RetroMower 349 #1 Posted April 23, 2019 Thought today was my lucky day as I found a local mom n pop equipment repair shop that has a lot of kohler repair items in stock so among the few things i bought was a replacement head gasket for a k241. Got home and dug in only to snap off the two head bolts straddling the exhaust. Given the age of my c100 im not at all shocked at this. Proceeded to center punch and drill them out. Nub sticking above block drilled fine but the portion in the block has been hardened. I hope i didnt ruin this motor 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JAinVA 4,637 #2 Posted April 23, 2019 That is why you keep a Dremel tool handy.Carbide burr or stone point may save the block. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bc.gold 3,406 #3 Posted April 23, 2019 Because these are so expensive I only purchase the one I need, solid cobalt drill bits to the rescue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,376 #4 Posted April 23, 2019 40 minutes ago, RetroMower said: Thought today was my lucky day as I found a local mom n pop equipment repair shop that has a lot of kohler repair items in stock so among the few things i bought was a replacement head gasket for a k241. Got home and dug in only to snap off the two head bolts straddling the exhaust. Given the age of my c100 im not at all shocked at this. Proceeded to center punch and drill them out. Nub sticking above block drilled fine but the portion in the block has been hardened. I hope i didnt ruin this motor Do you have a welder? If so you could weld a nut to the the stuck in the block portion as the heat from the welder will help break loose the rust and the nut will act like a bolt head. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Tuul Crib 7,339 #5 Posted April 23, 2019 9 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said: Do you have a welder? If so you could weld a nut to the the stuck in the block portion as the heat from the welder will help break loose the rust and the nut will act like a bolt head. !!!!! That would be my choice!! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakota8338 115 #6 Posted April 24, 2019 Did you have enough bolt to grip with a stud remover? When you install the new bolts coat the threads liberally with anti-seize lubricant! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #7 Posted April 24, 2019 Nope no welder or stub to grab with stud puller. Sold my welder a while ago when i sold a previous house and in the process of getting a new one. Dremel might be my only out here otherwise you may see a c100 parts tractor for sale Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
troutbum70 858 #8 Posted April 24, 2019 Yank the engine off tractor so you can take it to someone with a welder or a local shop or load whole tractor on a trailer to get to a welder. There is probably another wheelhorse man not far from you in Hershey. Good luck and never give up you will get her going again. Maybe where you bought your parts could help you out. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldredrider 2,553 #9 Posted April 24, 2019 I've snapped a few bolts off. Just recently, got in a K181 with a broken head bolt. I didn't even try to mess with it. Took it to a machine shop 1 mile away, dropped it off and picked up the next day...$30. My time is more valuable than the cost of a good machine shop doing the work for me. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #10 Posted April 24, 2019 (edited) Well a trip to a machine shop is unavoidable. Besides needing a head gasket, i wanted to get a look at the internals and the piston rocks in the bore quite a bit. This explains the hard starts, near impossible restarts and the oily gunk on the piston and valves. Looks like a rebuild is in the future Edited April 24, 2019 by RetroMower I hate typos Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #11 Posted April 24, 2019 Ill need some expert advice on this one. Mama always said crack kills. I wonder if this is what she meant? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #12 Posted April 24, 2019 10 hp engines are usually priced pretty reasonable in this area... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #13 Posted April 24, 2019 (edited) 34 minutes ago, roadapples said: 10 hp engines are usually priced pretty reasonable in this area... Is this a nice way of saying this motor is shot? Lol Edited April 24, 2019 by RetroMower Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #14 Posted April 24, 2019 See what others say. But I don't like the looks of that crack...... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Tuul Crib 7,339 #15 Posted April 24, 2019 I would be afraid to run it with that crack ! