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I just received an official looking email from Ace Hardware. The offer is a free Milwaukee drill for $7.95 shipping. I called Ace and they confirmed it is a scam.

There must be some engine swap fever going around. The original K-181 on my 854 is showing signs of it's age so it's time to do something. I have had a K-161 for several years and haven't even started it yet but I'm told that it had an easy like running a pump at the mouse in it's early years. The 161 is a rope start with a mag ignition. Of course the 854 has a starter/gen battery ignition. My plans have been to swap out the required parts to convert the 161 to battery and so far it's been good to go. The first critical thing was a flywheel swap. I didn't know if it would be a direct fit. I did know that the engine pulley for the starter wouldn't bolt to the original 161 flywheel. I knew the 161 flywheel would pop right off since I had it apart a couple years ago and used anti seize on it. To my amazement the 181 flywheel came off without a struggle. They are fully interchangeable. This is looking like a super simple swap now. I've already swapped the choke shaft on the 161 so the cable can come from under it. 1) Remove magneto from the 161. 2) Change the two rear head bolts to the type with a stud so the starter/gen bracket can be mounted. 3) Redo the oil drain. The bulky setup on it now won't clear the battery holder. 4) Decide what I want to do with the fuel pump. I've got a new aftermarket mechanical, also a remote pulse pump or I could retain the electric on the 854 that I put on it a couple years ago. 5) My plan is to use the coil and condenser that is on the 181. One thing bugging me is I recently saw a condenser somewhere that specifically stated it was for a magneto system. There is one on the 161 and it really doesn't matter because I'll swap it out but I'm curious if there's a difference. ???? Anything else you guys can think of? Here's the K-181 still on the 854

We set the engine on the frame to see how it fit in the fore n aft direction.

Seen him at the old Three Rivers Stadium in the burg. Had to be 30 years ago. Smoking hot evening. An awesome crowd. There was a person three rows below with a backpack squirt gun sharing drinks. Got high was not trying. Oh those were the days!

Jimmy's music was the backdrop to many of us in the boating community. While parrot heads and beach folks can claim their connection to Jimmy's music, his heart and soul was with the sailing community. Saw his concert many years ago in Atlanta. Half way through the show the band went into an instrumental melody. The parrot heads not recognizing the song decided it was a good time to hit the bar or the "head". During the whole song the screens were playing nothing but videos of Jimmy and friends just sailing. Many folks missed the point but it was not lost on us sailors. Sail On Sailor!

For consideration, my K181 powered 502… It has no fuel pump. The tank is higher than the carb. Gravity has been holding true for quite some time. Originally I ran the fuel line out and about but it was not clean. I clearanced the fan shroud and built a little tube and bracket to run a fuel hose through. Cleaned up, it looks pretty nice if you ask me…

No Shoes Radio and Jimmy Buffet songs make for a great road trip…. RIP Bimmy Juffet! Yesterday was a margarita day here at the campground. Can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning! After all, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere…

Not a Parrot Head but loved some of his music. Margaritaville Restaurant in Universal Studios Florida is one of my favorite dinning destinations. Hoping the Margaritaville resort in Ocean City Maryland opens in my lifetime. Rest in peace Jimmy

wow -- i got mine --- works great -- best deal ever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just kidding !

Some old school mowing on a hot day

This sorta belongs in here: cleaned up the electric drawer (s)

I got the axle almost finished today. Some more welding to do on the ends and one more hub assembly to build.

His music was pretty much the sound track of my life in the '70s and early '80s BC (before children). One Sunday night in 1976 I meet him along with Kenny Stabler and 6 of the Oakland Raiders at the Flora-Bama before it became popular.

