K241 Oil Breather Vapor and Exhaust Fumes

[RobDunbar1966]

Question for the experts. I have a 1968 105 (K241), and it runs great! My problem is twofold; the amount of oil vapor coming out of the breather is causing me some health issues. Is this high volume of vapor normal? No oil is coming out, just vapor. Is it possible to run a hose from the breather to the back of the air cleaner plate to recycle the vapor like a car? I am thinking of buying a new breather cover plate and air cleaner backing plate to experiment, but if this is going to cause an issue with oil distribution, as I have heard the K241 relies on the vacuum to distribute oil, I won't bother.

Secondly, the exhaust is quite strong. When I get off the beast after mowing, I reak...more than usual. : Has anyone ever attached a catalytic converter from an ATV to the end of their muffler with a hose clamp?

I'm no snowflake, and I know this tractor is 56 years old and it's old tech, but I am not about to part with it; I want the two of us to get along.

Thank you in advance.

 

[dschwandt]

How much oil is it using?

 

[RobDunbar1966]

There is no excessive oil consumption; just replace the internals, and it runs great.

 

[RobDunbar1966]

How much oil is it using?

It's not using oil; I just replaced the internals.

 

[dschwandt]

Was this an issue before the repairs?
New piston, bored and new rings?

 

[RobDunbar1966]

Was this an issue before the repairs?
New piston, bored and new rings?

Yes, it has always as long as I have been around it. 40+ years

 

[hdeloach]

Kirk Engines--one of our sponsors--has a breather kit that will solve your breather problems

 

[dschwandt]

Curious as to just what "replacing the internals" amounted to.

 

[RobDunbar1966]

Curious as to just what "replacing the internals" amounted to.

Hone the cylinder, new piston (5K over) and connecting rod, new rings. Wire-wheeled top of the combustion chamber and pressure tested to make sure valves were not leaking.

 

[dschwandt]

Did you have the cylinder checked for concentricity first before "fixing" this w/new parts?
If not, all bets are off.

Are you sure the drain hole inside the air breather cavity open?
Did you install new valve guides?

 

[HKCooper44]

Sure sounds to me like the piston rings aren't seated. I question "honing" the cylinder bore for a .005" oversized piston.

I had this same problem in 2010 on a 105 that had been in the family since new. Back then, I found the cylinder bore diameter was a bit over service tolerances, but not out-of-round, so I honed and crosshatched it anyway, and installed a new STD piston and ring set. After break-in, the blowby problem vanished.

I think you now have an out-of-round bore diameter, and possibly a taper issue as well. You'd need to have your block bored now.

 

[jfischer]

Check the baffle behind the breather cover to see that the word Top is up so the oil can drain out the hole in the bottom. If upside down it won’t drain and will smoke.