K321 Ring Change or ???

[Go-rebels]

Hi All,

I’ve owned a stock 1976 built 1450 since 1989 and used it as a working mower every summer since. I’ve maintained it well for thirty years and it continues to run strong. I replaced the motor mounts a few years back and everything seems to be as it should except for oil burning. It’ll burn ~1/8" oil off the dipstick every two hours and blow some decent sized blue clouds under heavy load. And that’s running 25% Lucas oil stabilizer. The engine leaks no oil, idles well, pulls well and runs as smooth as these 1-bangers can.

I’d like to do a bare minimum rebuild as I’ll probably be moving from my 1 acre lot in five years and won’t need the mower further. I’m thinking of replacing the rings only with a light honing and new gaskets. That’s it. And the cradle mod, of course.

Opinions welcome -

[R Bedell]

Opening the engine up, doing some visuals, and taking some measurements, is kinda dictating the direction you want to go in.

[finsruskw]

My 1450 was in the same boat.
But, no such thing as an easy fix once I opened it up.
It had been messed with before by someone.
Turned out the block was cracked near the exhaust port almost back to the valve and was not noticeable until the block had been tanked.
That and someone had already replaced the rings and they were waaaaaay big in the end clearance dept. nearly .030 & .050.
If you are going to do it, do it right if possible
You will probably be surprised, one way or another once you dive into this project.

I wound up having to replace the block with a +010" 341 I had on hand and am off to the shop this AM to reassemble now that I have all the parts.
Good luck!

[Mike McKown]

Maybe I got lucky.....................

About 40+ years ago, my boss asked me to take a look at his 104 CC. It had a ton of hours on it and it used quite a bit of oil. He wanted it to stop using oil but didn't want to spend much money. Sound familiar?

I opened it up. Can't remember now but I think the top of the piston over the ring land was eaten away a little. I put in a new piston, rings and put it back together. The thing seemed to run fine and no smoke.

A couple years later, the tractor was for sale because it'd quit running while mowing. I bought it on the spot. I drained the water out of the sediment bulb and all was good.

That tractor continued to be used weekly without any engine issues for another 10-12 years and then I parked it. It's still parked and I believe it could be put back in usable service with gas in the tank and a battery.

Your luck may vary.

[ol'George]

First you have to address what you have, as was mentioned.
A re ring job is quick and easy as well as short lived.
You do a light DEGLAZE, not hone of the bore, and install new rings.
That usually stops oil burning for a while, ok for a parade tractor or one that is just used for light occasional work.
That is providing the bore is not out of round/tapered/scored.
----I've done it.
But too many times one gets inside of a 50 year old motor and finds the mentioned things not in spec. and rod journal is tapered as well as out of round or worse, the valve guides worn, valves warped or stems sticky, seats to wide, head warped as well as other things needing corrected to make a true re manufactured engine as it came out of the factory.
A re ring only, I like to call a Turpentine overhaul
New rings and paint and advertised as "It's all been rebuilt"
----seen it too many times.
Then there is the other route, you've had it for 30 years, oil is cheap, keep it full and enjoy it.
If you begin to have other problems like it knocking or fouling plugs, then it is time to make a rebuilding decision.
A proper rebuild will never get your costs back at resale time, but you can recover them with future usage, if that is what you choose to do.

[finsruskw]

Assuming you can dis and reassemble the engine yourself, it will probably run in the neighborhood of $325 for parts and machine work.
At least that's what my 1450 engine came to, That is here in the Cedar Rapids, IA area with parts found on line.

Mater of fact I'm in the process of reassembly this morning having just got the block back from the machine shop the other day.

[Mike McKown]

Originally Posted by ol'George

Then there is the other route, you've had it for 30 years, oil is cheap, keep it full and enjoy it.
If you begin to have other problems like it knocking or fouling plugs, then it is time to make a rebuilding decision.
A proper rebuild will never get your costs back at resale time, but you can recover them with future usage, if that is what you choose to do.

For the original poster's situation, this!

[Go-rebels]

Originally Posted by finsruskw

Assuming you can dis and reassemble the engine yourself, it will probably run in the neighborhood of $325 for parts and machine work.

I just repaired a twenty year old 10hp OHV B&S that threw a rod so I’m not worried about the scope of the work but I am having difficulty finding a local machine shop (Spartanburg, SC) who can do the machining. None of my local outdoor power repair shops ever send out blocks for reconditioning... I guess it’s a natural resultant of our disposable society.

[Go-rebels]

Originally Posted by ol'George

Then there is the other route, you've had it for 30 years, oil is cheap, keep it full and enjoy it.

Yes, this has been my ‘solution’ to date.