C-81 conversion.

[Retired Wrencher 5,767]

I have  the shaker plate now, but I have known people converting them to standard mount for the engine block. I do have a blown engine with a standard oil bath that I would like to convert. Do you think if it bolts up you are good or is it in the depth of the oil pan depth and withed or how wide it has to be?  And maybe mounting holes are different? Worse thing Kohler ever came up with. Thanks for any info. Again I have herd this done before.

[wallfish 18,069]

I'm no expert on those shaker plate setups but I thought the little 8s didn't use a special oil pan, just bolted on. But I could be wrong.

The bigger engines definitely had a special oil pan in order to fit under the hood.

Are those 2 oil pans you have the same?

[Retired Wrencher 5,767]

12 hours ago, wallfish said:

I'm no expert on those shaker plate setups but I thought the little 8s didn't use a special oil pan, just bolted on. But I could be wrong.

The bigger engines definitely had a special oil pan in order to fit under the hood.

Are those 2 oil pans you have the same?

John I pick this C81 up from Tony last week as an inexpensive project and been going thru it and he also had a blown engine I also bought from him for spare parts. Just thought maybe I could switch oil pans? Thanks for the reply.

Edited May 14, 2024 by Retired Wrencher

[Achto 29,372]

I'm not sure on the small blocks. 

 

On the C-101 pulling tractor that I built this year I wanted to switch to the early bolt the engine to the frame style. After removing all the shaker plate mounts I found that all the holes were drilled into the frame to accommodate the early  oil pan. Perfect right? Almost, the base on the engine I had would not work with the early oil pan. Only two Kohler engine to oil pan configurations on the big block, I just happened to have the wrong combo for my needs. Ended up going back to the shaker plate mount, just used solid aluminum mounts on it.

 

15 hours ago, Retired Wrencher said:

Worse thing Kohler ever came up with

 

Jacobsen one upped any poor oil pan designs that Kohler ever did by making the oil pan part of the frame on some of their tractors.  I did not believe this at first, had to see it for myself. Yes sir, on some of the Ford & Jacobsen models, the oil pan for the Kohler engine is actually part of the tractor frame. Tried to find a pic but not having any luck.

[WHX?? 51,701]

Not sure if you can use a eared base on a shaker plate small block frame either. 

Pull the shaker plate mounting V blocks and see if a eared block has mounting holes in the frame that line up.  

I can get you the dims for the eared small block base if you need them. Sounds like you have the eared base motor tho. 

Solid shaker plate mounts are always an option. 

Edited May 14, 2024 by WHX??

[wallfish 18,069]

8 hours ago, Retired Wrencher said:

John I pick this C81 up from Tony last week as an inexpensive project and been going thru it and he also had a blown engine I also bought from him for spare parts. Just thought maybe I could switch oil pans? Thanks for the reply.

 If the depth of the oil pans are the same, it will work. The issue with changing oil pans would be the oil dipper on the bottom of the rod. If the depths are the same the oil dipper will work to splash and not make contact with the pan.

[Retired Wrencher 5,767]

14 hours ago, wallfish said:

 If the depth of the oil pans are the same, it will work. The issue with changing oil pans would be the oil dipper on the bottom of the rod. If the depths are the same the oil dipper will work to splash and not make contact with the pan.

John I am beginning to think I will just spend the $60 for the solids and be done with it and put it on the market. This my maine intent to fix and flip this one. I do not have much invested in it runs have not drove it yet because of the rear tank with shut off and rubber grommet is shot.

[Retired Wrencher 5,767]

18 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Not sure if you can use a eared base on a shaker plate small block frame either. 

Pull the shaker plate mounting V blocks and see if a eared block has mounting holes in the frame that line up.  

I can get you the dims for the eared small block base if you need them. Sounds like you have the eared base motor tho. 

Solid shaker plate mounts are always an option. 

@WHX?? Thanks for the post. I think I am just going with the solids and be done with it. I will keep the blowen engine for parts..

[Pullstart 66,630]

On 5/13/2024 at 5:43 PM, wallfish said:

I'm no expert on those shaker plate setups but I thought the little 8s didn't use a special oil pan, just bolted on. But I could be wrong.

The bigger engines definitely had a special oil pan in order to fit under the hood.

Are those 2 oil pans you have the same?

I had a C-81 one time.  I think you’re right about the standard oil pan bolting to the shaker plate.  I think the plate itself was different that the big block shaker…

 

 

[WHX?? 51,701]

1 hour ago, Retired Wrencher said:

@WHX?? Thanks for the post. I think I am just going with the solids and be done with it. I will keep the blowen engine for parts..

Your welcome ... two sources for mounts.  @Shynon makes them and sells them through https://wheelhorsepartsandmore.com/product/engine-mounts-for-wheel-horse/

and Kirk machine. 

If you want to really keep the price down @Ed Kennell uses stacks of washers which works too. 

[wallfish 18,069]

7 hours ago, Pullstart said:

I had a C-81 one time.  I think you’re right about the standard oil pan bolting to the shaker plate.  I think the plate itself was different that the big block shaker…

 

 

In post #25 it shows a regular old 8hp oil pan bolted to the shaker. That's why I wasn't sure about the confusion but Gary must have something else going on if the 2 oil pans he has are different.

 

[Lee1977 7,189]

I think the holes are there for the big base WH Kohlers 10.12, 14 ,and 16 HP to bolt down..  But then I have never seen the frame of 79 thru 84 frame.

The frame number is the same for the 1979  C-81 and C-121 ( frame number 106229 )

The hole between where the shaker plate strips are the ones for the big base Kohlers. The holes on flywheel sife are ferther apart then the one that come up from the bottom.

Edited May 15, 2024 by Lee1977