Opinions Please (Long)

[2Many 14]

The K241 on my 1975 C-100 is going south on me. It's had a terrible rod knock for years and uses oil but just kept on going. Now finally I think it's time to retire it. It runs fine for about 10 to 15 minutes and then starts to loose power and blow smoke. The longer I push it the worse it gets, it even starts making a muffled puffing sound, not quite a backfire. If I shut it down and let it cool it will start right up and run fine for a short while and then the problem reappears. Does this sound like a sticking valve?

 

Well I have a C-101 parts tractor that has been sitting since I bought it, many years ago, that ran fine when purchased. So I decided to just swap engines. Just drop right in right..................WRONG. Totally different block, oil pan and motor mounts. Figured I'd swap oil pans until I found out the blocks are different. Then I figured I'd use the newer motor mounts/newer motor on the C-100, but now it looks like the battery will be in the way of the new motor mounts! That must be one of the reasons they moved the battery to where the fuel tank was and the fuel tank to under the seat. I could try it but the pulleys would be about 1/4" further apart than they are now. I hate to go to all that trouble to find out it won't work!

 

OK, so what to do? I priced remanufacture K241 short blocks, way too expensive! I could buy several tractors for that price. I don't think my current K241 is worth rebuilding, it's already .030 over. So today, while I'm out driving, I see a 312-A for sale. I stopped and talked to the 83 year old lady that uses it to cut her grass. It's pretty rough with rust here and there, missing the belt guards on the tractor and the 42" SD deck, there's a patch on the deck and maybe a bad wheel bearing in one of the front wheels. She said that it runs great and the hydrostatic transmission is strong, she runs up and down a sand mound in her back yard with no problem. I didn't test drive it because she wants me to come back when her son is home.

 

They want $250.00 for it. It seemed like a lot to me at first but the K301 has the right oil pan and should be a direct drop in replacement, if I go that route. Surely the motor is worth that much if in good shape, right? Or I could just put my very good deck on it and use it. I've got a few options here and would love to hear some opinions. Sorry about the length of this post.

[steelman 252]

$250 sounds like a fair price to me. I would see if she would take $200 and your problem is solved. 

[953 nut 60,122]

For $250 you have a few good options and could use it while building the other engine and then give it a little love later on.

[Racinbob 11,946]

I was gonna say to just move that wobble mount over to the C-100 but I didn't think about the battery. They moved the battery when the fuel tank was moved for safety reasons, not for the wobble mount. Fortunately that motor mount was short lived. The 312 will bolt in with maybe just some throttle/choke cable mods and the price is reasonable. You could use the motor and get decent bucks for the remaining parts. 

[roadapples 6,983]

Agree, you`ve got plenty of options and not too bad of a price, and   

[2Many 14]

I spoke with the son tonight and I'm going to go look at it again either tomorrow or Sunday. If the motor and hydrostatic drive are good I'll probably get it. That will make eight Wheel Horses in my stable. I need a barn to keep all the horses in, lol. I should probably part out a couple of these suckers to make some room. Thanks for the responses and the welcome to Red Square.

[can whlvr 994]

around me there is no such thing as a wheelhorse for 250,even total wrecks go for more than that

[ericj 1,579]

I've got 2 K241's sitting in my garage that would work on your C-100, but for $ 250.00 i would buy it. the 312-A have the eaton 700 hydro's in them and are a know or should i say have a high failure rate. run it to the trans gives out and then part it out. if interested in my 2 10 hp motors pm me your phone # and we'll talk, i'm just down the road below York. good luck

 

 

 

 

 

eric j 

[2Many 14]

Well I added the 312-A to the herd. He wouldn't come down on the price but he did deliver it for me. Did some minor tinkering on it and it runs/drives great. Was missing the belt guard and the plate that mounts vertically, crosswise below the battery. The plate that the belt guard brace mounts to. Surprisingly both of those parts from my 78/79 C-101 fit the 312-A. So now it is complete. Put my better 42" SD deck on it and cut the grass. Did a fine job. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance.