Crankcase pressure question-K321

[wshytle]

I have a green thing that has a K-321. I got it running a few weeks back and noticed then it would start acting up a little. I paid little attention at the time and just parked it. I got it out after about two weeks and it wouldn't start so I started checking things. I found the breather on the side was stopped up. The cover has a rubber tube that is incorporated into the carb breather for recirculation of gases I suppose. The carb had been replaced with a walbroke aftermarket and had the older style round breather that didn't use the tube so the po just let it hang. The mud daubers found it and had the 3" tube filled. I went ahead and removed the breather cover and oil gushed out. The drain holes were in the right place. I guess my question is how would a stopped up breather effect a running engine? (I think) I remember reading about dipsticks blowing out. I assumed it would build pressure and I did notice excessive oil coming from around the governor shaft. I am replacing the cover with one from another engine that has the slot for breathing. The engine smokes a little under a pull and I'm hoping the fix will help this as well.

Any input appreciated....Wayne

 

[jpatchett]

Wayne,

A plugged breather would result in gases exiting the crank case elsewhere , gaskets, seals, etc., or back up the cylinder. Your general description indicates the engine might be due for a rebuild. Excessive crank case pressure is from piston/cylinder blow by, which also means low compression, lack of power. Obviously leaks are from old gaskets and seals that are not doing their job any more. Engines can run for years smoking and leaking, but sooner or later the engine will fail if these issues are not fixed. Mostly due to not keeping the oil level up to overcome losses. If you have the means rebuild it.
Jim

 

[wshytle]

OK, dealing with the same machine. I can start this tractor and it will run fine for a few minutes. After a while a puddle of oil appears right below the crankcase breather. I took this breather apart and reassembled it the same after cleaning. How do you determine if the reeds are bad or something is wrong in the breather itself? All of the drain holes are oriented properly and the dipstick shows full of fresh oil.

What else can I look for or check to correct this problem?

Any and all PLEASE! This tractor is just dying to be sold on some website.

 

[wshytle]

Jim-

In case you read my last post- this engine hasn't even reached its mid-life crisis yet. It has plenty of compression and runs great until this oil situation comes into play. After it runs for a while it won't restart once you shut it off. I don't have a lot of time/experience with this engine; these are problems I'm experiencing for the first time after just minutes of operation.

 

[lhinds]

Wayne you said oil gushed out when you removed the breather. Did you clean out the drain back holes in the block? On the starting issue i think oil has or is blowing out around the points rod and causing the starting issue.After you get the breather working correctly check and clean,and gap the points.

 

[wshytle]

Luther-

That makes sense. I'll check that next. You mention the "drain back holes in the block". Are you speaking of the holes in the back of the breather compartment or are there other holes I may have missed? These are the only holes I'm aware of. These holes were open when I did the latest work on the breather itself. I'd be willing to bet the points are drenched in oil now that you mentioned the pushrod thing. No one has answered whether the reeds can be bad and not functioning as they should. Obviously when it comes to these engines I'm mostly an outside kind of guy knowing little of the inside.

I was also told by another person the rings could be stuck. Would/could this cause excessive crankcase pressure? I'm thinking about parking this green piece of junk until spring then maybe pay someone to come get it.

Thanks.....Wayne

 

[lhinds]

There is one hole behind the breather in the block. If oil gushed out, the drain back hole in the breather or the one in the block was stopped up or assembled wrong.Make sure the breather is assembled correct and all the parts there. The rings being stuck or broke can cause to much pressure in the crankcase. I had a 301 that overheated and took all the tension out of the rings and caused this same problem on the crankcase pressure.

 

[wshytle]

I didn't know of a hole in the block itself. Is it located behind the breather compartment? I had the whole breather out and cleaned everything well. It's looking more and more like I need to pull and disassemble this engine. Since I have so much other stuff going on it will be pulled to the barn with a cub and parked for a while....probably spring like I mentioned before. I would just sell it but I don't want to just pass along a pita problem. If I get it right I may just put this engine on my log splitter starter, battery, and all. The tractor needs work as well so.....maybe I can find a martian who wants a roller.

 

[fcurrier]

"A <font color="119911">Martian</font>". Took a couple seconds for that to sink in!

 

[fcurrier]

Hole under stud that holds breather:

 

[wshytle]

Thanks Frank-

I'm 99 & 44/100 sure that hole was open. I don't remember sticking anything in it though. It's probably clogged from the backside of the hole itself. I will admit the carb and valves are pretty easy to get to on these green things once you remove the darn grill. They were 90* off when they installed their engines.

 

[aschumacher]

Wayne, do you have a service book or picture of how that breather cover is to be reassembled?? Did a PO reassemble it wrong? <font size="-2">I have an image from my svc manual if you want it.</font>

 

[wshytle]

Allen-

I didn't go by a book but it was correct. I've cleaned enough of them to remember. I even had some new gaskets here and installed them.

If you read my first post you'll see it is all aftermarket now because of the po's. The original breather cover had the rubber tube that mud daubers filled. It didn't have a slot like most, just the tube so I was sure that was the problem. I installed a slotted cover after I cleaned everything.

I just went out to try and start it and it fired right up and ran great. This is really starting to p**s me off. At least I can drive it to the barn now; there's just too much other stuff going on for the time being.

Thanks again.....Wayne