Archive through June 06, 2010

[lhinds]

Josh my 169 started doing that after about 10 hours on the new rebuilt engine. The engine was running hot. I took the engine apart and found the rings softened and worn by the heat. It is hard to load a 16HP kohler but the engine seemed to run perfect. The points had the .020 gap and carb was adjusted correct. The points was most of the problem. I static timed the engine and then checked the points and they were at .015. As Matt said the only way to correct way to set the points is static timing or timing light.
Now i have a question. Does anyone know what temperature a 16HP kohler should run while mowing at WOT (3000rpm)? Mine is mowing at appr 285 degres with outside temp 90. It idles at 145.I won"t ever breakin another engine without static timing and a temperature gun.

 

[dfrisk]

ARRGGHH - Bad Cubbie weekend! First, BOB P. - K181 in short-blocks, mini-blocks and complete engines were service replacements for all K161 in all early CC's. Like I said before, the extra one HP is a nice improvement, but the increased torque from the quarter-inch longer stroke makes the most difference. Most IH dealers had a complete CC-spec K181 and/or K241 sitting on their parts counter back in the 1960's & 1970's.

Weekend started with an oil change to my car. It went well, then started working on the mower on the 72 to install the lawn vac, couple places the yard is getting a lot of clippings and wanted to suck them up. I cleaned a bit of accmulated grass, then removed the blades and was installing the vacuum blades. Two outside blades went well, but the nut didn't seem to start real well on the center spindle, I had it on about 4-5 turns then hit it with the impact a bit and it seemed to be going, nut was seeming to get tight and then the nut stripped the threads off itself AND the center spindle. First time I've EVER stripped threads on a spindle in ver 40 yrs of working on CC's. New nut is only 2 Bucks but the spindle "assembly" because of the welded face and sleeve is NINTY-FIVE BUCKS. So I robbed the center spindle off the other 38" deck for the CC70. I find out it's the newer style with ST-745 bearing. Bolted right on. Then the battery in the CC 72 was totally DEAD.

These new batteries are amazing, they can be fine one minute and TOTALLY dead the next. Can't complain too much because I think it was 6-7 yrs old.

I will say the K181 on the vac surprised me, I hadn't run it for must be at least 1-1/2 to 2 yrs, maybe longer and it actually started right up.

KRAIG - I was going to take some pic's of the things I did to the mower deck on the 72, had the camera in the shop, everything ready to go.... and the year old camera battery was totally DEAD too.

 

[rwilke]

Josh O.,
White smoke usually indicates moisture/steam. Did you change the oil in it lately? If not, sounds like it's time to do it. If it's not water boiling off in the motor oil, then you may have some blow-by; which is compression getting by the rings and into the crankcase then venting out the breather. I'd remove your carb, then the breather assembly and clean it real good. Re-assemble and see if it still smokes out the breather.


Luther H.,
Where are taking the temperature readings - at the sparkplug?
Shooting from the hip and guessing, I'd say that 285*F with outside temps @ 90*F isn't too high. I'd be concerned if over 300*F...

Isn't 3000 rpms kinda low for WOT?
I am not familiar with 16HP Kohlers, but I do recall that the recommended operating rpm for a 12HP Kohler is 3600 rpms.
Ryan Wilke

 

[ljones]

Bob that seat it from a mf or ford tractor.

 

[lhinds]

Ryan i was checking on the side center of cylinder just above the generator. The head 2 inches from the spark plug runs around 230. I will do some more readings and post the results when i mow again. The rpm was there when i started it up and i didn't change it. I will probally set it up to 3600 later.
Luther

 

[pandrews]

Hi Guys Will 70 fenders fit an original?
Thank you

 

[kmcconaughey]

Paul A., not without doing some modifications to them. The 70/100 has the frame that extends all the way to the back of the tractor. The fenders use the frame to mount. The Original's frame stops at the front of the reduction housing. The fenders mount to a pan that mounts to the top of the differential.

