Archive through October 15, 2010

[fcurrier]

The way today's gone, I'm gonna get archived.

Well, guess not.
This is a K301 from a 125 that I was going to part out, but it's given me enough trouble that I've kind of become attached to it. The tractor sat in the weeds for who knows how long but for #150 it made its way to here. Pulled the engine last weekend and put it in the cellar. Things were going pretty good until I tried to pull the front pulley. Can you imagine frozen allen screws? Soaked with PB for a couple days and 1 came out. Not the other! Broke 2 allen wrenches on the other and was ready to use the Sawzall and can the crank. Kept up with the PB and this morning decided to at least pull the flywheel. Right! Snapped a bolt off in one of the flywheel holes. Ended up drilling the bolt out and retapping both holes to 3/8-16, like the headbolts. (I'll do that to every flywheel I pull from now on). Then, back to the front pulley. Screw let loose so easily I thought I'd broken another wrench. PB, I'm now a true believer - Patience:Believe. Now the engine's stripped, and I'm going to ask a few questions.
It's a standard bore, smoothly glazed. What's the chance of just a good honing and .003 rings?
No balance gears in this one. Can I unscrew that long dipstick tube and use the short one off the side?
This has a steel governor gear. Better than nylon?
More to come, my edit time is slipping by.

 

[dross]

Doug, with three spring the clutch disc self aligns. Thats why you should replace the springs in sets. With 1 spring you would have forced the clutch disc to the oposite side and caused your premature problems.

 

[lpalma]

Frank,
The dipstick tube is a press fit,why not just leave it as is???
If your going to use the cam cover dipstick,be sure it is the right cam cover,there are two different types, or your oil will be too low.I had a 10hp I did this to.I put in 2 1/2 pints and it read over filled...found the right one and all is well.
Don T
Did the plane drop your package in the mailbox or on the lawn...

 

[dfrisk]

FRANK - Way to keep after things in the face of adversity.

Like Lewis said, I'd keep the top side dipstick. Yes, you have to tilt the hood to check oil but your going to gas the tractor up anyway. Plus it's MUCH easier to keep the top mounted dipstick clean so dirt/crud doesn't get into the engine, and to add oil when changing.

The problem I see with just a light honeing and installing .003" O/S rings is that the piston will be loose in the bore and will rock & knock, you won't get good ring seal which will mean it'll burn oil, smoke, etc. I think .003" O/S is even too much to knurl the piston, but an engine machine shop would know for sure.

Depending on what you plan to do with the engine, I'd bore it out .010" O/S, new piston, rings, rod, wrist pin, keepers, grind rod throw if necessary. If it's a "Worker" I'd go with OEM parts, if it's a parade or light yard work tractor where it won't be run hard I would use Stens parts for everything but the head gasket. Remember Matt G's situation a couple months ago.

And the steel/iron governor gear should be much better than the nylon. Must be an old K301. I've heard of the nylon gears failing, teeth stripping, not common but does happen.

 

[dtanner]

Dennis Frisk
I remember the problems I had with a new nylon governor gear when I rebuilt my 149. I could not get the engine set up and it would run off on me. I had to take the engine all apart and replace the new gear and that solve my run away governor.
Frank C .
If I were you have it measured to see what the bore will need to repair it .I just had a 125 block bored .030 and still have a scratch that will allow the k to have to much blow bye

(or send that block over here and I`ll install a new .020 set I got here lol.)

I need to find some of the steel gears if they are still around. nylon was junk that I got of evilpay .


Lewis P

must have been to much wind on delivery day .I had to go to the PO and get the package and a few extra $$. That can happen when you add postage and price together as Value .There is no Value in postage.Thanks for the PTO parts and I can now have all the tractors with working pto`s.

 

[jderstine]

Frank,
Do the honing on that block and then either measure it yourself or have your machine shop check it out. If it's in tolerance, it should be fine.
I just rebuilt the K301 in my 122 and that's what I did with the bore. Mine was out of round by .0007 and worn oversize by .0012 to .0017 so I went with a brand new Kohler piston and connecting rod ( crank measured perfect ).

Also in regards to PB Blaster, although that works good, KROIL works even better. Somewhere floating around the internet is a test of the different penetrates and their costs per ounce. iirc, PB was middle of the list and second was KROIL. The best working penetrant was also the cheapest, it was a 50/50 mixture of acetone and ATF ( automatic transmission fluid )

Jeff

 

[dwilkinson]

Frank: Watch the clearance of that new Kohler rod to your standard crank. I had the same thing and it soon siezed as it was too tight so had to disassemble, remachine the rod and I was lucky as the rod was OK or I would have had to buy another rod.

 

[dtanner]

Jeff Derstine

Funny you should mention acetone and atf .I have a gallon of acetone on the shelf here and have used that mix a few times.The acetone will find its way into most frozen parts and carry atf there also.

I worked on my 129 loader no charge yesterday and have to remove the fuel tank today and clean all the contacts and see if I can find what is up with the no-charge.Having painted the Cub and put it back together in a hurry I might have missed ,or not cleaned up all the grounds as well as I should have.I will get it working .

Acetone will go

easy and much care MUST be taken when you use it.even static from you putting your hand in a container of Acetone will cause it to burn

 

[dfrisk]

DONALD -Acetone also REALLY does a number on the plastic handles of cheap screwdrivers. We used to soak off the rubber tires from our plastic R/C car & truck wheels with acetone. They were glued onto the wheels with CA.

Another thing I've heard but never tried, was to melt some cheap candle wax around the frozen or stuck fastener. You may need to heat it even more after getting the wax on the joint between the stuck bolt/stud and the part. But the wax seeps in via capillary action and by the time the part is cool the fastener spins right out.

 

[jderstine]

Donald Tanner,
The acetone/ATF mixture is a favorite of the guys over on the kawasaki triple forum. The aluminum cases/cylinders get stuck due to corrosion of the steel studs in the cylinders.

The use "a hot wrench" ( torch ) to help the process but always caution each others to do it outdoors since it can catch on fire

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anybody have a picture of the correct steering wheel cap for my 122? I want to get one but need to know what to look for.

Thanks
Jeff