K301 teardown

tobo127 · #1 01-24-2015, 05:05 PM

When tearing my engine down for a rebuild I ran across a few interesting items. This is not surprising seeing how the PO treated the rest of the tractor. If you remember from another one of my posts, the 127 tunnel was hacked open with a sawzall (soon to be rewelded closed), the driveshaft flex joint had both couplers bolted straight together with the flex joint (not 90° apart), along with other assorted not too bright mechanical decisions. Tearing into the engine revealed that he must have been in there also! First, the setscrews for the PTO were in wrong. The short one was installed first, then the long pointed one was used to lock the first one. Had a bear of a time taking out the small ones because the point on the long one had wedged open and cracked the hex side of the short allens, making them jamb in the tapped hole. After hours of putzing around they finally came out (some in pieces). Then I moved to the valve cover. The baffle plate was found to be installed upside down with the oil drain hole on top. These were both somewhat believable mistakes I suppose, both of them being a 50/50 proposition of getting it right if you had no bleeping idea of the concept. The kicker was the last thing I found. On the PTO end of the crankshaft, I popped out the oil seal and found another one, in backwards, behind the first one! Thinking how this could be..............with the mechanical ability I've seen to this point with the PO, I surmise that he probably put the original seal in backwards and eventually ended up with an oil leak. He probably (all conjecture at this point) couldn't get the old one out or knocked it in trying to get it out, but in either case installed the second oil seal in correctly, leaving the other one in there to have a happy ride on the crankshaft next to the main bearing. We'll probably never know what he was thinking (or his lack thereof)!

Enough of the Darwin award, at this point, with everything out of the engine, I have one question. How much shaft to governor gear play should there be (how much does the gear rock on the shaft, if any)? If I'd seen enough of these Kohlers apart I'd have a good idea myself (experience is a wonderful thing), but this being my first........ I'm wondering how a new gear fits and if my gear bore is worn enough to be of concern and should be replaced or are they normally somewhat sloppy when new? I understand the governor spring and linkage keeps the gear loaded onto the shaft up against the block but my gear seems pretty loose on the shaft. I saw no spec in the manual referencing this gear. I don't want this to get chewed up later because of clearance issues to the camshaft gear. Someone else's experience and knowledge will help me out here.

Sam Mac · #2 01-24-2015, 06:05 PM

Looks like that Cub was owned by one of those people that should not be allowed to use tools or breed. Glad it's in good hands now.

tobo127 · #3 01-25-2015, 06:09 PM

Any input/comments on the tightness of the governor gear riding on it's own shaft? As close as I can measure it, mine has a .005 slip fit (bore larger than shaft), making the gear rock on the shaft if you try to wiggle it. Wouldn't be bad if the shaft was 2 feet long but at only 11/32" it tips quite a bit. Just trying to figure out if a new gear would fit that much tighter. What's the professional opinion?

Sam Mac · #4 01-25-2015, 06:15 PM

I don't have the answer but I'm sure Don, Merk and Jon do. My guess is they will be along shortly with an answer.

J-Mech · #5 01-25-2015, 06:27 PM

Well, they don't fit super tight.... Without seeing it it's hard to say. For $40 if there is any question, I'd just replace it. Too hard to get to once it's assembled.

dvogtvpe · #6 01-25-2015, 08:11 PM

they don't list a spec for them. they do fit loose. if you have a plastic gear the pin won't wear. all that said even new ones fit loose. like Jon said $40 for piece of mind is cheap

Merk · #7 01-25-2015, 08:22 PM

I recommend that you replace the governor gear if it is a plastic version. Cheap insurance in my book.

Sam Mac · #8 01-25-2015, 08:36 PM

You guys rock! Three of the best answer within a few minutes. Well done gentlemen.

finsruskw · #9 01-25-2015, 08:47 PM

If there is lots of play on the governor shaft you may want to consider replacing that along w/a new bushing. I just did one on my 321 and it tightened it up considerably. I hate oil leaks!!

Good Luck!!

tobo127 · #10 01-25-2015, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merk

I recommend that you replace the governor gear if it is a plastic version. Cheap insurance in my book.

By this I assume they made a metal version also? Did this change happen after a certain model year (or Kohler serial number) or did they go back and forth from what they had in stock when assembling on the line? If there was a metal one, did it have a bushing or just the gear metal bored out to shaft size? Was it aluminum or cast?