ebinmaine 67,570 #1 Posted December 12, 2019 @JCM Jim and I have talked on more than one occasion about repairing loose carb shafts on a couple of k341 engines that each of us has. Jim already has some oillite bushings on hand. What we need are general instructions and what tools would be required. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #2 Posted December 12, 2019 Eric, a drill press with a vice (to hold your carbs steady and straight) the appropriate undersized drill bit to be used in conjunction with the correct sized reamer (ex bushing measures .3125 , drill .306 , reamer .3105-.311 for a press fit) then you will need a way to press those new bushings in "square and parallel" without distorting them to much then for good measure a reamer of the correct size for the bushing I.D. (ex .251)... Hope this helps. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,570 #3 Posted December 12, 2019 6 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said: Eric, a drill press with a vice (to hold your carbs steady and straight) the appropriate undersized drill bit to be used in conjunction with the correct sized reamer (ex bushing measures .3125 , drill .306 , reamer .3105-.311 for a press fit) then you will need a way to press those new bushings in "square and parallel" without distorting them to much then for good measure a reamer of the correct size for the bushing I.D. (ex .251)... Hope this helps. So far we're batting a thousand except for the reamer. Have to check into that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AHS 1,440 #4 Posted December 12, 2019 I’m sure you know, but there are brass (some kinda oddball screws) holding the throttle plate on. The 2 screws are peened outward, so they will break off if you just take a regular screw driver to them. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,570 #5 Posted December 12, 2019 Yeah that was actually going to be one of my questions. What is the appropriate way to get those out. I knew they were there but I have only ever broken them off in the past. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Racinbob 11,086 #6 Posted December 12, 2019 I use a small rotary tool to carefully grind the peened area. It usually works for me. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,828 #7 Posted December 12, 2019 Don't know if this will help or not but a nice tutorial by @T-Mo…. There might be more info in the files?? With the good luck I have been having with the knock offs I wouldn't do it but for the original purists what the heck. How To - Carburetor Rebuild.pdf 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,570 #8 Posted December 12, 2019 5 minutes ago, WHX24 said: Don't know if this will help or not but a nice tutorial by @T-Mo…. There might be more info in the files?? With the good luck I have been having with the knock offs I wouldn't do it but for the original purists what the heck. How To - Carburetor Rebuild.pdf 932.86 kB · 0 downloads Hey, thanks for posting that PDF. I wish I had the same luck with the cheap carburetors that everybody else has. For me there's a few different other reasons though. A huge one is one of our favorite phrases... Use what ya have Also, Trying new things Learning new skills The idea of refreshing a 50 year old carburetor instead of needing to buy a new one no matter where it's been made. I found this while I was trying to search for the size of the screws. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,828 #9 Posted December 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Learning new skills The idea of refreshing a 50 year old carburetor True 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,597 #10 Posted December 12, 2019 4 hours ago, ebinmaine said: What we need are general instructions and what tools would be required If the piece on top of the butterfly shaft is removable, remove it. There will be a recessed area around the shaft. Drive the new bushing into that recess, reinstall the piece on top of the shaft, job done. If your carb is not set up like this, then you will have to remove the butterfly. 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 7,307 #11 Posted December 12, 2019 I would prefer a vertical milling machine to open the holes and keep them located properly, but a drill press is OK. Align the hole under the spindle with enough height to do all the following with the table locked and without moving the clamped vise or carb: Drill out the carb. Ream the resulting hole. Press in the bushing(s) using a pin in the drill chuck. Ream the bushings to size. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,828 #12 Posted December 12, 2019 Holy crap Dan ...use a impact on that mixture screw did ya?!?!? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,597 #13 Posted December 12, 2019 1 minute ago, WHX24 said: Holy crap Dan ...use a impact on that mixture screw did ya?!?!? It was like that when I got here Sir. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 17,011 #14 Posted December 12, 2019 Looks like my neighbor was adjusting the high speed needle on that carb too 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 7,307 #15 Posted December 12, 2019 Got a used carb with the idle mixture screw that someone used a hacksaw to remove the plastic limiter, then was tightened till the screw was twisted off and the end permanently embedded in the body. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,373 #16 Posted December 12, 2019 8 hours ago, lynnmor said: I would prefer a vertical milling machine ... Wouldn't we all (and myself having access to them)... But since what Eric has is a drill press... