Archive through July 08, 2013

[tbdavis]

Evening all. Curious if anyone knows what the exhaust pipes from the factory were just raw metal or painted. Obviously paint wouldn't last long but curious nonetheless. Thanks.

 

[lpalma]

terry,they were painted silver,but to find a nos one,you will need some gold.

 

[jchamberlin]

All the problems that have denied me seat time on this tractor have been fuel delivery problems. I inherited the issue from the previous owner who had plumbed the lines with transparent tubing (bad idea, it hardened and then leaked). For my part, I tried the muriatic acid trick on the tank in an effort to "get the rust out" which proved unsuccessful. When I complained that the fuel filter clogged up too quickly, Charlie pointed out it was because the tank was too rusty! He gave me some tips on executing FAQ #85. How do I remove the rust from my gas tank? at Cubfaq.com\questions.html.

He wrote:

uy a half pound of 1/4-20 nuts, fill the tank half full of undiluted acid and start shaking! After about 10 minutes or when your arms feel like they are gonna fall off, dump the acid, and do it again. I had one that took 3 tries to get it all cleaned out. Then dump the whole mess, rinse it out with super hot water. Blow it out with the air hose, then slap that sucker in the oven at 350 degrees for no less than a hour. Remove from the oven, take it outside and fill half full of kerosene or diesel fuel while it's still warm. Let it set overnight, dump that out and hook it up and you'll never have another problem. The kerosene or diesel basically seals the pores, kind like seasoning a skillet. I've sold over 300 tanks over the years that I've done that way and never had a return or problem.

Still . . . I wasn't looking forward to another session with the muriatic acid, so when a fellow forum member offered a "Steel fuel tank for 12X and up small dents on bottom but clean, no leaks and solid" recently, I found it hard to resist. I won't share his name, but this is not his first deal, and he'd not done yet.

As described, the new tank had two small dents in an out-of-the-way place.

I headed out to the shed to install the new tank. Looks like it was pretty wet the last time I mowed:

You should have been there, the tractor would carry me between 1/3 to 3/4 the way around my back yard before shutting down for lack of fuel. I would turn off the tractor and wait. Presently, some bubbles would come back up through the sediment bowl indicating that the carburetor's float bowl was filling. When the bubbles stopped, I could restart the tractor and continue mowing until the fuel ran out again. Did I mention that the rain had started to come down before I was half-way through? It was a pretty comical scene, although I wasn't laughing at the time, I was getting wet.

Here is the plumbing in use during the rain storm, after all fuel filters had been removed, just so the dang thing would run (barely).

Here is a shot of the sediment bowl (I know, its not correct for a 149, but there was one installed when I purchased the tractor, I didn't know, and replaced it with one from CC Specialties, which by-the-way was much better quality than the original).

What I hope you can see is all the rust particles swirling in "suspension" while the fuel flows through the bowl.

When the old tank was "empty" I turned upside down and emptied the remaining contents onto an upside-down 5 gallon container.

As Charlie noted earlier, "You have crap in your tank."

Before installing the new tank, I thought I had better clean up the carburetor fuel inlet and bowl as well.

The bowl was obtained from forum sponsor Kirk Engines and is made of steel and stiffer than the original aluminum, but can also be the victim of "oxidation." On the bottom is all the fine stuff which made it through the mesh screen at the top of the sediment (or separator?) bowl.

I eyeballed the float level, since it hadn't been that many hours since I had rebuilt it to spec. Checked the float closed level:

And the float open level:

I sprayed carb cleaner through the fuel inlet, the main jet, and especially through the 90 degree fitting where the fuel enters the carburetor. I think the jam-up was in the 90 degree fitting.

Anway, here is the new install, complete with gravity-fed fuel filter available from CC Specialties. You can also see the spark plug wire from Kirk Engines in the picture.

I'm happy to report that the new tank, line, and filter had no problems mowing the ditch in the front yard, including some serious, but momentary, inclines.

