One wheel tractor?

[larryfoster]

I have a circa 1950 Junior Chief walk behind cultivator

The Junior Chief tractor was a single wheel walk behind built by the Great Lakes company in Rock Creek Ohio.
My dad used it for a while when I was fairly young but since then it has been in a corner of my chicken coop until several years ago.

Anyhow, my neighbor did get it running (after 50+ years) but I have a blown head gasket.
Would appreciate if anyone has suggestions on where I might find one.

Information on these engines is scarce as hen's teeth.

Model Kohler K7-2
Serial no. 209570
spec no. 3652A

Thank you





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[Dsl power]

You can buy gasket material and cut one yourself. Also you could cut out a piece of soft copper as well. I've done that for a couple old Tecumseh engines before. Sorry I can't help with buying a stock one.

 

[larryfoster]

Thanks for that suggestion.
Guessing that it should be copper and not cork gasket?
would you have any idea what thickness for the copper?

 

[Dsl power]

I believe I used 24ga. I'll have to check after-work when I get home tonight to be sure.

 

[larryfoster]

Thank you.
It's appreciated

I believe I used 24ga. I'll have to check after-work when I get home tonight to be sure.

 

[PILOON]

A head gasket needs to be capable of taking high heat therefore paper and cork is out.
Dead soft copper and aluminum would be OK as both are compressible and resist heat.
I did find at my local NAPA a suitable gasket material for head and exhaust gaskets so ask around.
Also there exists hi temp liquid gasket products that you could combine with a home made copper gasket.

For soft copper check out hobby stores as soft copper is often used in some art techniques. (Repousser is one)

 

[larryfoster]

Thank you.

I'll check those sources.
Would a copper gasket be better than the gasket material you found at NAPA, for example?

Sort of a follow up question.
Would you take the head (and block?) to check for warp?

 

[PILOON]

Would a copper gasket be better than the gasket material you found at NAPA, for example?

Heck why not both, make a sandwich with copper on both sides. That hobby shop stuff is thin.

Sort of a follow up question.
Would you take the head (and block?) to check for warp?

If you have a good straight edge you can determine that yourself..

On small 1 cyl engines I have used emery paper in coarser grits and the cast iron surface of my table saw to true up and clean a head.

 

[larryfoster]

Thank you.

I'd like this to be a low budget operation.

It doesn't seem to have a ton of value if a complete restoration.

It's value to me is as the tool it was designed for

 

[Dsl power]

Usually on the cast-iron head and block you only have to lightly sand it unless it's pitted with rust. They rarely warp. Atleast not enough to make a difference.