Retired Wrencher 4,830 #1 Posted February 11, 2018 Hi it has been a while since I put in a set of points in a K181. The engine rotates to right or back to the rear of the tractor? And do you guys still use a gaper of use a digital meter? Any info would help. Thanks. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfrederi 17,043 #2 Posted February 11, 2018 Flywheels rotate clockwise. Gapping worked for years...Light or meter is probably better. but you have to be able to read eh marks on eh flywheel through the little hole. I set mine with a feeler gauge if they don't seem to run well i mess around with the other method. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Wrencher 4,830 #3 Posted February 11, 2018 38 minutes ago, pfrederi said: Flywheels rotate clockwise. Gapping worked for years...Light or meter is probably better. but you have to be able to read eh marks on eh flywheel through the little hole. I set mine with a feeler gauge if they don't seem to run well i mess around with the other method. I believe it is 0.20 ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 51,029 #4 Posted February 11, 2018 If you don't have the little peep hole for timing the engine tins may need to be removed. On older engines the marks would probably need to be cleaned up to be seen. Kohler static_timing.pdf 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,572 #5 Posted February 11, 2018 On the 60's K's at least on my old K301 the sight hole is on the back of the engine. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daddy Don 887 #6 Posted February 12, 2018 It calls for .20 but sometimes I set mine at .19 and it seams to run better. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steelspinner76 18 #7 Posted February 12, 2018 set initial gap with a feeler gauge then time with a light to fine tune. a lot of the old kohlers run a lot better dynamically timed than static time the gap setting was for a nice new motor with unworn parts and points plunger and cam. Most of em aren't spring chickens anymore. look for the S mark before the T mark on the flywheel s mark should be dead center of the sight hole when doing timing with the light. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,329 #8 Posted February 12, 2018 10 hours ago, Retierd Wrencher said: I believe it is 0.20 ? 6 hours ago, Daddy Don said: It calls for .20 but sometimes I set mine at .19 and it seams to run better. Sorry to be a stickler for detail, but .020" or .019" or somewhere close to that is correct. .20" will make it run real strange. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 51,029 #9 Posted February 12, 2018 The ignition points are used to set the timing so it is best to use the static timing method for proper operation, setting the points @ .020" is only a starting point. If you just use a feeler gauge your timing may be off resulting in poor performance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Wrencher 4,830 #10 Posted February 12, 2018 thanks every one for the info. Should be fun. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites