Docwheelhorse 2,740 #1 Posted January 21, 2016 Hello all, Sparky and I worked a deal for a 417a with a nice KT17 series II---rest of tractor is plain beat.... I happen to have a 418A that's nice with a blown motor.... plan is to merge the two into one awesome ride---complete with the forward splayed gear reduction steering setup I got from Stevebo. Plus my FEL and a Brinly hitch out back. Well they have both been outside and I decided I had better move them into the workshop before this snow either hits or doesn't hit this weekend. I tried to start the 417 but it had no spark, went and got screwdriver and took off cover. Scratched points and then jammed sandpaper in them... still couldn't get spark.... took points out and cleaned them inside and re-installed them. Ahhhh got spark! Motor fired up.... yes I was in the dark with a flashlight. Noticed a bit of smoke on the muffler and started looking around... DID YOU KNOW THAT THE POINT COVER SCREW CLOSEST TO THE PTO IS DRILLED CLEAR INTO THE OIL GALLEY!!!! That's right... as its sitting there running there was oil gently trickling out of the hole and getting blown onto the muffler.... not a violent spray but enough that I could tell it was under pressure. Yah it doesn't matter and I screwed the bolt into the hole to drive the tractor in the shop. Just found it weird.... Well... the GT1600 (needs a starter and hubs tightened etc...), the 417A--good motor bad everything else and the 418A---bad motor good everything else is all now in the shop and I plan an spending some quality time out there. Tony 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 60,240 #2 Posted January 21, 2016 Sounds like you will be having some fun, keep us posted on any other interesting discoveries. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,177 #3 Posted January 21, 2016 Heh! I discovered that oil quirk too - in a similar way Guess I'm a bit strange, but I LIKE the KT-17! I think it just sounds good! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docwheelhorse 2,740 #4 Posted January 21, 2016 The KT17 series 2 rigs seem OK...this is my first one... and from what I have been told or read they are good. I have had Briggs twins, Onans and Kohlers... The twins just seem to be a bit more of a PITA to work on---espescially the (stupid) Onan carb setup.... I was going to offer this motor up to anybody that might of wanted to trade for a good Kohler single, but it runs good and sounds awesome with no smoke at all, so it is going to power my FEL rig and if it ever blows up I'll deal with it then. Tony Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tractorhogg 612 #5 Posted January 21, 2016 The KT17's biggest flaw wasn't the lack of a pressurized oil system, it was Kohlers failure to notify owners to NEVER run the engine below half throttle, no rpms, no oil. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docwheelhorse 2,740 #6 Posted January 21, 2016 Hi Tractorhogg, I thought a combo of non pressure oiling, a relatively steep hill and being a touch low on oil caused the rods to starve either going up or down the grade which lead to a broken rod (s)? I also thought the Series 2 with a pump (no filter... ) fixed that issue. Never heard anything about keeping the rpm's up.... I guess it makes sense that it would splash lube itself better. Tony Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tractorhogg 612 #7 Posted January 21, 2016 21 minutes ago, Docwheelhorse said: Hi Tractorhogg, I thought a combo of non pressure oiling, a relatively steep hill and being a touch low on oil caused the rods to starve either going up or down the grade which lead to a broken rod (s)? I also thought the Series 2 with a pump (no filter... ) fixed that issue. Never heard anything about keeping the rpm's up.... I guess it makes sense that it would splash lube itself better. Tony Lugging an engine, running at lower rpm than needed was common practice on the old K series, not too much of a problem in the short run, but disastrous on the KT17. The oil journal going to the connecting rod and crank surface on the outboard rod was really not of adequate size, so it needed plenty of rpms to get oil over there. The same thing with newer engines of today, you run them at full throttle, albeit for another reason, flywheel weight/torque/power curve issues. The series two with the pressurized oil pump did improve things, but since throttle education still was not given, lugging continued and series two engines also experience failures, not near as many, but it was still an issue. Many of these engines were still under warranty. The guys that kept their engines at 3/4 to full throttle had fewer or no problems, while the guys that ran their engines under 3/4 throttle often experienced reduced engine life or failure. Kohler knew all this even before they made the series two engine, but the engineers and designers refused to fess up. It damn near ruined the company. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Docwheelhorse 2,740 #8 Posted January 21, 2016 Huh... almost ruined the company---well they took a second shot and came out with the Courage series... If that series of plastic fantastic engines didn't ruin them then nothing ever will. Plastic and the DUMB idea of having the oil sump "cover" directly under the flywheel where it loosens up and cracks the block or a bolt catches the flywheel and blows a corner / chunk of the block off.... Tony 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tractorhogg 612 #9 Posted January 21, 2016 7 hours ago, Docwheelhorse said: Huh... almost ruined the company---well they took a second shot and came out with the Courage series... If that series of plastic fantastic engines didn't ruin them then nothing ever will. Plastic and the DUMB idea of having the oil sump "cover" directly under the flywheel where it loosens up and cracks the block or a bolt catches the flywheel and blows a corner / chunk of the block off.... Tony Well Tony, like Chinese engines, stamped frames and plastic flywheels, companies will produce and sell what the public is willing to accept, or told to accept. Realize this, Kohler was competing against, not just cheaper Chinese junk, but the Briggs INTEK engine too. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wrightorchid 261 #10 Posted January 21, 2016 Most things these days are only made to last the warranty period. Replacing metal parts with plastic, and poorly made in general, to meet the requirements of the bean counters. A cheaper product is sold for a greater profit. It has gotten to the point where if you want a quality product, it is either top of the line, or not available. I doubt anybody will be trying to save and restore the box store riding lawn mowers any time soon. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
