Cub 123 / Kohler K301 "ticking"
 

So, I pulled the engine on my Cub a few weeks ago to repair the broken grass screen on the flywheel / output shaft. This screen had broken at the four screw holes which attach it to the flywheel, but I was able to simply turn it 45 degrees rotation and bolt it back on. All looked good.

Ever since getting everything back together, I've been hearing a "ticking" from the engine area. I thought it might be the grass screen wobbling and bumping against the shround, but that does not appear to be the case. Then I decided it sounded like it was coming from the front of the motor, and thought it might be the belt PTO clutch assembly. However, the ticking is the same whether the PTO is engaged or off. It does not sound like valves tapping, but something external. Weeks of poking around and looking at things have turned up nothing. Any ideas?

It may be the PTO clutch teeth chattering against the metal clutch basket that they set in. There are springs that can be purchased to install between the teeth and basket, but they usually come out over time and you get the ticking sound again.

Thanks! I assume I could pull the PTO assembly and see if the chattering goes away, before narrowing in on those springs? Never really dug into the PTO assembly before.

This will help

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O4FE1tE_AM

Start soaking those set crew now!

No problem on the set screws. My primary pasttime is disassembling and rebuilding pre-WW2 woodworking machinery, much of it turn of the century stuff. Believe you me, I have my techniques for removing stuck screws.

Also, this Cub has always been garage kept. The undercarriage looks like the day it was taken out of the dealer's shop, and she's still wearing her original rubber. I don't anticipate these screws being a huge problem.

I would remove the flywheel screen and replace it with a good one.

I should get one on order, so I have it on hand next time I pull the engine. However, I don't think this ticking is coming from that. The screen is straight. The only problem was that it had failed around the original mounting holes. Rotating it 45 degrees and drilling new mounting holes gave me the meat I needed to remount it properly.