Archive through June 06, 2012

[bwittman]

Clark, I'd love to take my 1250 to a show. I hope you enjoy your time there.

I have a question about gasoline. In the owner's manual for the 1250, the recommended gasoline is either a top premium leaded gasoline of at least 93 octane (we'll never see that again) or an unleaded of at least 91 octane.

In the couple gallons of gas that I have used since acquiring the machine, I have just used regular gasoline. In Minnesota, regular unleaded gasoline is at least 7 percent ethanol, and most of it is ten percent ethanol. Unleaded gasoline without ethanol is available in Minnesota for collector vehicles, and off road use only. That is unleaded 91 octane, I think. A good friend who is knowledgeable in small engines has suggested that I use this special gasoline and mix in a little bit of Marvel Mystery Oil to lubricate the upper cylinder.

I know that gasoline these days and small engines don't mix too well. Fuel stabilizer is almost a necessity. Does anyone have any thoughts on the correct gasoline or gasoline mixture to use in our Kohler engines?

 

[wcompton]

Brian-
Use whatever is cheapest. Ignore the warnings about ethanol. Assume that all fuels contain at least 9.9% ethanol, federal standards only require labeling at 10% and above (unless states mandate otherwise). Anyone trained on gasoline fires in the last 5 or so years is trained to use alcohol-resistant foam because of this fact.

For myself, I mix in fuel stabilizer (long term storage mix) into every portable gas can I have. During the summer I dump the token capfull of MMO into the tank to help prevent stuck exhaust valves. I don't put MMO in with my stored gas since I use that to mix my 2-stroke fuel as well.

 

[fcurrier]

Clark: I hope someone has a better idea, but that sounds like a blown head gasket to me.

 

[aaytay]

Wyatt-
I never knew that about the federal labing standards for gasoline. I've been chasing "no ethanol" gasoline for my small engines for the last couple years, only buying it from stations that say "no ethanol". I guess that's wasted effort if instead of getting 10% ethanol, we're getting 9.9% anyway...

When I was a kid, NO meant NO! I see too many instances these days where that is not the case anymore.

 

[lhinds]

Brian I use 87 octane non ethanol and MMO in all of my small engines. Also MMO is the best fuel stabilizer i have used.
Clark i think you have a blown head gasket.

 

[cmwkrill]

Tom- can you elaborate? like, a winch with spring assist?

 

[cckillion]

charles : what i think tom had in mind was and electric motor for pushing the wheels down thus lifting the disc.
similar to this http://www.drpower.com/power-grader_features.aspx
i am also building a tow behind disc but i have the good fortune of having a rear 3pt.
cost wise it would be much cheaper to make it a manual lift with a long lever and clevis pin or gate latch. i would start with the box frame and dics locations then mount an axle that pivots down once you have your center of balance.
i have finally gathered up all of my marerial. brake rotors, wheel hubs and square stock . need to take some pics of before and post them. might be a wasted venture using free parts but i am cheap and time is free.

 

[pbell]

Troy,
With as many of them that were built I wouldn't say they were rare, or that they are in demand. That gear set was also used in the Farmall Cub, and the transmission used in the Cub Cadet is from the Farmall Cub.

 

[dfrisk]

TROY, STEVE B. - The 16T 2nd Paul describes is 3.2 MPH @ 3600 RPM, the 19T is 3.9 MPH, and the 17T is 3.5.

My old #70 had the 16T 2nd, was always a great mowing gear unless the grass was over 5-6 inchs tall then the little 7 HP ran out of power. With 10 HP they make a great mower for any condition.

My #72 has the fast 19T 2nd, and I find it just a bit too fast for mowing, but as Steve says, it's great for plowing, both with a moldboard plow and a snow blade, general yard work, towing carts, sprayers, spreaders, etc. I used to mow with it in 2nd, when I had wide open spaces to mow, but now my yard is more like an obstacle course and 1st gear works better. Even with a hydro I find the mowers do the best job around 3 MPH.

 

[cmwkrill]

Chuck- Exactly. I am debating turning it into a small chisel plow, since the frame and whatnot will be basically the same anyway. (Plus, how many chisel plows do you see for garden tractors?) Regardless, I get to ask grandpa today for some old disk blades, if he has any.

 

[nqueensland]

Clark- I'd change the condenser and see if that helps. I've seen a lot of Kohlers have your same symptoms and the condenser fixed them.

 

[cckillion]

charles : yeah if you make the frame with a common square stock you can attach anything to it. i would do a little research on the way other plow parts attach and sizes before you build it. makes it easyer to multi purpose it.

 

[kfreeman]

Gentlemen,

It doesn't match with the tractor Owner's Manual, but here is what the Kohler Owner's Manual (10 - 16 HP) says about fuel:

<font color="0000ff">Fuel Type
For best results use only clean, fresh, unleaded
gasoline with a pump sticker octane rating of 87 or higher. In countries using the Research method, it should be 90 octane minimum.

Unleaded gasoline is recommended as it leaves less
combustion chamber deposits. Leaded gasoline may
be used in areas where unleaded is not available and exhaust emissions are not regulated. Be aware
however, that the cylinder head will require more
frequent service.

Gasoline/Alcohol blends
Gasohol (up to 10% ethyl alcohol, 90% unleaded
gasoline by volume) is approved as a fuel for Kohler engines. Other gasoline/alcohol blends are not approved.