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,570 #17 Posted December 12, 2019 9 hours ago, Racinbob said: I use a small rotary tool to carefully grind the peened area. It usually works for me. Me and my Dremel just had a nice go around with the old parts carb I have on the shelf. Worked perfectly to grind off the back of that screw holding the throttle plate in. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Digger 66 3,480 #18 Posted December 12, 2019 14 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Me and my Dremel just had a nice go around with the old parts carb I have on the shelf. Worked perfectly to grind off the back of that screw holding the throttle plate in. Can't wait to see that all clean -N- dandy ! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,570 #19 Posted December 12, 2019 3 minutes ago, Digger 66 said: Can't wait to see that all clean -N- dandy ! That shaft is some serious worn out.... I need to poke around my parts piles and various areas and see if I can come up with enough stuff to make a whole carb. That's an original Kohler carb from a K341 so I'd like to save it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,145 #20 Posted December 12, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Achto said: If the piece on top of the butterfly shaft is removable, remove it. There will be a recessed area around the shaft. Drive the new bushing into that recess, reinstall the piece on top of the shaft, job done. If your carb is not set up like this, then you will have to remove the butterfly. Looks like one of those Tecky carbs you have to adjust every 15 minutes! I should talk; I used to keep a hammer under my Corvair driver seat to "adjust " one of the carbs once a week! Edited December 12, 2019 by squonk 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oliver2-44 9,758 #21 Posted December 13, 2019 As indicated in the conversation above, there's at least two ways to repair a worn throttle shaft hole. 1. Drill and ream out the hole and press in a long bushing. 2.Press a brass bushing into the recess on top of the carb that original was for a felt seal as Acto indicated) I've used this method with success on 3 carbs now. I used 2 brass washers available in those gray drawers at the ACe and other hardware stores. 3 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anglo Traction 761 #22 Posted December 13, 2019 Good to see the mindset of putting use back into an old part. I know not everybody has a well stocked workshop to repair things, and if I recall correctly, the Kohler Manual refers to using a vise to carefully press the shaft bushing into the recess?. It may be possible to carry this job out without having to ream the bushing after it is fitted. If it is the oilite version, it should partially collapse down to size when pressed in. Shaft diameters of the carbs I have checked are/were always a few thousandths under 1/4" on the 'unworn' areas, so it may be that a reamer is not required. Just to offer some contribution to the overall job of refurbishing these carbs, I add a link to an old post that may help as a reference to a Kohler carb refurb in general. Hope you get back to a 'smooth runner' with the reworked carb. Kohler Carb Regards Richard. 1 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,570 #23 Posted December 15, 2019 On 12/12/2019 at 6:05 PM, Digger 66 said: Can't wait to see that all clean -N- dandy ! Well folks @JCM Jim stopped by the house today and graciously put up with me for a bit. @Stepney here's the carb info... We removed the throttle shafts from my old C160 carb and his C165 carb as well. Both were some floppy & both were broken at the top linkage. Here's a video I made awhile back that shows the carb I have. Jim's was not quite as bad but broken in the same place. We soldered the top joints back together. Cleaned his up some and pressed the 2 bushings in place on each carb. On his carb I used a dead blow hammer with a 1/4" pin through the carb body to hold the 1st bushing straight. Then press-fit the 2nd one on in with the vise. On my carb I just used the hammer for both. Each method worked out fine. We put the throttle shafts and plates back in with new 3-48 x 3/16" button head Allen screws. Added loctite for good measure. See the above video or the pic a few posts back for a "before"... Here is my C160 carb after cleaning. If you look carefully under the linkage you can see the spacers we installed. @WHX24 This method turned out to be FAR easier to do than we thought. I have 2 other carbs that I'll be repairing the same way. I now have another reason NOT to buy a Chinese clone cheap carb. 3 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 48,828 #24 Posted December 16, 2019 (edited) Works for me EB.....howed you get the nice shine on them? Looks like you guys are bypassing the Chinese connection! When you want me to send the dozen or so out to you I have for the treatment! Edited December 16, 2019 by WHX24 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,570 #25 Posted December 16, 2019 7 hours ago, WHX24 said: get the nice shine on them? Both the pics above are my own carb. Jim's was fairly clean inside and I only had it for a few hours so I couldn't use the soaking can. For mine I use a Gunk gallon soak kit. The one I have is probably 3 years old. Max. It's a less concentrated or different version of the stuff we knew years ago but it does work well. I leave a disassembled carb to soak for 2 or 3 days. Brush off under hot water.. Usually repeat both steps. Then spray a can or 2 of brake clean through all the holes and galleys. Then CAREFULLY wire brush it. I use sandpaper on a flat surface to true up both ends for a good gasket seal. Takes time and patience but the results are certainly worth it. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites