K181 rebuild

[Handy Don 10,585]

I'm not sure as I don't have this model, but there are usually 3 wires involved in starting. One to the solenoid control (from the start post on the ignition switch), one to the solenoid input (from the battery positive with no fuse in the line--HEAVY wire), and from the solenoid output (to the starter motor itself-HEAVY wire)

The one to the solenoid control input can be wired as you have it with 16 or 18 gauge wire and have it's juice pass through the fuse. But the starter motor itself needs A LOT more than 20amp to turn the engine--hence it'll blow a 20amp fuse every time. It need much heavier wire like what is usually clamped to the battery posts.

It seems you are missing the wires from the battery + to the solenoid input and from the solenoid output to the starter motor itself and have the existing wire going to the wrong place on the solenoid.

[Handy Don 10,585]

Sorry, should have added that these connections would comprise only a very basic setup without any safety switches. I am a strong advocate for having them once the engine is in the tractor!

[Gregor 4,838]

Actually, There is no solenoid. I thought I could wire it as my 656 was originally. No solenoid. I just went and bought a solenoid, and will put that in line, but I am not hopeful.

[Handy Don 10,585]

If no solenoid, and the switch is designed to handle the load, then all you need is heavier wire and no fuse anywhere between battery and starter.

 

Edited April 4, 2021 by Handy Don

[pfrederi 17,143]

17 minutes ago, Gregor said:

Actually, There is no solenoid. I thought I could wire it as my 656 was originally. No solenoid. I just went and bought a solenoid, and will put that in line, but I am not hopeful.

A starter motor direct wired is going to draw a heck of alot more than 20 amps.  You need at least 6 ga wire no fuse.

[Gregor 4,838]

I have a solenoid in it now. The heaviest wire they had was 4. I may need bigger fuses.

[squonk 38,902]

4 gauge is heavier than 6. For what it's worth, my C-160 draws 115 amps when cranking.

[Gregor 4,838]

Ok  This is what In have now. The heaviest wire I could find in town, was 4 ga. I bought a cheap set of 8 ga. jumper cables, (at least that's what the package says) and cut them up. It's a he!! of a way to have to buy wire, but ya do what ya gotta do I guess. I guess I don't know what gauge wire I was using, maybe I was using 10 ga. ?????  but this IS DEFINITELY BIGGER. Battery to solenoid, solenoid to switch, starter to solenoid.  EVERYTHING,  is now BIGGER. with no fuse anywhere. (which I really don't like) but if that's what I should do, I will. Have not tried it yet.

 

P.S.  Got brave and tried it. Spins it over no problem. But I would still feel better with a fuse somewhere.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Gregor

[Gregor 4,838]

K-181 #1. Don't know if the video will play or not. I'm not too good at this sort of thing. It does not want to idle well. I knew when I rebuilt this carb, it was in pretty bad shape. It's leaking quite a bit as you can see.  I will stick a China carb on it tomorrow and see if it improves. I don't have a throttle cable on it, so working the throttle by hand.

[Gregor 4,838]

I installed the brand new, out-of-the-box China carb. I now have a choke and throttle cable hooked up. It will only run on full choke. The low idle screw has no effect what so ever. All the was closed, 5 turns out, doesn't matter. I guess I will try to clean and rebuild the old carb again, but like I said, it was pretty bad. As far as the bovernor operation, with the thicker washer, I don't know if there is really a way to test that, without having the motor on a tractor, and under a load, but so far, seems fine. I just might learn how to do this yet.  Could the need for full choke be something other than a carb issue?  Thanks  Greg

Edited April 5, 2021 by Gregor

[Gregor 4,838]

4 hours ago, Gregor said:

Could the need for full choke be something other than a carb issue? 

Never mind, had it backwards. Choke is not on.

[Gregor 4,838]

On 4/4/2021 at 5:48 PM, squonk said:

my C-160 draws 115 amps when cranking.

I am curious. How do you measure that?

 

[squonk 38,902]

DC clamp on Ammeter. Clamped off of the battery positive

[Gregor 4,838]

Guess I don't have one of those. Just AC clamp on ammeter.