 

[pandrews]

Craig Are the mods difficult? what has to be done THANK YOU

 

[kmcconaughey]

Paul A., if you wish to modify them you would have to come up with that mod on your own. Here are some photos from the installation manuals for each, to show what the two different fender mounts look like. If it were me, I'd sell the 70/100 fenders and buy a set of Original fenders. If you must mod them, the easiest way would probably be to buy the reproduction Original fender pan mount and fender brace (referred to as a "platform" and "stabilizer rod" in the manual page below) from CC Specialties.

Original fenders above, 70/100 fenders below.

 

[preed]

I have a question about a mower deck. I have a 149 hydro with supposedly a 50inch deck. the serial number is 474723 on the 149.

the ONLY number i can find on the mower deck is 501u-1111

the 501 is a smaller lighter "font" while the U-1111 is slightly bigger and very bold. is there any other way I can identify the mower deck and make sure i get the right blades for it as they really need to be replaced.

also is it normal when mowing with these for 'strips" to be left behind or is that a symptom of blades that are possible not the right size?

 

[kmcconaughey]

Paul R., I'm not 100% sure on how to read the mower deck tags, however, I believe the 50 in the 501U-1111 = 50". The U = made in the USA. The 1111 is the version. If all you are needing is blades all you need know is 50". Yes blades that are too short can cause the strips, as can dull or worn blades. I believe the blades should come to within 3/8" or so of the shrouds and outer deck shell. Does your deck have intact shrouds?

 

[gsmyth]

Kraig,
In your response to Paul A. you posted several pictures from an installation manual. Those illustrations are much clearer and helpful that the stuff in my 1450 service manual. Is there a installation manual for the 1450 other than the parts binder and service manual? I sure would like to see 1450 drawings as clear as what you showed Paul, as it give sizes of connectors right alongside the drawing.

 

[preed]

Thanks Kraig,

Trying to get the old blades off has been a bit of a challenge. the person I bought the rig from tried to get the blades off but couldn't. I haven't tried myself as I am afraid of breaking something at this point. the spindles seem a whole heck of a lot more expensive then I would care to pay.

I was talking to someone last night and they indicated the threads might be reverse threaded. I don't know if the previous owner knew this or not. Ive only had the mower deck off once since I have had it so I am not real comfortable with the process.

Also looking online for replacement blades.. oy! round holes, star shaped holes. 50inch blades for this deck and that deck. a bit confusing when I am still not 100% sure of what I have.

If someone could point me to a step by step instructions on how to remove the mower deck and put it back on I would be eternally grateful. I know it can't be to difficult. its the belt and getting it right I think that makes me nervous.

I am willing to try getting the blades off with the knowledge that they might be reverse threaded. I am sure there is quite a bit of rust under there.

Local dealer will replace the blades for $70.00 plus the cost of the blades. WhicH I am okay with.. I really would rather learn to do it myself. I just know that I could end up destroying $300 worth of spindles when I only paid $250 for the entire setup.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Gary, the manuals for the older series seem to be slightly better. Have you checked out the link to Charlie's manuals that KENtucky posted recently?

Paul R., I should have first said: WELCOME!

Here's a link to the manual for the 149 that has info on the mower deck installation and removal. The nuts on the blades should NOT be reverse thread. once you get the deck off, use a block of wood to bind one of the blades to prevent it from turning while you use a wrench, a socket with a breaker bar would be best. Avoid an adjustable wrench if at all possible. Also some penetrating oil such as PB Blaster, Kroil, Liquid Wrench sprayed on the nuts and let soak prior to trying to remove the nuts would be a good idea.

 

[preed]

Kraig,

Awesome thanks for the link, that helps alot. The one time I had the deck off (2 years ago with the previous owner) I know it was a bear to get the thing back on.. took 2 of us to do it.. looking at the manual i can see why now.

He either didn't know or didn't care to loosen the belt tension bolt to make it easier to put it back on.

Definately gives me something to try tomorrow morning.

