14 HP Running Lean

[8ntruck 6,358]

First time post.

 

When my wife and I bought her parent's cottage, the 14 HP 8 speed Wheel Horse tractor was included.  It has been sitting dormant in the shed for the last 4 or 5 years.  Last fall, I put the charger on the battery, added fresh gas to the tank, and a shot of starting fluid into the carb.  To my surprise and delight, it fired right up!  I was using it to tow the lawn sweeper around the lawn to clean up the leaves from the 20 or so oak trees on the property.  While I was doing this, I had to run with the choke about 1/2 to keep the Kohler running.  I figured this had something to do with the cold weather at the time.

 

Fast forward to this spring.  Getting ready to mow for the first time this week, I added gas (laced with Seafoam), gave a shot of starting fluid into the carb, and it started right up.  Again, I had to run about 1/2 choke to keep it running.  The longer I ran it, the more choke I had to use.  It now needs almost full choke to run.  I'm guessing that some varnish or other debris has gotten into a spot where it is restricting the fuel flow.

 

I'm planning to replace the fuel lines, fuel filter, spark plug, check for crud under the cooling shroud, clean the crud off of the governor linkage, and re-set the high and low mixture screws.   If this does not work, I suspect that a carb rebuild will be needed.

 

Any other thoughts, tips or advice? 

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

[rjg854 10,708]

  I wouldn't be surprised if the carb needed a good cleaning having set for so long.  Depending on what type of fuel was used might also suggest a cleaning.  Ethanol laced gas is not good for these types of engines.  Try to run non-ethanol if you can.

[wfrpalm 216]

All those things are good but cleaning the carb is the thing that is really needed to get it to run right.

[lynnmor 6,762]

9 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

 

I'm planning to replace the fuel lines, fuel filter, spark plug, check for crud under the cooling shroud, clean the crud off of the governor linkage, and re-set the high and low mixture screws.   If this does not work, I suspect that a carb rebuild will be needed.

 

 

Good plan, call it rebuild or just a very good cleaning, the crud needs to come out of the carb.

[edgro 676]

Also there may be a screen on the fuel valve fitting in the tank, I had one clog up and cause problems. I replaced it with an inline filter

[953 nut 51,511]

Glad to see a  being shown some love by a second generation.     

The fuel passages in your carb. are very small and the best way to clean them is a good soaking in a carburetor cleaner like Berryman. 

[8ntruck 6,358]

Update - First thing was to spray the intake side of the engine with Gunk and let it soak a while.  Rinsed gently with a hose, then pulled the carb off of the tractor and pulled the bowl.  There were some spherical globs of something clustered around the float hinge, but otherwise looked pretty clean (on the inside - the outside was filthy).  I shot carb cleaner through all of the passages I could find and ran torch tip cleaners through the main jet and float valve.  I did notice that the throttle shaft has lots of clearance - felt like .015" to .020" using the 'calibrated finger' method.  Seems excessive to me. 

 

My plan was to do a test run with just the cleaning, then put some grease around the throttle shaft to seal it if I still need to use lots of choke to keep the engine running.  If the grease solves the issue, bushing the throttle shaft should be a solution.  Anybody know if there is a throttle shaft bushing kit for the Kohler K321 carb?

 

I got the carb back on the tractor, cranked it over but no spark!  Must have done something when I rinsed the Gunk off of the engine.  With the ignition switch in the run position, I've got 12 volts at the coil, so something must have happened with the points.  I'm assuming that they are hidden under the small sheet metal cover roughly under the exhaust port, also inconveniently behind the muffler.  Of course the exhaust pipe clamps are frozen solid. 

 

Got to make spark before the carb questions get answered.

 

edgro - I grew up in Lansing.

Edited May 25, 2019 by 8ntruck

[rjg854 10,708]

Wouldn't hurt to go through all electrical connections clean them, check and clean the grounds just to be sure.  Maybe something is loose or disconnected 

[ZXT 2,394]

I'd say skip everything except for cleaning the carburetor. It needs that first for sure. Ethanol is the devil, and sitting for any length of time does not help matters any.

 

You don't need a rebuild kit. Pull it off (which is about a 10 minute job), pull the bowl and both of the needles, spray all of the passages out with carb cleaner, and compressed air if you have it. Spray out the seat that the needle sits in with carb cleaner, and put it back together. It should run far better. If it's obvious that carb cleaner isn't flowing through the passages when you're spraying them out, then you may want to buy some torch tip cleaners to clean the passages with.

 

If all else fails, buy a new aftermarket replacement carb for $13 off of eBay, but don't throw the original away. Clean it and keep it for a backup.

Edited May 25, 2019 by ZXT

[953 nut 51,511]

9 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

Anybody know if there is a throttle shaft bushing kit for the Kohler K321 carb?

 

 Here is information I saved from a previous thread that should be helpful.

If your throttle shaft has any side to side movement (more than a tiny tiny bit) you can put a bushing on the top of the carb to correct it. Kohler makes one part #2515802-5,  7/16" o.d. x 1/4" i.d. x 1/8" thick but I have never found it in stock at Partstree or other online parts places (you might find it on ebay).    If you have a hardware store with all those little parts drawers you can get some brass thrust washers 7/16" o.d. x 1/4" i.d. x 1/16" thick Hillman part #58087 and stack 2 of them in that little recess in the top of the carb body.  sometimes i find after installing them the throttle shaft fits a little tight, so i take a 1/4" drill bit and ream them out by hand. don't chuck the drill bit in a drill it will be to aggressive

[8ntruck 6,358]

Success!

 

The no spark issue was a result of the Gunk/washdown.  I let it dry overnight, and it had spark this morning.  Fired right up.  Does not need as much choke to start up now.

 

High speed needle and low speed needle seem to be on the rich side - I'll tinker with those as I use the tractor.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

 

I went to a local car show today.  There were some tractors there too.  I passed up on a project tractor - $1,200 for a 1947 Farmall Cub.  

[ebinmaine 62,959]

On 5/25/2019 at 6:33 PM, 8ntruck said:

Success

Just found this thread.

Glad to hear you sorted out the no spark.

 

I see it's been mentioned about ethanol.

Nasty stuff.

I'll say it again.

Please Find some ethanol free gas.

 

We'd love to see pics of your tractor!!

 

 

To

 

 

 

[ZXT 2,394]

What Eric said! We love pictures. Post a few!

[8ntruck 6,358]

There were some 'ethanol pearls' clustered around the float hinge when I opened the carb. 

 

I've used this tractor from time to time since the 80's when we were visiting my wife's parents.  I know that my father in law was using straight pump gas.  Every time I shut it down, I let the gas burn out of the carb.  I think my FIL did the same thing.  Not letting the E10 sit in the carb probably helped keep things clean(er).

 

I discovered that the local gas stations were selling ethanol free 'recreation fuel' last year.  Been using it in the lawn and garden implements ever since.  Running with Seafoam in the gas this summer as well.

 

I'll post some pictures in a couple of weeks.  We have other commitments that will keep us busy for a bit.

 

All for now.