Rebuilding Kohler

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 26, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

I'd go with the hone. The engine should be tight when you first put it together. It'll loosen up once the cylinder is oiled good and the engine has spun over a few times. You might be able to find a bottle brush hone at your local parts shop. I've only been able to find the regular kind, but it depends on what is common in your area. You could probably do it with emery cloth, but it's hard to get your hand down into the cylinder to do a good, even job.

When you put the rings on the piston, follow the directions in your book very, very carefully. It is important that the rings go in right side up, in the proper sequence and that the gaps don't line up. Also, check to see if your piston has an arrow on the top. The arrow will have to point in one direction or the other. And, check the instructions on your rod to be certain it is installed facing in the right direction.

The other guys here are giving you good advice. Listen to them. They're better at this than I can ever hope to be.

SHF

s1120 · Jun 26, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

Well, Im a tool junky, so I would get the hone. But you have to ask your self if you will be rebuilding more motors. If yes, get the hone. Also, If you have to take the motor apart in the near future, will you be upset? Like if when your done, it burns a bit of oil, or is low on power. Most of my engine projects have had a few more cylinders then this,[now I have a Ford 351w apart, and have a 460 on the rack waiting for some time.] so the money spent is more so you want to do it right.

But I have to tell you a story about a quicky rebuild I did when I was younger. I had an old Chevy Monza that had a exploded V8 in it. I needed a motor for it. I had a frend that had an old Chevelle he was junking, and he owed me a ton of favors, so I got my motor. This thing SMOKED! Real bad! About a qt. every 20miles! I pulled it apart, new rings, new gaskets, and the heads from my dead motor I got it running. Had $110 in it. Never burned a drop of oil the 2 years I had it after that. So some times the quick way can get you by.

kubmech · Jun 27, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

qwerty, I can't emphasize enough that you really need to break the glaze and get a good cross hatch. Go to the parts store and get a ball hone, they'll know what you are talking about. You'll need one in the 2 1/4 - 3 1/2 inch bore size range(not sure if that's the exact range it will come in.) Just make sure it's in the range of your boresize. I bet you can get one for under 35 bucks, but even if it is that much, it's worth it. Once you get it honed and re-assembled, with the cylinder head still off. You should be able to rap a rag around each side of the crank to avoid cutting yourself and get some traction (those keyways are sharp). Grap hold and turn. It will take some effort but you should be able to turn the engine through a couple of revolutions by hand. ATF=automatic transmission fluid. The smoke at start up is the lube you used for assembly and the rings seating in. As long as it goes away you know your O.K.

qwerty15 · Jun 27, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

Thank you everyone!! I will let you know how everything goes. It probably wont be for a week and a half. Leaving monday and im with my mother this weekend. Im going to see my uncle in upstate NY. Hes got a lot of tractor work for me. Brush hogging like 70 acres and moving 6 truck loads of dirt to fix his yard. Well i cant thank you enough for all the help and assistance you have provided me.
Frank

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 27, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

You may also be able to BORROW a hone. Some times parts shops will rent tools. Or, you may be able to hunt one up through friends or friends families. Sometimes schools have an auto shop program and the teacher or a student may be willing to hone your cylinder as a shop project.

SHF

qwerty15 · Jun 27, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

SHF
Ill just buy one. Will probably use it again if i decide to refresh another engine. Maybe next time ill do a real rebuild.

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 27, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

Good man. You'll find that you can never have too many tools. This stuff gets in your blood and when you're done with this engine, you'll probably find another sooner or later. Or decide that you want more HP, etc.

We'll be here when you get back.

SHF

qwerty15 · Jul 25, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

I put the engine back into the tractor and started it up. no more blue smoke is coming out but there is a valve tap. I think its the exhast and if it is the bolt that you use to set the clearance has no more adjustment. Could the stem be ground down?

StoneHeartFarm · Jul 25, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

Okay, glad to hear you're having good luck so far. Small problems and noises that have to be figured out later are normal. The engine is running, so the war is almost won.

Check your manual, does it explain how to set the lash? Some engines use the feeler guage method, some (chevy) just want you to tighten until you can just feel resistance when you spin the push rod. You shouldn't have to grind the valve stem and I've never worked on an engine that required it. A valve tap is caused by something in the valve line being loose. Check for other things too. It could be a loose bolt on the air shroud or a number of other things. kubmech could probably give you more specific info on the valve adjustments.

SHF

kubmech · Jul 26, 2002

Re: Refreshing Kohler

If you have a valve tap it usually means that the tappet clearance is too large. You say you are out of adjustment at the ex valve and you want to grind the valve stem to gain more clearance. That tells me your clearance is too small. The valve seat may have recessed and that's why the valve is sitting deeper. On Briggs engines the only way to adjust the tappet clearence is to grind the valve stems. If you do decide to gring the valve make sure you get it flat. I like to put a little radius on the outer edge so the tappet rides more toward center. There are other things that will make that noise also, loose parts, broken baffle in the muffler etc. Those Kohlers also have a synchro balance system that will knock slightly, which is normal. If your engine is a synchro balance did you time the synchros properly? Is the magneto air gap set properly, not too close to the flywheel? Did you replace the points and condensor, also replacing the points plunger? Did you get the dipstick tube put back in the right place? I seem to recall something about that, if the tube is in wrong, the dipstick hits the crank, that may be a Briggs thing, it's been awhile since I rebuilt one of these guys. If it's the dipstick, you can tell by pulling it, and if the end is chewed up, that's the problem. On the other hand if you put a new or improved muffler on, the exhaust noise will be more quiet allowing you to hear more engine noise than you're used to, I have seen that before also. Is the engine off compression release when you adjust the valves? Take the piston up to TDC (top dead center) and continue to turn the crank so the piston is 1/4 inch down from TDC to make sure you are off compression release when setting the valve clearance. Make sure you are turning the crank in the direction of normal rotation.