

Edited February 16, 2018 by ebinmaine

[ebinmaine 68,157]

Finally got back to spending a few minutes working on the C today.

I picked up a breather from the Toro dealer and installed that.

Also got the carb put in place.

 

The throttle cable wasn't held on at the end of the breather mount nut due to a Mangled cable holder. Pliers and a few minutes of careful bending got that back in shape.

 

Bit of a set back at the choke shaft end....                    

 

JB Weld did nearly NO good holding the end of it on after I removed it and reversed the push/pull direction of it. I went to install the cable through the end and it snapped right off. I had only put JB on the outside of the shaft.

 

I'd appreciate suggestions for that repair.

 

Maybe I didn't clean it or scuff it enough?

Maybe JB just isn't gonna work there.

 

I'm going to see if I can get the screws out of the old shaft and double check how badly it's really worn. Maybe if it was the bore, not the shaft I can reuse that shaft.... dunno.

 

UPDATE:

I did get the screws out of the old shaft - after they broke off like some of you said they would.... 

I'm going to take the choke shaft and butterfly to the hardware store and see if I can find screws or even bolts small enough to use.

I think I'll have to use the Old shaft and New butterfly due to the way things line up in the new carb.

No worries... fun learning...

 

Edited February 22, 2018 by ebinmaine
Added Upate

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

You do realize the choke cable routing doesn't have to stay exactly the way WH did it as long as you have enough cable and the ability to attach it securely to where it works with the new carb shouldn't have to change the carb linkage just my , and I'm a hillbilly, Jeff.

[ebinmaine 68,157]

35 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

You do realize the choke cable routing doesn't have to stay exactly the way WH did it as long as you have enough cable and the ability to attach it securely to where it works with the new carb shouldn't have to change the carb linkage just my , and I'm a hillbilly, Jeff.

Hahaha. ... yeah. .... I know.  I figured it would be easier to modify the linkage than it would be to modify the route of the cable. It's possible I may have been incorrect.

[Sarge 3,463]

Those choke shaft ends are solidly staked onto the shaft - or they should be. Basically, the shaft goes into a holding tool and the end of the shaft is mushroomed to hold the arm in place tightly. Some of these Chinese carbs that staking is not very good - the arms just vibrate loose and fall off and I've tig welded 2 of them now in place for buddies' projects. If you are careful and use the flat area on the shaft to grip it with a vise, should be able to use a center punch and peen out the shaft material well enough to grip the linkage arm - as long as it fits tight enough.

 

Sarge

[ebinmaine 68,157]

7 hours ago, Sarge said:

Those choke shaft ends are solidly staked onto the shaft - or they should be. Basically, the shaft goes into a holding tool and the end of the shaft is mushroomed to hold the arm in place tightly. Some of these Chinese carbs that staking is not very good - the arms just vibrate loose and fall off and I've tig welded 2 of them now in place for buddies' projects. If you are careful and use the flat area on the shaft to grip it with a vise, should be able to use a center punch and peen out the shaft material well enough to grip the linkage arm - as long as it fits tight enough.

 

Sarge

It .... was.... til I ground it off in an attempt to turn it 180*.

No worries..... 

 

 

*******************

 

Tried plan B today.

I went to K L Jack fasteners and got a couple little itty bitty screws/washers/locking nuts.

Reinstalled the old choke shaft and butterfly. 

It'll have to do for a little while.

 

Edited February 22, 2018 by ebinmaine

[Sarge 3,463]

If you want, send it here and I'll fix it - free of charge. Those nuts/screws will affect air flow patterns to the venturi, shouldn't be all that bad but it may make it tough to tune it right. I take it the threads are stripped out now in the shaft ?

 

Sarge

[ebinmaine 68,157]

2 hours ago, Sarge said:

If you want, send it here and I'll fix it - free of charge. Those nuts/screws will affect air flow patterns to the venturi, shouldn't be all that bad but it may make it tough to tune it right. I take it the threads are stripped out now in the shaft ?

 

Sarge

That's a very generous offer Sarge and very much appreciated.

I'm going to try what I have for now and see how it goes. I know what is on there is only going to be a temporary fix anyway. I'll probably try to get a good rebuildable core carburetor from somebody at some point.