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WVHillbilly520H 10,376 #16 Posted April 24, 2019 8 hours ago, RetroMower said: Ill need some expert advice on this one. Mama always said crack kills. I wonder if this is what she meant? Pull engine, take to machine shop have the broken bolts removed and have the block "magnafluxed" to see if that crack is superficial or actually harmful to the cylinder building compression JMHO. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynnmor 7,824 #17 Posted April 24, 2019 Get another block or run it till it blows, but that crack should be sent to the recycle bin. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 51,777 #18 Posted April 24, 2019 (edited) Just the opposite here Lynn ...I wouldn't be afraid to run with that crack unless your gonna run it at 33,000 feet up or in a pull off with 100 grand prize monies on the line! I have one like that with no problems BUT I didn't have any expensive machine work done on it or a lot of time stuck into it. Just a re-ring. This is on a 241 in a go to tractor with no problems. I doubt I would stick any machining money into this block tho. Like Apples said 241 blocks are pretty common & reasonable yet. Edited April 24, 2019 by WHX22 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 51,777 #19 Posted April 24, 2019 (edited) 34 minutes ago, lynnmor said: run it till it blows LOL -- just read that! Reminds me of once there was a certain member, who shall remain nameless, that brought a 8 hp to my plow day once and it was smoking like a bandito. We all said hey Dino that thing is gonna blow. Right in the middle of a furrow sure enough.. Had to tow it back to the trailer. we all had a gut buster over it and it turns out he had plans to overhaul it anyway! So much for remaining nameless @stevasaurus !!!! Edited April 24, 2019 by WHX22 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sarge 3,465 #20 Posted April 24, 2019 That is the direct result of a Kohler cast iron block that has been overheated - a classic example of why those cooling fins must be cleaned regularly. More than likely it already leaks when cold or it will start leaking soon until that block heats up enough to close up the crack. Once they do that - the block is basically junk and it cannot be rebuilt. It really hurts to see those - I have a K341 here that has one even bigger than that one on an otherwise fine running and very strong engine. You have the option now to hunt down another engine block with the same spec numbers and have it rebuilt - with the option to use your internals if necessary to save some money. Or, just run it until it fails - which can be a very long time. Sarge 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,177 #21 Posted April 24, 2019 14 minutes ago, Sarge said: Or, just run it until it fails - which can be a very long time. That would be my choice -- get the head bolt out and run it, I'm thinking it'll got for a while...... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #22 Posted April 24, 2019 it would seem that only by a slim margin that the prevailing suggestion is to fix snapped head bolts and run it till it completely dies which may be not in my lifetime because the days of hard work are over for this old gal. My only conundrum now is it worth the $$ boring the cylinder out because of the very noticeable wobble of the piston in the bore. Right now im thinking a machine shop will know the wisest financial course only after seeing it in person. Looks like i have a teardown to do today. Thank you everyone for the guidance it is immensely appreciated 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldredrider 2,553 #23 Posted April 24, 2019 IMO, K series engines are worth rebuilding if possible. I have a 1973 14hp to rebuild now. Has never been into and who knows how many hours are on it. I'm guessing many, many! Cylinder is in amazing shape but worn. Exhaust valve is shot but, hey, it's 46 years old. I started to get tired at that age too. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pacer 3,177 #24 Posted April 24, 2019 Heres my thought ---- Rings are dirt cheap on the bay, get a set in your size bore and throw them at it ..... I have done this with a new set of rings several times with various engines with seemingly lots of wear (many cars/trucks along with single cyls) and often dramatically slow oil usage/smoking. Nothing guaranteed, but with the small cost I would do this in a minute. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroMower 349 #25 Posted April 25, 2019 Well got it 90% torn down today. I thought the flywheel was going to be a problem but a tiny bit if heat while the puller gad fair pressure on it, one firm tap and it popped right off. Getting it and drive pulley were my goal today. The inner workings will be tomorrow or Friday. So far everything looks ok, main bearings and no pieces of the skirt in the pan. Only part that worries me is the governor assembly. If the the bore has no noticeable lip and if its not egg shaped i may get away with new rings and lapping tge valves. Fingers crossed 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
