Smoking KT19

[8ntruck 7,791]

The KT19 series 1 in Clyde the C-195 has an interesting smoking habit. 

 

First, what little history I know.  The hour meter shows about 1200 hours.  The previous owner rescued him out of a field where he had been sitting for about 20 years.  The crankshaft seals are weeping oil.  Compression when turning the crank by hand seems OK.

 

On a cold start, the engine will smoke (light gray) until it gets up to operating temperature.  At WOT while mowing, no apparent smoke.  When I idle down there will be a small amount of smoke.  Operating at part throttle, light load, there will be puffs of smoke with throttle increases, or when the governor responds to an applied load.

 

I'm thinking bad valve seals?

 

I have a set of head gaskets on order.  When I have them in hand, I plan on pulling the heads to decarbon and take a look see at the bores.  I'll also disassemble and clean the crank case breather.  As long as I am in the valve covers, the valve clearance will be checked.  Is there any way to check the valve seals without removing them?

 

I suppose a leak down test would provide useful data.  I'll have to look into getting a hold of equipment to do that.

 

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

Edited June 18, 2023 by 8ntruck

[BESTDOGEVER 218]

If you take the heads off and are in the valve cover any way that would be the time to replace them. They are not expensive and if you have the tools to do it you might as well go for it. Worst case scenario is that they were not the problem, best is you fixed it. Also those seals can become a nightmare really quick so replacing them or at least having them on hand is a good idea. Hopefully cylinders and heads are all good and simple stuff is all it takes to make it better.