Concluding Note: I don't know, but I suspect the "universal" Kohler filter available from many dealers is intended for applications which include fuel pumps

Anyway, I'm order the gravity-fed design from Charlie two-at-time from now on.

 

[dfrisk]

JEREMIAH - NOW you know why I've always said to get rid of those sediment bulbs with the worthless brass screen and run a real gas filter in-line in a rubber fuel line.

And as was printed in every IH operator's manual and even embossed on the tops of fuel caps on larger IH tractors, "Buy Clean Fuel. KEEP It Clean". Means make sure your gas cans are clean, clean funnels, tanks, nozzles, lines, filters. And keep your gas cans & tanks closed to prevent dirt & debris from getting into the tanks. I even keep my gas cans up off the floor and out of direct sun light so the gas doesn't go bad as fast.

I've been using these filters, http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mrg-9706 for THIRTY years on small engines and have only had ONE filter related engine problem since then. They even filter WATER out of the gas and my 72 died while mowing because the filter was full of water. I disassembled & cleaned the filter, five minute job, reinstalled it and the engine started right up and ran fine. That filter is now on the same K241 in SON's #70 CC after it was completely rebuilt. It's a Life of the tractor Filter, cheap protection all things considered.

 

[tbdavis]

Morning! Thanks Lewis for the exhaust info. No gold here so guess this old thing is gonna get a little paint today. Have another engine question tho. Have a 73 that actually runs ok (does smoke a little on startup and sharp acceleration) but I've noticed an occasional "stumble" or miss. I've had this on others as well and just not sure what can cause that. Fuel situation is fine, new plug and wire and good points. Also has a new head gasket, clean head, etc. again, it runs well all things considered but that little miss bugs me. Thanks

 

[jchamberlin]

Dennis: Interesting, I like that style of filter too. In fact, the last filter I had on the tractor was like the one in your link.

I like them, not only because they're cheap, but because, with their glass walls, you can actually see what's going on in the line. I removed it the day it rained in a desperate attempt to promote fuel flow, since I could see the bubbles in the sediment bowl as easily as in the filter. I did not reinstall it because I figured that, being sold in the automotive market, it was designed with a pump in mind. Its good to know it worked for you. I need to buy some more cartridges for mine. I used to be able to get them at Advance Auto.

I think we both agree that the only thing the sediment bowl does is give you an idea of what's going on in the fuel line. Its filtering properties are limited to separating the big stuff (which stays behind) from the fine stuff (which passes on to the carburetor.

I was amazed at how much agitation took place in the bowl. The gasoline was really mixing it up in there. I had imagined a process in which the sediment slowly drifted to the bottom, but actually, the sediment bowl served to try beat the bigger chunks into finer material so that it could pass through to the carburetor.

 

[sshaff]

Charlie--Thanks for the info...this is great!

Billy--You are SO right...glad someone noticed

. Actually, Charlie's tag line comes to mind (but for a VERY different topic, LOL!)

 

[dfrisk]

JEREMIAH - Actually, those filter elements are reusable. Disassemble and use Brake-Clean or spray carb cleaner and a soft bristle brush and spray them down good, brush them a bit, spray again to rinse, wipe out the inside of the clear glass tube and filter end caps and reassemble.

TERRY - If you'd hook an inductive timing light to your engine I think you'd find the ignition timing jumps when the engine stumbles. Means your points pushrod is sticking a little when closing. Most times a new points push rod fixes that. But be sitting down when you get your new pushrod. You'll think they're made of GOLD instead of steel now.

 

[tbdavis]

Dennis - thanks much for the info! Hadn't even considered that. Think I'll pop it out and clean the rod and hole good and go from there. Have a few laying around so maybe I'll get lucky and find a good one. Have a friend with a nice jewelry lathe - wonder if they could be made?? Also think I must have been MIA when the gold was being distributed - ain't none of that shiny stuff around here. Thanks again.

