Archive through August 25, 2018

mgwin · Aug 25, 2018

OK archive bug, you got me.

Back when we used to get snow, I plowed mine with no weights or chains. I just used loaded tires.

mgwin · Aug 25, 2018

Charlie,

What kind of seat bumpers do you have there?
Kind of looks like two of these:

digger · Aug 25, 2018

Marty G.
I put these on, but cut off about 3/8". They tilt the seat forward, which makes for a perfect angle for me.

mgwin · Aug 26, 2018

Well it has turned off hot and humid again.

Sitting here wishing the paint was dry on my cub parts.

jstorma · Aug 26, 2018

Ok You Kohler guys; I'm having a really hard time with my 1650 running correctly and am stumped.

Overhauled the engine, bored .010 over, crank .010 under. Have kirk engines crank shaft balance plate installed. Seats ground and lapped with new valves, new governor gear, new main roller bearings.

Have everything running correctly and after about 45 minutes of cutting grass it would start to have a weird miss but would still run. If I slow the throttle down it would still miss until you get to idle. Sometime's it would die and when you try and start it; it would hit but would not run. I'd have to leave it sit for half hour and it would start up and good to go.

Did this a few times at other times. Usually on warmer days around 80 or more. I thought maybe it was an ignition issue since the coil did have oil leaking out of it thru the high lead. Purchased Kirk engines blue bosh coil, transducer II and new plug wire. Also installed a new plug. Didn't have the issue anymore and ran great. At the same time I also changed the fuel filter. No problems; thought it was solved.

Let my brother take it home to his place to cut his grass and the third time he cut it; it started missing again on him and when he throttled down it still missed and it quit. He could not get it started again until 15 minutes later. When it ran for him; idle was more like half throttle. He was able to put it away for the night. I told him to remove the side shields and try again in the morning. (we thought it was heat related being about 80F) Started right up and ran good. But after about 1 hour of mowing it started to act up again but did not quit running.

Does anyone have this happen to them before or have any suggestions? Everything on the engine is new including the points that I forgot to mention earlier. Carburetor was rebuilt as well. I use a little sea foam in the premium gas.
I'm really perplexed. Stuck a lot of time and money into this thing and it still won't run right. Only tractor I can not get to work like it's suppose to.

I was thinking about replacing the transducer II with the known good condenser from my 169 or 1200 and seeing if that solves the issue thinking the transducer II is getting too hot and causing issues.

Any ideas are sure welcome!

kmcconaughey · Aug 27, 2018

Jim, only things I can think of would be a plugged vent in the gas cap or perhaps a valve that is a bit sticky at higher temps. Next time it happens open the gas cap and see if that effects it.

rchristensen · Aug 27, 2018

Jim when it starts acting up does it act like it’s loosing compression? If you rule out fuel and ignition it could be compression. I had a bad head gasket give symptoms like that. Did you check the head for flatness when you rebuilt the engine? If you run with a bad head gasket long enough you will see a black stain below the head gasket, kind of hard to see with a quietline.

rrschmitt · Aug 27, 2018

Jim S,

Did you do anything with the valve guides when you rebuilt your engine? The local long time machine shop owner that recently bored out a K301 block for me also replaced the exhaust valve guide. When I asked him why, he said with many years of experience, never reuse an old exhaust valve because they have lost most of their temper and will stretch making it hard to maintain correct clearance and always replace the exhaust guide to keep the new valve from sticking. Just sharing what I learned from him as this guy is highly recommended by all the local lawnmower shops.

sblunier · Aug 27, 2018

My 1872 does that on occasion. I have chalked it up to vapor lock.

jstorma · Aug 27, 2018

Thanks for the replies!

Told him to try loosing the gas tank cap to see if it made a difference when the symptoms accure. Not sure if he did that but will ask him.

At the time of overhaul, I ended up sanding the head down so I could not get a .001" feeler gage between the gasket surface and a surface plate, I think in an area I could get a .010 feeler gage between the gasket surface and the surface plate before I started sanding. Head gasket area on the block would not allow a .001" feel gage to slip thru it anywhere. Not saying there is no way the gasket is blown, but like Richard said; it's hard to tell on a quite line due to the shielding.

The valves are new aftermarkets. I had hand reamed the guides with a 5/16 reamer and cleaned out the holes with lacquer thinner. Then measured them with plus size gage pins. I recall the exhaust side allowing a .313 pin to slide in and not a .314. The intake allowing a .312 pin to slide in and not a .313. I did measured the new exhaust valve stem; I remember it was tapered and smaller by .0007" from what the manual stated, but thought this might be ok as it would not allow it to stick open. I recall the exhaust valve was in roto packaging.

Maybe I should buy Marv's Mystery oil and put some of that in with the Valvoline 30W oil and see if that makes a difference if it's a sticking valve. I remember reading on here a long time ago that it's a cure all for a sticking exhaust valve.

I guess I could say it looses compression only because it seems to loose power when the symptoms come about.

I suppose vapor locking could be the issue, the fuel line does run next to the engine and could be heating it.

Must also apologize; it's a Trandenser II not Transducer II

jchamberlin · Aug 28, 2018

Jim S. Sure sounds like a sticking valve to me. I had a valve stick on me with a B&S engine, running the low-ash oil from Cub Cadet really seemed to help.

If a valve is sticking, the engine should crank a bit differently, as in a bit faster or easier. Just a thought.

Hope you get it sorted out. Your machines look too pretty to run poorly.

rthomley · Aug 28, 2018

Jim, did you retorque the head. I'm thinking you are loosing compression. From what I'm reading your comments compression has been mentioned, and it will run but when it gets hot it'll start missing

lkortkamp · Aug 28, 2018

Charlie, if you haven't gotten my email(seems it always gets lost). Thanks for the care package.

dschwandt · Aug 28, 2018

Portland, 2018
Just got back on Sat after 5 days at the Portland, IN Tri State Show.
UN FRICKING BELIEVABLE!!!!

For several reasons!!
Conditions really put a test to one's patience having to avoid the golf carts and other assorted 4 wheelers, not to mention the veritable quagmire they produced. I cannot believe they would let conditions get this bad.

lkortkamp · Aug 28, 2018

WOW!!! What a mess. Looks like its going to take some serious landscaping to get things smoothed back out.

As for golf carts and gators, etc. How many times I've said I'd like to have one to ride around at shows(truck shows, equipment shows,
at the race track), but I see what a complete mess they create traffic wise and I tell myself that I will not be part of the problem. I am more then able to walk and by the looks of some people riding around, they should start walking.

I do have a small 4 wheeler in my trailer that gets occasional use, but for the most part I walk.

dschwandt · Aug 28, 2018

Here are a few rigs that caught my eye.....

dschwandt · Aug 28, 2018

And a few more.
Evidently, this guy was expecting things to get much worse, as if that were possible!!! This was on Friday before I left for home. More rain was on the way and folks were beginning to pull out, that is IF they could pull put....or, um, GET pulled out!!