[squonk 38,902]

You can get a relatively inexpensive one on the jungle site. I got mine over 20  yrs ago. Very hard to find then.

[Gregor 4,838]

Would this do it?

[squonk 38,902]

Says AC/DC current so it should.

[Gregor 4,838]

On 4/2/2021 at 12:52 PM, pfrederi said:

The washer is there to keep the plastic gear from rubbing on the cast iron block material.. 

I got the washers I ordered. They measure .0225" think. I used .0625"  I really don't think .040" difference is going to matter. But, I have been wrong before. So far the motor is running fine.I have the original carb soaking in Berryman again, and will clean and reassemble again.

[Gregor 4,838]

When I rebuilt my K-181, I got a little carried away grinding the exhaust valve. Book spec is .017 - .019.  Mine is actually .022.  The motor seemed to run better the first day I started it, than it does now. It doesn't act like it's firing all the time. When it misses, it blows a mist of fuel out of the carb. It doesn't run terrible, but not like I think it should. If you remember, I also got this coil VERY hot. Maybe it's not cooked, but maybe it's not quite right either.

 

Is the valve clearance bad enough to worry about?    Would you replace it?

 

Could the coil be half bad? 

 

Thanks  Greg

[Gregor 4,838]

On 4/5/2021 at 9:16 AM, Gregor said:

 

 

On 4/5/2021 at 9:16 AM, Gregor said:

 

Remember this video. Watch it again before reading further. I'll.  wait.  dah dah dah dah dah dah dah. (Jeopardy theme) dah dah dah dah dump dee dah dah. dah dah dah dah dah dah dah, Dump dee dah dah dah dah dah.

The motor was running fairly well. wouldn't idle though, and I could not get the carb dialed in at all. Sometimes spitting a fuel mist out of the carb. But at high enough RPM's it would purr along pretty good. I decided to set the timing by the timing marks, rather than point gap. That's where everything went to ...................., let's just say not so good. Set it to fire at "S" on the flywheel. Point gap ended up at .006. That aint right. I fiddled and faddled, and cussed, and, never mind what all I did, but I got it fixed. Any guessers out there as to what was wrong?  I'll wait. dah dah dah dah dah dah......................

 

[Mickwhitt 4,138]

Fuel needle valve not closing  or float punctured?

Mick 

[Gregor 4,838]

I could only wish. I thought maybe the rebuilt carb was messing with me, so I put the China carb on. Didn't help. I hesitate to admit I did this, but like I have said before, I'm not afraid to let my stupid out., and maybe it might help someone in the future. Believe it or not, a K-181, will run reasonably well, at high RPM, with the cam and crank, one tooth out of time. I sat and thought on it a lot, and that's the only thing I could come up with, so I opened it up, to check it out. Yep ! 1 tooth off. Now it will idle fine, and I can get the RPM low enough, that I have low speed adjustment . Even on a China carb. I don't recommend doing this, just to see if it will run. It's a lot of work to fix it !

[pfrederi 17,143]

1 hour ago, Gregor said:

I could only wish. I thought maybe the rebuilt carb was messing with me, so I put the China carb on. Didn't help. I hesitate to admit I did this, but like I have said before, I'm not afraid to let my stupid out., and maybe it might help someone in the future. Believe it or not, a K-181, will run reasonably well, at high RPM, with the cam and crank, one tooth out of time. I sat and thought on it a lot, and that's the only thing I could come up with, so I opened it up, to check it out. Yep ! 1 tooth off. Now it will idle fine, and I can get the RPM low enough, that I have low speed adjustment . Even on a China carb. I don't recommend doing this, just to see if it will run. It's a lot of work to fix it !

 

 

 

That is why i use some white paint to highlight the timing marks on the cam and crank.  Then take a picture after I engage them...

[squonk 38,902]

12 hours ago, pfrederi said:

 

 

 

That is why i use some white paint to highlight the timing marks on the cam and crank.  Then take a picture after I engage them...

And then spin the engine by hand and check again. and then have the wife/ neighbor/mailman look at it to make sure you're not seeing things!