 

[dgallagher]

I am trying to get a spark on a K181 with a recoil starter off an original (I think). I am at the points and they will not open. The push rod will not move with me holding it with my finger. Any ideas why there is no movement? Thanks

 

[fcurrier]

Dave: That points rod rests on a lobe of the camshaft. Either it's not touching the lobe or the camshaft isn't turning. Can you pull the rod out?

 

[dgallagher]

Frank, Yes, I have pulled the pushrod out, reversed it, and it still has no movement when I turn the engine. I wouldn't think the rod could have worn the cam. I guess the next step is to try another pushrod. Thanks.

 

[fcurrier]

I'd be cutting the point off a 10penny nail and sticking it in there to see if I felt movement.

 

[hydroharry]

Jeremiah - I mentioned this sometime back but it's worth it again. I've seen rust and rusty parts from CT, NY, PA, OH, ME, MA, WI, and probably some other states I can't think of, but I have to tell you the worst rust I've seen/gotten hold of, was shipped to me from SC and NC. There is just something about it down there, it seems harder than most, pits worse when and if you are able to remove it, and is just plain the worst in the country AND I suspect that's what's in your old tank. So, the next question is - what are you going to do to avoid getting rust in your replacement tank?

 

[danderson]

Has anyone used graphite paint on the bottom of a mower deck and have it hold up? Mine lasted 2 mowing. This fall fall I think I'll POR 15 it and see how that holds up.

 

[asmith]

Charlie,
The correct answer on the creeper gear was that the slider had been turned around and I'll have to take the blame on that one. The yoke was perfect leading me to believe I replaced it when you could still purchase it from the dealer. That's why this site out shines all the rest. Thanks for the input. Tractors back together awaiting paint touchup.

 

[tbdavis]

Dennis - just thought I'd pass something along. Stopped at an old Kohler dealer today about buying his Kohler tool sets and mentioned the miss I'm having in my 73. First thing he asked was if I had replaced the points push rod! Said it only takes a couple thousands to mess the timing up. So, kudos to you for pointing it out earlier and guess I'll be cracking open my wallet one more time. BTW - said he pitched all his K parts because no one wanted em anymore. Ouch!

 

[wsdrake]

Steve, thats funny. I think it takes a keen eye to see beauty in Mathematics and Physics, I guess thats why I enjoy them both. How long have you been a Math prof, and what courses have you taught?

 

[dfrisk]

TERRY - Thanks. On the K241 I just finished rebuilding, it would stutter when idling every now & then before the rebuild. Then SON & I tore it all apart and I let it sit in pieces in 2-3 different places in the shop for 7 years, then I started putting it back together last spring. Only two pieces I couldn't find, the points push rod and the reed valve for the crankcase breather. Well, that K241 sat and idled without missing a beat at around 800 RPM Saturday morning while I loaded & tied my 72 down in the truck. And that's with the same old #24 carb that had been on that engine for all of the 1400 hours it had before this rebuild. I'm blaming the points pushrod for smoothing out the idle. The original rods were aluminum, now they're pretty nicely ground steel. Should last much longer, just not sure how they'll treat the lobe on the camshaft. I had two cams I could have put in the K241, the original cam and the one originally in my K321. Can't remember for sure which I used but the deciding factor was the one with the least wear on the points lobe. Think my push rod was $11 with tax.

DAVID G. - If your K181 was originally built with a magneto, there may not be a points lobe on the camshaft. But I'm surprised there's tapped holes then for the points & points cover.

DOUG Anderson - I used Slip-Plate graphite paint for a while on my mower decks. I'd wire brush all the dust, dirt, grass, & rust off then paint two heavy coats on the underside. The grass still seemed to stick, and it would wear thru to bare steel where the clippings hit it directly. I don't bother with it anymore. Some people here say it really helps in their conditions. Thing I find keeps grass from sticking the most is to only mow DRY grass. Walk thru your grass before you mow, if the toes of your boots get damp or even just spots of water, wait another half an hour to an hour before mowing.

 

[mstetar]

hey guys, been a while, my question is what if anything would need to be done to put the newer kohler from a QL into a 108, doesnt need to be perfect its just gonna be temporary till the end of summer.