Not Sure This Will Fit

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Been working on my Lawn Ranger recently, trying to get this dang Wisconsin to fit.

 

Since this Lawn Ranger doesn't have a battery in it, the starter-generator sits fine. Up front, it fits okay, but only with the air filter removed (see pics). If I add the air cleaner, the hood won't fit. I have a "dry" filter, as well as the "wet" oil bath one, but both are about the same size and won't fit.

 

The only thing I can think of to make this work, would be to add a section of straight pipe between the exit of the carb, and the up-turn elbow that goes into the bottom of the air cleaner. This would make the entire air cleaner assembly sit outside the hood. However, even if i do this, i will have to notch the hood where the "extension tube" would fit.

 

For a battery, I was going to put it under the seat. I think im going to have to make a new box for the fenders to bolt to due to the bigger wheels / tires im going with, so making it accept a battery won't be a huge issue.

 

Exhaust would be fine, id have to do an elbow directly out of the block, the a straight section. That would clear I think.

 

As you can see by the pics, the hood I have is pretty clean and solid. No rust on it at all, and no cuts except a pair of odd holes on the top.

 

I really wanted to make this work, but I dont think this was destined to be.

 

Wisconsin did offer a "straight through" Walbro carb for some of their engines (like a typical kohler). Alas, they never made one for this particular model, so that is off the table unless I made one fit from something else. That would give me better hopes of fitting the carb / air cleaner behind the stock hood.

 

I do have a K181 with electric start on my shelf, as well as a K181 with a recoil starter. In addition, ill be picking up a K91 with a recoil starter this weekend. I'd like to make this an electric start though (either starter or starter-generator).

 

On the flywheel side, the clutch / brake pedal does clear the belt, but id seriously consider fabing a guard, as id hate to catch the tip of my shoe in that belt. I could also make new brackets to put it up high like a Kohler unit is, which would help get it further from my foot.

 

I do have a little room to move the engine backwards, but then id have a shorter belt (not a huge deal), and the stock gaurd won't fit (something I was trying to maintain).

 

What do you guys think? Should I quit while I'm ahead and just put in the Kohler since I already have one? Or keep working on this to try to find a way to make it work?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2020 by 71_Bronco

[Ed Kennell 39,205]

I would go with the Kohler.    That tractor is too nice to alter.   

[71_Bronco 1,072]

4 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

I would go with the Kohler.    That tractor is too nice to alter.   

 

I have a Tecumeh for it, but its the wrong one and doesn't quite fit. I've been looking for an H55, but they aren't very common.

[8ntruck 7,183]

Maybe a custom intake pipe that replaces the elbow that the air cleaner mounts on.   Looks like there might be room to snake it out the left side of the tractor between the hood and engine.  Once it is clear of the hood, the intake could go straight up, allowing the air cleaner to be mounted above the level of the hood.

 

@pullstart has a thread we here he makes a custom exhaust that was pieced together from sections cut from an old set of headers.  A similar method could be used here.

 

Good luck.

[oliver2-44 9,929]

if you have the fab skills, i agree with snaking it out the side. Then maybe put a try tyke air cleaner from a k241 on the side of the tractor.  or you could put an aftermarket K&N go cart carb.  You migh even squeeze a K&N filter under the hood on the existing base.

https://www.knfilters.com/rg-1003rd-l-universal-clamp-on-air-filter-multi-lingual?gclid=CjwKCAjwh7H7BRBBEiwAPXjadvf_6ceJ54fVhWeILSG19rprxE38eYf0wpJh0b35bowL8RyNtw3GRRoCGW4QAvD_BwE

[Pullstart 63,203]

What is the spread of the intake on that Wisconsin?  What HP?  Try a Kohler carb on it, see how it runs.  I have a Tecky 6 hp that I put a K181 carb on and it runs like a top!

[71_Bronco 1,072]

7 hours ago, pullstart said:

What is the spread of the intake on that Wisconsin?  What HP?  Try a Kohler carb on it, see how it runs.  I have a Tecky 6 hp that I put a K181 carb on and it runs like a top!

 

As I said, I have a couple K181 Kohler 8hp's I can steal a carb from to test. This is rated at 7.2 hp @ 3,600 RPM. I would have to measure the spread and the intake hole.

 

Now that I look at it, I don't think a straight-through carb would work. I'd have to extend the governor arm up to have a linkage to the throttle butterfly, but that linkage would pass right through the exhaust pipe.

 

I don't have the governor linkage shown in the pictures, as I had the carb off to get the old exhaust out. The linkage passes under the exhaust, and connects to the back side of the carb (closest to the block).

 

I think the only way to make this work would be to relocate the air filter outside the hood.

[Pullstart 63,203]

Keep digging, but I vote for not cutting the hood 

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Been doing some thinking on this. I think I'm going to keep going with this engine. I'll work on getting it running and driving first, then worry about the hood.

 

If I can't get this to work, I always have a K181 and a K91 I can transplant in if all else fails. However, I will have a proven running engine regardless.

 

The only downside to this motor is that the mounting pattern is slightly wrong. It is 4" x 7-1/2", vs the stock 5" x 7-1/2".

 

If you look in the pictures above, you can see the mis-match. I think its because of the way the block is assembled in 2 pieces, vs a 1 piece like the Kohlers. However, I dont think a pair of extra holes in the frame is a huge deal.

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Side tangent, picked up another leaf blower, this one has a little K91 in it (last one had a K181).

 

I am thinking about converting one of these into a pull-behind leaf blower to clean up the yard with.