 

[rnajecki]

Hi Paul R. -
The nuts that hold the three blades onto the spindles are regular threaded. I.e - to take the nuts off turn them counterclockwise. They are NOT reverse/left threaded. The trick is to hold the spindle in place while you turn the nut. Holding the nuts on the top of the spindle at the pulleys might help, but in my experience they loosen up before the nut at the blade. The best way to remove/install the nut is to use an air wrench.

I also have a 149 hydro with a 50" deck. It's a big deck, and to put it on I slide the deck under the 149, but you will have to jockey/angle the deck to get it under. I then hook up the fingers on the mule drive, which supports the deck, to the loops on the front of the deck. Get the belt tensioning nut, which is at the front of the mule drive pulleys, as loose as possible. I then slip the belt onto the center pulley of the mower deck. Then pull the deck towards the rear to align and release the spring loaded pins at the back of the deck into the holes on the mule drive. Then tighten the belt tensioning nut. I could be wrong on this, but I've heard the nut should be tightened until the spring on the adjacent pulley opens up a bit, say a dimes width between the spring coils.

IMO $70 is a New York City labor charge to replace the blades. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes with an air wrench.

I sometimes get a strip of unmowed grass, but I think that happens when the grass is too tall, I'm making a turn, or the blade tip is dull. If you are getting new blades you might want to consider the 'Gator' blades. Some swear by them, some swear at them. They cost a bit more, and CC Specialties might have them. I for one like them.

 

[aschmidgall]

I have a Cub Cadet 123 that won't start. I pulled it out of storage for the first time in probably 5 years. I drained all the gas and put new in. After all that i had no spark so i filed and cleaned up my points a little and after that it ran. It was running a little rough and wouldn't run off choke so i completely went through my carb and cleaed and rebuilt it. Before i pulled the carb I took my mower and pressure washed it. After putting the carb back on, I again have no spark. I figured i got some water on the points so I cleaned them up again and still have no spark. During my initial no spark problem i swapped to a known good coil, new plug and wire. I think I should get new points and try that, but will it fix it? Any help would be appreciated

 

[dfrisk]

PAUL R. Welcome to IHCC.com. My post @ 7:25 this AM aside, removing mower blades is not hard. An impact wrench & 1-1/4" socket is all that's actally necessary. Surely there's some auto service center or a friend, neighbor, relative, or coworker who has these available to use for a few minutes. $70 would almost buy the tools required to remove those blades. Use of the impact eliminates having to block the blades from spinning and reduces the chances of skinned knuckles. And I frequently coat the threads on the spindles with anti-sieze to prevent the spindle nuts from rusting.

And Kraig is correct, the spindle nuts are "normal" rotation, counter-clockwise to remove, clockwise to tighten looking at the end of the spindle the blade is attached to.

CC decks just use a round 3/4" dia. hole in the blades for attaching. All 50" decks use the same blades for all three spindles. 44" deck similar to the 50" decks use slightly shorter blades, but likewise all three are identicle for all 44" decks.

 

[rnajecki]

PAUL R. -
While you have the deck off the tractor, this would be a good time to remove the sheet metal plate that covers the deck pulleys and mower deck belt. Often dirt and grass gets trapped under the plate. Check that the belt idler arm is able to move. The bolt ( IH-486-360-R1 )that secures this spring loaded arm often freezes in place. The new bolt ($15) has a grease fitting that the original bolt didn't have. However you would need to drill a hole onto the plate to allow easy access to that grease fitting for regular maintenance.

While I'm looking at part numbers, you may find there are several part numbers for the same part. I don't know why Cub Cadet does this, but it can get confusing. For example, the idler arm pivot/tension bolt was IH-486-360-R1, then it became 738-3005, then 938-3005, and is now 638-04012A. I don't know what changed to cause a part number change, other than adding the grease fitting.

 

[crlamb]

I have seen many postings with reference to MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil)...I thought that I read to add a capful to a tank of gas...but I cannot remember how much to add to the oil of a 10HP Kohler. I know there is someone that can answer this question....By the way, I did not have the newly installed clutch adjusted correctly...The noise is gone...Thanks...I am still learning