Archive through May 14, 2009

[dplogman]

Hey Cubs- 122 Cub: I drained the creeper the other night and nothing came out, I figured it had just run dry. Someone suggested before I assume it was dry, stick something in there and see if it is clogged. Well I pulled a lump of glop out and she drained. Oil as thick (or thicker) than paint! I wonder if it had ever been changed. I’m now trying to refill without removing the side plug, It doesn’t want to fill, probably needs a vent to fill. Gonna try a small straw into the filler port to vent, that side plug seems really tight, and not real easy to get to. Dave

 

[dfrisk]

ROBERT - Welcome to the best CC forum on the internet. 105 is a good tractor, 12 HP K301 Kohler in it only makes it better! There's places/companies that specialize in supplying repower kits for garden tractors but to be quite honest I don't know if anyone makes a kit for an old narrow frame Cub Cadet. My Dad bought a brand new Kohler Magnum 12 engine to replace the worn out K301 12 HP engine in a 129 CC He had and it turned into a VERY expensive project, and it was still the "old fashioned flathead design". Cub Cadets take a special crankshaft and special oil pan so that ALL 1-cyl. Cub Cadet engines are interchangable, from 7 HP to 16 HP.
If by "Modern Engine" You mean OHV or OHC I'm sure something can be made to fit with enough cutting, welding, etc. BUT, by the time You find & buy the engine, modify everything required to make it work the Dollars add up fast! And most of the new engines are almost all aluminum, don't have as much lugging power as the K-series Kohlers, and they aren't rebuildable.
There's been a lot of discussion here lately about rebuilding engines. To replace the piston, rings, connecting rod, exh. valve, all new seals & gaskets, rebuild the carb, new plug, points, condensor, bore the cylinder oversize, grind the rod journal on the crankshaft undersize to make it round and straight again, parts and machine work should only cost between $400-$500 with all Kohler OEM parts. Quality aftermarket parts like STENS will reduce that a bit.
If You can remove and reinstall the engine and disassemble/reassemble the engine yourself that is Your cheapest option. If You don't have the time, tools, or experience to assemble the Kohler a local small engine shop would add several hundred Dollars to the cost.
There are complete rebuilt Kohler K301 engines on E-bay from time-to-time. But like all things on E-Bay, Buyer Beware!
Choice all depends on how much work You want to do to replace the engine with something of a newer Modern design, and how much Money is TOO Much.

 

[jpallen]

ROBERT
Adding to what Dennis said, I don't know if any of the forum sponsors have anything to offer but it might be worth checking out.
Here are some links to a place that seems to have some options for re-powering:
smallenginewarehouse.com Cub Cadet 125 Kohler K301
Pretty sure the 125 is the 12hp version of what you have.
smallenginewarehouse.com General Cub Cadet List

I don't have any personal experience with this place to offer though.

Good luck with your project.

Aaron,
That tractor is SWEET!!!

 

[jfejedelem]

Will the CW-36 snow blower attach to a wide frame? Thanks Jimmy

 

[kmcconaughey]

James, short answer, no. You'll want to look for a QA36A, or a QA42A for a wide frame.

 

[tteague]

Now that is a serious freakin cub cadet...

And here I thought my 147 was mean. I wonder, just how much that thing will pull? Maybey it can help me pull my mean neibors garage down. You pull one wall, Ill pull the other. Meet you here at 3 am...

}

 

[mgonitzke]

Pulled apart the motor from a 105 today...Here's why it didn't have any compression.

Bore looks excellent except for one spot of aluminum stuck to it (hopefully I can remove that), and the crankpin looks great, too. I'll mic them to be sure. I might be set to go with a new piston, rings, rod, and a few gaskets.

 

[jfejedelem]

Thanks Kraig, I am glade I asked before I bought. You wouldnt happen to have a good picture of a spring assist, and cub 3 point on a wide frame? Thanks Jimmy

 

[jpallen]

Anybody check out the OHV Tecumseh conversion kit offered through my previous post?

Funny to see that it is about half the weight of the Kohler.

 

[mgonitzke]

Jeff A.-

Tecumseh = crap in my opinion. He's better off rebuilding the Kohler. We have a generator with a Tecumseh...rings never seated, so it uses tons of oil, and it doesn't even run smoothly, despite being brand new. That's unlikely to be bolt-in anyway...something would have to be cut to make it fit.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Matt, OUCH! Hope all goes well with that one.

James, how's this? I believe this is on a 682.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Jeff, not sure if you are advocating going with the Tecumseh or just pointing out it's lighter, but I have to agree with Matt, Denny and Keith that Robert is way better off rebuilding or finding a rebuilt Kohler. In the long run it's cheaper, and probably even cheaper in the short run. Not to mention it's keeps the Cub Cadet "correct".

 

[snicklas]

We have looked at those kits in the past, Dad has a 782 that ventilated the block while mowing a ditch. He was looking at repair/repower options. He looked into their repower kits with the 20+ HP engines, and then settled on and bought a CC spec'ed M-18 that he got a fairly good deal on at the local CC dealer. After looking into them, we found out the 24hp kit does not have the same grunt and pull as the 17-18 hp Kohlers, and some people that had done a Honda repower were disapointed, and if had to do it over again, would have repowered with an M-18. I guess this is why the "new/better" tractors, big box and otherwise, have what seems to be a huge engine to power a 42 " deck. We have run 44A and 50A's on our 14hp wideframes (149 and 1450) and cut like mad, as does the 50C on Dad's 782 with the M-18. To get a mower with a 42" deck on a "new" mower, CC or off-topic you are at 20hp+ and to get a 48" or 50" they are closer to 25hp. I agree with Dennis, just because it is new does not make it better. I would rather sink money in a 30 year old K-Series Kohler that buy an new "compatible" engine.

Just my $.02, I'll put my soapbox away now...

 

[rpalmer]

Matt, Unbelievable

. Did you scrape the top side of the piston for a look because it sure looks like it would have gouged the cylinder wall

. Good luck. Oh my thumbs were too weak

.

 

[mgonitzke]

Richard P.-

Those lines in the top of the piston are cracks. There's more cracks in the skirt on the other side.

 

[kide]

Even though they were made in Michigan, gotta agree on the Tecumseh's - next door neighbor had an older Sears, replaced the electronic ignition in it every two years, like clockwork. I've got an industrial (all cast iron) ten horse electric start I bought for a log splitter, rings won't seat, great for killing mosquitoes. Only one I've got worth a &*^%$# is the 30 some year old 12 horse on my Generac generator, and that one sucks gas like it's soda pop.. (could be 'cause we run it at high load when the powers out). I've dealt with SMW (been to their place in Indiana), they are good guys, but must be getting their prices off from Epay these days...(or that's the verrrrry last K motor in existence..)

BTW, Matt, yer skirt ISN'T showing (in the pan??)

 

[mgonitzke]

Kendell-

I meant the side of the skirt that isn't in pieces, so yes the side that's in the pan

 

[jdiem]

According To Small Engine Warehouse Tecumseh is out of business

 

[whecht]

Hey CC Friends I have a Question, I have a CC 109 it has a Kohler 14hp motor on it. All the pictures I have found on a Org. 109 shows the motor painted yellow and is a Kohler 12hp. My Motor is Black and is a 14hp. Do you think this is Org. motor or not. Any feed back on this would be great.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Willis, if it's a 14hp it not original, also the original engine should be yellow with a black S/G. The original engine would have been a 10hp the 10 in 109 = 10hp. And for future reference, a 129 = 12hp, a 149 = 14hp and a 169 = 16hp.