 

One of the holes, the threads were damaged. The other one was fine. I could not get the right pitch thread screw locally so I drilled out the hole big enough to put the ones pictured, in.

[19richie66 17,522]

And to think I had a supervisor told me one time “A cross thread is better than a locknut anyday”. I always use Red or Green loctite 👍

[ebinmaine 68,157]

1 hour ago, 19richie66 said:

And to think I had a supervisor told me one time “A cross thread is better than a locknut anyday”. I always use Red or Green loctite 👍

I had a bottle of the blue loctite but i use the stuff so often it was dried right up to powder......

 

I went to replace it and was told it would be 16 - 17 $$  !!!!!!!!!

Ouch.... maybe next time.

 

[19richie66 17,522]

Blue is good for light duty. Red and green take heat to get it loose. Green wicks down the threads and turns to concrete. Good stuff.

[cpete1 332]

Wow, I'm super late for the party.... Looks like you dove into the soup Eric right up to your eyeballs. Looking great so far, I see all these miserable, don't help ya, don't want to answer any questions, grumpy by-standers are acting like their typical grumpy selves. I've never seen such a group as this... I can only imagine what it's like to be on the "receiving" end of such a bunch... 

I do have one tip to submit though. The next time you're near a auto parts store, get yourself some "valve grinding compound", usually comes in a small tube like toothpaste. You stick the end of your screwdriver into it and then place it on the trouble screws you have and tap on the handle with a light hammer while applying torque. The grit in the compound helps get a good "purchase" on the screw slot, whether it be a slotted or a phillips. Kind of a poor mans impact driver, from back in my motorcycle days.

Hope you don't mind one more rider on the bus while you drive, I'll be along for the ride. (I'll sit in the back so I don't have to deal with all the grumpy, in-friendly, no-help rest of the bunch here)

 

Now I gotta go back an re-read all the previous posts on this thread to get up to speed, plus I see Sarge has a few posts which means I might even have to take notes , (Not complaining Sarge its just that your replies are just "a touch" on the TECHNICAL side,)

 

Man, what a forum..... Good Luck Eric on the rebuild and Thanks for taking us along.

Chris

[Sarge 3,463]

"Detail-oriented" - it's a curse, really..

 

Sarge

[ebinmaine 68,157]

@cpete1 welcome aboard and glad to have ya.

Thanks for the reminder about the valve compound. I did actually do just like you said with a hammer and big screwdriver.

 

 

Hoping to spend a few minutes later today or tomorrow working on some other part of this rig. Possibly wiring harness. Possibly getting the seat ready to be recovered.

 

[ebinmaine 68,157]

I spent a few minutes two or three different times over the last week or so messing around with getting the seat off and trying to figure out what in the name of holy tractor one of the previous owners did to what remains of the bird nest that some might call a wiring harness.

The seat is now cleaned up a bit and my honey has decided she wants to use the baby body grinder to grind the rust off and then we're going to repaint it and recover the existing seat with Marine vinyl and some new foam.

 

More seat covering pictures as that progresses.

I didn't get any pictures of the wiring harness but you could use your own imagination. Go to your parts pile. Grab all the wires you can get with one hand. Shake them around a bit and throw them in your nearest tractor. That's about what it was like. I finally decided that no one in their right mind would try to figure out what was in there. I removed ALL  the wiring except for the black lead going to the coil plus side.

Last night and the night before I installed a 103 990 ignition switch and begin rebuilding the harness a bit.

 

[AMC RULES 37,134]

 A wire wheel on her angle grinder...

will make short work of that surface rust Eric. 

Just make sure to double up on your eye protection(safety glasses, full face shield)...

and have her cover any exposed skin before she starts.  

Edited March 6, 2018 by AMC RULES

[ebinmaine 68,157]

Spent some time working on the wiring today.

 

Ammeter out. Volt meter in. Volt meter is wired to ignition coil so it reads in start And run positions. This gives an indicator of battery  condition During cranking. 

 

Removed, cleaned, remounted VR.

 

Every wire except the 3 on the regulator have new ends or completely replaced. Those were cleaned. 

New ignition switch and plug/harness. 

Ran auxiliary ground from VR to volt meter to battery.