K341 16 HP enigine Knocking

[boondocker-1 0]

Looking for some good advice from you engine experts. I have a C-160 with k341 engine. I just finished freshening it up as follows:

New piston, rings and pin (Kohler .020)

New governor gear (kohler)

Bored to .020

Crank polished and reused .010 rod

New crank bearings

valve job

Everything was cleaned, checked out and went back together nice. Torqued everything to book specs.

As soon as I fired it up for the first time it started knocking. I double checked the valve clearance and point gap. They were in spec.

I didn't take any shortcuts and bought all kohler parts. What would make this thing Knock?????

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

-BD1

[rmaynard 14,977]

Crank polished and reused .010 rod

Could be anything from an improperly adjusted valve, to timing being off. However, you mentioned that you had the crank polished, but did you have it measured to see if there was a flat spot? Having all of the other stuff done and not having the crank pin turned to fit a new rod may be your problem.

Bob

[Kelly 1,028]

Or did you check the bore on the used rod?? was it round or worn over a bit more and with a polish on the crank the clearance is to much??

[sorekiwi 761]

Too much endfloat on the crank can make them knock too. Easy to check from the outside.

[WH nut 553]

Plastic gage the rod, and did you get the oil hole in the rod towards the cam

[boondocker-1 0]

Crank polished and reused .010 rod

Could be anything from an improperly adjusted valve, to timing being off. However, you mentioned that you had the crank polished, but did you have it measured to see if there was a flat spot? Having all of the other stuff done and not having the crank pin turned to fit a new rod may be your problem.

Bob

I was going to get a new rod but the machine shop mic'd and plastigaged it. All checked out.

[boondocker-1 0]

Lots of replies. Thanks!!!

Everything mentioned checked out on assembly. The end play is on the tighter end of the spec. Is it possible to have a camshaft pin worn enough to make it knock? I don't think mine is worn, just trying to rule it out. I am hoping it is something simple.

Could timing cause a knock as mentioned above? If so, how can I eliminate the points and get a more accurate timing out of it?

When turning the engine over with no plug installed there is no knock but no load on engine either.

Hope I don't have to tear down the engine again... but will do it if necessary.

Thank you all for your response.

[WH nut 553]

Id double check the piston bore and the piston to make sure everything is ok, could have boxed the piston wrong

[boondocker-1 0]

Id double check the piston bore and the piston to make sure everything is ok, could have boxed the piston wrong

Piston and bore are good.

[WH nut 553]

Open it up and do some exploritory

[rmaynard 14,977]

Here is a thread on static timing:

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?...l=static+timing

Bob

[wheel-mule 45]

Did you get the cam shimmed correctly?A cam with end play will knock.

[gd.pudge 2]

does it have balance gears? ifso were they timed correctly

[boondocker-1 0]

Cam shaft shimmed within specs and no balance gears installed. They were not there to begin with.

[boondocker-1 0]

Here is a thread on static timing:

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?...l=static+timing

Bob

Timing is dead on for the static timing procedure. But, still knocks. It almost disappears at full throttle.

[Kevin Bowley 130]

check for exterior causes...engine mount secure, pto, couplers, etc. This is not uncommon. I have two K-321 engines and they both knock, sounding like a rod knock or maybe a wristpin. However, I rebuild one of them with OEM parts, new rod, pin, piston, rings, lapped valves. The engine was in great shape and it was within spec before the rebuild but i thought id had a bad rod bearing...I put it back together and it still knocks, absolutely unchanged and I know that there is nothing wrong. At no load its as quiet as a mouse at any rpm. However, at higher rpms, even the slightest load causes it to knock. I have run it full throttle (have governor set to 3400) for hours at a time and it has never gotten worse...snow blowing, mowing for five hours etc...i just ignore it and work the heck out of it. The other one has the same knock and that one smokes a little...about five hours to 1/2 quart. I took the rebuild one back apart and double checked everything...nothing wrong and all well within spec. Put it back together...again...and it still knocks. do a search on Kohler k-321 knock and you will see it is not uncommon. Run it :thumbs:

[boondocker-1 0]

check for exterior causes...engine mount secure, pto, couplers, etc. This is not uncommon. I have two K-321 engines and they both knock, sounding like a rod knock or maybe a wristpin. However, I rebuild one of them with OEM parts, new rod, pin, piston, rings, lapped valves. The engine was in great shape and it was within spec before the rebuild but i thought id had a bad rod bearing...I put it back together and it still knocks, absolutely unchanged and I know that there is nothing wrong. At no load its as quiet as a mouse at any rpm. However, at higher rpms, even the slightest load causes it to knock. I have run it full throttle (have governor set to 3400) for hours at a time and it has never gotten worse...snow blowing, mowing for five hours etc...i just ignore it and work the heck out of it. The other one has the same knock and that one smokes a little...about five hours to 1/2 quart. I took the rebuild one back apart and double checked everything...nothing wrong and all well within spec. Put it back together...again...and it still knocks. do a search on Kohler k-321 knock and you will see it is not uncommon. Run it

My k341 was knocking before the rebuild. When I tore it down I found the cylinder out of round so it was bored. I replaced everything needed and like yours everything was assembled to spec. Seems I should be able to find the source of the knock. If not its gonna drive me nuts. I will check everything external (again) but I will probably end up tearing it down again to make sure I didn't miss something. If it knocks after that I will run it til she blows.