MWR 321 #1 Posted February 9, 2016 I just traded a about 2 and a half of the green Craftsman tractor mowers for a GT-14. I haven't had the time to even check it out yet, but I plan on posting some pictures of the thing soon. The guy hinted that there may be something wrong with the Kohler 14 hp motor. That has got me to wondering about what would be the largest replacement engine I could replace it with, if necessary. Does anyone know what bigger motors I could use. Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aldon 4,826 #2 Posted February 9, 2016 Pretty much anything but the K341 is a common upgrade. Since it has the electric clutch. you could go with the Predator 22hp. But make sure there is room. Check out the C175 repower thread. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MWR 321 #3 Posted February 9, 2016 7 minutes ago, Aldon said: Pretty much anything but the K341 is a common upgrade. Since it has the electric clutch. you could go with the Predator 22hp. But make sure there is room. Check out the C175 repower thread. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tractorhogg 611 #4 Posted February 10, 2016 As few GT14's out there it would be cheaper and make good sense to rebuild the original engine. Fabricating a clone engine may entail many other aspects just as challenging as rebuilding the kohler and will reduce the value of the tractor for resale. the complete rebuild kits are under 150.00, the boring (if needed) is under 100.00, crank shaft recondition another 50.00. I"m not sure how much a clone twin is, but I doubt it would last any longer than a kohler rebuild, its just that at the end of the day if you change it, some of its real value and much of its intrinsic value will be diminished. Good luck in whatever you do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse46 512 #5 Posted February 14, 2016 I've not seen a GT-14 in the flesh, I assume they are bigger than the C-series, I would have thought that the K341 would have been the obvious choice by the manufacturer and called it a GT-16, or did they make one of those as well??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tractorhogg 611 #6 Posted February 14, 2016 (edited) 3 hours ago, Horse46 said: I've not seen a GT-14 in the flesh, I assume they are bigger than the C-series, I would have thought that the k341 would have been the obvious choice by the manufacturer and called it a GT-16, or did they make one of those as well??? The GT-14 was made between 1970-1973, Kohler did not introduce the 16hp k341 until very late in 1973 for the 1974 model years, so the first Wheel Horse to carry a k341 was a 1973 or 1974 14 Automatic, then the C-160. The GT-14 weighs in at around 840 lbs while the C series tips the scales at around 650 ponds. The difference between the two engines is not enough to effect the capabilities of the GT-14 in the least, if it would they would not have made a C-140, or any other brand of 14 hp garden tractor. A properly running 14 hp k321 is just as capable as a k341, and while the k341 does offer a little more hp to "muscle" through tough plowing and mowing jobs, it is still affected by same laws of physics when stressed as the k321. The Power King tractor used the k321 for many years as did many, many other brands without a any reduced capabilities. Remember this, many of these stout machines started with 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 hp engines and proved very capable. BTW, my Kohler k341 D160 weighs 900lbs and is more than capable. Edited February 14, 2016 by tractorhogg 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tractorhogg 611 #7 Posted February 14, 2016 To address the question posed by Horse46 concerning why there was no later GT-16 model. That was due to design of the tractor, not the engine. Many tractors that were designed in the late 1960's had become either obsolete or expensive to build, by the mid 1970's refinements were being made to all brands of outdoor power equipment just like they were in modern automobiles. There was a thing called planned obsolescence which many of you know is the the reduced quality of a product to promote new purchases, but many do not know that there was also a policy of "Planned Obsolescence" that started in the early 1960's and that policy was that if you owned a product that was of an older style you were somehow less affluent or less in step with the times. So if your tie was too wide or too narrow, or your fins on your car were too big or too little, you were perceived as out of date and somehow not as well off or successful as the next guy. This policy allowed manufacturers to just change styles to raise sales outcomes. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse46 512 #8 Posted February 14, 2016 Great answer, I wasn't expecting such an in-depth reply, but interesting all the same. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tractorhogg 611 #9 Posted February 14, 2016 1 hour ago, Horse46 said: Great answer, I wasn't expecting such an in-depth reply, but interesting all the same. Glad I cut it down 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