I did a K Kohler to a Magnum swap a few years ago. If you use a relay you don't have to do any major wiring changes. I found the instructions on this site

He passed away at his house approximately 10 miles from mine. Beautiful location right on the water, of course! Overlooking Shelter Island and Sag Harbor. An artist whose music seems like it will outlast all of us! RIP Jimmy.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YYW28MN/ref=pe_27541390_746495980_em_2p_0_lm?th=1 regularly use this to contain wiring , also get some peel n stick cable mount pads , screw on or remove sticky pad cover , great protection , neaten things up , pete

Don't you just love all the scams? Hardly a week goes by when mom (88 years old) asks if she needs to reply to or do what some scam email instructs her to do. Needless to say, her computer is in the shop from time to time. If I've got time to kill, I'll drag a scam call out until they finally hang up.

Mounted my “new to me” 32” deck on the 867 and did a bit of mowing.

I had a k161 I bought from another Red Square member about a dozen years ago. I had it sitting in the Garage for about 7 or 8 years. Magneto type and pretty original from an old Wheel Horse. Finally used it on a 603 I bought from the late John Campbell in Toledo. He had a great 603 tractor without a motor. My motor was perfect for the 603 even though the original tractor had a Tecumseh on it. Of course my K161 was magneto/recoil start not an s/g type. Bob, the K161 should work fine for power on your 854. Lots of tractors have K181s on tractors that were originally 6 or 7 hp powered. I am not a very good motor man but I think you should be able to covert the K161 block to a K181 with the steps you are taking. That condenser issue detailed by Richard is something I have run into on these early motors used in Wheel Horse tractors . You definitely need to match the condenser to the other parts used in the motor you select.

Yes he Kohler 230722 Condenser fits all battery ignition single cylinder and twin cylinder from the K-90 to the K-582. The 235786 condensers are for the magneto equipped Kohler engines only K-161 to K-301 The unit of measure for a condenser is the Farad. Many electronic components like radios and TVs use capacitors that are in the microfarad range (ten to the minus six power Farads) and our small engines use a condenser that is in the nanofarad range (ten to the minus ninth power Farads) which is based on the voltage range they work in. A magneto ignition system uses a 100 to 250 nF condenser and a battery ignition system uses a 200 to 500 nF condenser. A good multi-meter will have a capacitor testing function. Armed with this information you can walk into your auto parts store and get a very confused look on the face of the person on the other side of the counter. The capacitance is not listed on the package and probably not in any of the on-line data they have for the condensers they stock. You just have to go by the application chart and be sure that the condenser you are buying is for the type ignition system your engine has, not just the horsepower or engine size.

Honda makes a super reliable engine. (Expensive, but super reliable) WISH I never sold that 520 with a 20 hp GX620 Honda and 2 stage. That thing was a beast and should've sold the one with the Onan.

Ah, love a good whiskey to settle things down! Sometimes even a krappy one works too. Discovered this one by trying something new. Ever try it? It's my favorite by far.

Rest Easy Sir

Had a rotten fence post… so decided to get started on mending it instead of sitting on my kiester. Got the old post out… hole is too big so I used a rather unorthodoxed method to replace. I always wrap my posts in roofing felt paper… maybe it slows the rot- I don’t know. After the felt paper I used one of those cardboard tube concrete forms and spaced it away from the post with nails. Got the post where I wanted it… added a little dirt to stabilize everything… filled the tube with concrete… When it sets up I will backfill the hole with dirt tamped in tight… Tied the gate back where it won’t swing around and knock the post out of plumb. The guy that installed the fence when we moved in in 2007 screwed the end posts next to the house to the house. Talk about shortcuts- he did not want to move the post out past the footer for the house so he sat the post on top of the footer and screwed the post to the house. I will be remedying that…

Looks like a D series.

I think D series used something similar.

Just got back from Pocono raceway Got a chance to go for a few laps around the track. What a ride, 6600 rpm's = about 130 mph.

Got the 316 Briggs Vanguard running good after carb, and fuel pump problems So I put it to work taking the grass out of my drive way. Still have both ends and the turn-a-round to do.