Gasoline/Ether blends
Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) and unleaded
gasoline blends (up to a maximum of 15% MTBE by
volume) are approved as a fuel for Kohler engines.
Other gasoline/ether blends are not approved.</font>

<font color="000000">I have been using the 87 octane from the station that sells the most (to get the freshest) with Sta-Bil, and MMO in every can. It has been working so far.</font>

You can get information on where to get "pure" gas at: http://pure-gas.org/ and ethanol labeling laws by state at: http://www.fuel-testers.com/state_guide_ethanol_laws.html

 

[dsterley]

Charles Matthew Wayne Krill this is what my dad made, it uses a elictric lift off a lawnmower, with a spring assist and it works great, let me know if you want some more pictures, hope this helps

 

[kmcconaughey]

Clark, I'll second Nick's suggestion of changing the condenser. I had the exact same symptoms several years ago with one of my Cub Cadets and it was the condenser.

Regarding gas, I use 87 octane from the local gas station. I add a healthy does of MMO to the empty gas can before I head to the gas station to fill it. I use this gas in all of my small engines. Last October after I mounted the snow thrower and cab I topped off the gas tank in my #2 125 then it sat unused all winter due to not much snow. I didn't start it until late May when I finally decided it wasn't going to snow and it started on the second or third revolution. My 18 or 19 year old MTD rear tine tiller has a B&S engine that sets most of the year and it always fires on the first pull with full choke and starts and runs on the second pull. It has the original spark plug. Same thing for my log splitter and push mower. I attribute this to the use of MMO as a fuel stabilizer. Many, many years ago I had used Sta-bil but I find MMO works as good or perhaps a bit better. For my chain saw and string trimmer I add the MMO and 2 cycle oil to the empty gas can and fill it at the gas station. My 20 year old Husqvarna has cut 4 to 5+ cords of firewood for each of the 20 years. It's on it's second clutch, second bar, numerous chains, second set of ISO mounts but it still has the original spark plug and it typically fires on the second pull with full choke and starts and runs on the third pull.

<FONT SIZE="-2">IMO, FWIW, YMMV, My $0.02, Yada, Yada, Yada...</FONT>

 

[dfrisk]

KRAIG - As you always say, YMMV, I don't use MMO or Stabil, and I bought bottles of each many years ago and used the MMO once or twice. I really didn't see much improvement from what I'd been using for years.

I run a gallon or two of Sunoco 108 octane leaded race gas in five gallons of Kwik-Trip 91 octane "Recreational Gas" which is supposed to be enthanol free, 100% straight gas. I use it in the old Farmall's and all the Cubbies. I also use the K-T gas to mix my premix for the leaf blower, trimmer & my chain saw. I just wish My Stihl 025 saw started on the first or second pull! Once it's warm it starts with just a little tug but the first start cold takes 6-8 pulls, sometimes more. It still starts better than my old neighbor's Mighty-Mac McCullough saw, I bet he had to pull on that thing 100 times to get it running!

I think the main thing is to keep your gas fresh now days. 7 yrs ago I was down to Dad's place cleaning the place up. We had a pile of "Stuff" to burn, He handed me his old 5-gal gas can and I sprinkled some gas on the pile, I flicked my Bic in a puddle of raw gas and NOTHING... little more gas and still nothing. I finally grabbed my can of fresher gas, the race gas/K-T mix that was about 6 months old, and we had INGITION.... and almost had BLAST-OFF!

It was funny, the old '51 M had been burning Dad's old stale gas for several weekends and finally fouled a plug when hyd oil leaked onto the plug wires from a leak in the high pressure hyd oil line. The gas wouldn't even burn but the tractor started and ran O-K until the plug fouled. And BTW, the new Champion D18Y plugs Dad put in a couple days later are still working great. I haven't started the M since maybe Febuary, and I bet it would start on the second or 3rd revolution. The Super H gets the same gas, similar useage, and it starts the same way, pops right off on the 2-3 reolution after sitting for months. It has 20+ yr old Champion D15y's.

Couple weeks ago when I ran the lawn vacuum, it had sat for close to a year, gas tank was dry, carb was dry, I put a couple quarts of my race gas mix in the tank, hooked up the ignition wire to the battery on the 72, and the old K181 started on the FIRST pull of the rope, little throttle, full choke, it sputtered a bit until I got the choke off but I was AMAZED.

There's a thread on another forum going right now about chisel plows for garden tractors. One guy posted a pic of his chisel plow. Has 5 shanks and a row of discs in front, looks to be about four feet wide. I think my old Super H would pull it, 30 HP and over 6000#, pretty sure the M would give it a good pull, it's more like 50 HP & 7000#. I know somebody made a "RIPPER" for the sleeve hitch or 3-pt of his CC a couple years ago. Even getting a single shank more than 6-8 inches in the ground brings a CC spinning to a halt.

 

[cmiracle]

Thanks yall, I'll try changing the condenser. Would an O'Reilys or Autozone have one that will work?

(just checked the head gasket- its fine)

 

[cdurant]

hello was looking at my 129 serial nimber on the chart to figure out year (my number is u521876) if im reading this right is this tractor a 1963 model

 

[dross]

Chuck aug 74, you were close.

 

[cmiracle]

Changed out the condenser, and re-connected a wire connected underneath the condeser wire. This done, it fired right up just like it used to.

Thanks for yalls help!