Today we used Trina's 867 "Pigpen" to move a fair pile of tools, tables, engines and supplies up to the new barn workshop from the basement. Drill press is all set up. Air compressor has more hoses to it. Largest toolbox as well. We also got the leaking rear tire on The Military Tribute Tractor, Millie fixed. Broke the bead. Cleaned it up. Put a tube in. Turns out the tire itself has a bad bead. That should be ready for action at @JCM's Meet n Greet next weekend.

That bent/holed up bar is not a factory item. Lowell @wheelhorseman makes a pretty stout receiver hitch. I don’t know if it’ll allow retaining the tiller bracket?

Checkout Surplus Center for some hydraulic cylinders. https://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydraulics/Hydraulic-Cylinders/

Before Trina and I bought the Wally Digger Backhoe I was mulling this over for awhile. I've looked into linear actuators as the motion makers for a loader. Long story short, no. Unless you get into the ULTRA expensive and VERY high powered units they just won't work. They aren't made for the shock loads and dynamic weight changes a loader will take on. If someone else has different options or information I'd be very curious to see it.

I’ll go out on a limb here and speculate that the differing sizes was at least in part because the early small blocks used spark advance and not ACR. They needed more “oomph” to be turned over against the compression and the smaller pulleys on the SG and flywheel worked out to a better ratio.

Here is a thread I did for the K to M swap wiring. It is very easy to do and will cost a lot less than a new ignition switch.

Cranking circuit is the same no matter what. You activate a solenoid to engage the starter. IGN. is magneto so you need a kill wire to a grounding switch. Where it gets tricky it depends on the charging system the engine you're using has under the flywheel.

A. NEVER scrap a tractor. Please part it out instead. The 520H front axle and steering is valuable. B. I believe a Magnum engine will have a similar wiring setup. I know it's been done by more than a few folks over the years.

Ask and you shall receive! LOL This one had dual 6-12s on it. Probably not what you meant but the fender is definitely homegrown and covers them. Snow blower side wings just happen to be a nice fit for the rear too. Back rest pipes were above because the possibility of a canopy top but that never happened. Can't believe this was done way back in 2012. Seems a lot less than that! Then a clone was done and still think'n about doing another one.

I found an OTC just like the one I used for $40. Will be a handy tool in the future for sure.

Back in my poor man days we drug an old wooden pallet around! These work pretty good too.

thanks i will get rid of the ugly thing. I think the receiver style is definitely where I'm headed. the one linked above do allow for keeping the bracket and lower pin hitch

Jimmy has changed Latitudes but I'm sure he hasn't changed his Attitude.

I always seal off the ends, especially if the wood is more porous since the moisture will wick up through the ends substantially. I bucket of warmed up roofing tar does a nice job.

I can't speak for the exact details Dave, but what about changing the Magnum over to a K series. I understand it can be done fairly easily.

Howd dat work out?

Well done! Everyone needs a set of beater sawhorses! A lot of pin removal depends on what part is stuck. The slot hitch arms (in my case) or the part in the transaxle case. I was able to use a BIG clamp on a big nut over one end (hole bigger than the pin) and a small washer (slightly smaller than the pin) on the other end. Pressure, penetrant, propane, and patience. On the third day of adding a bit more pressure it popped.

Wouldn’t it be easier to clamp the band around a spare brake drum so it’d be in full contact for the band's entire length?

I started using see-through fuel lines a few years ago. I like to see where in the system the fuel is if I'm having a starting issue. I've tried several brands. The only thing is... None of it is lasting well. Seems like I'm getting maybe 3 seasons out of the lines. Likely I'll go back to a good rubber line and/or a metal/rubber combo when this roll is used up.

Thanks Gary. I moved a bit of stone yesterday. This machine is an excellent addition to the Herd. @wallfish We had our friend over yesterday while the Backhoe was out. This friend is a professional fabricator. This friend is extremely impressed with the build quality on your machine. Well done.