[glenn27]

Ah--the title is exactly right.....I had some free time yesterday afternoon, and had used my little C-120A to move some stuff around, but it kept 'bogging down"/ running rough at WOT--a couple time it just cut off..
Would start right back up--but only run @ idle for a few minutes....:fing20:

Well--these old Kohler's are built to run wide open--so I go get some tools..
It was already sitting under the big tree in my back yard, so I decided to 'wrench' a little right there, accompanied by a nice breeze...

Have to take the muffler off the front of the engine first, so I can check the points. Boy--the muffler was still pretty hot after sitting for awhile..(??)
File that away a for later..

1. Points were gapped open a little too much--I gave them a couple
rub-downs with some clean emory cloth, then reset to .020. I traced all the ign. wires back to source and they all looked good. Changed the in-line fuel filter.
Cleaned and re-gapped the plug.

2. Got on-Put the ear muffs on--hit the key--she fired right up--waited a few minutes, gradually ran it up to full throttle-for five minutes of so---
no back down/ cutting out -nothing!!!:fing32:

BTW--muffler is still lying on the ground....
The exhaust port at the outlet of the muffler is all black--like it was runnuing too rich--but the little stub pipe coming out of the eng. is kinda grayish/white looking--as was the spark plug...Again--(???)

Anyway--I ran it up and down my road, down to the pond and around the R/R tracks, and back-- pulling the little utility trailer with about 60lbs. or so in it for 20 minutes, and it never missed a beat again..

What do you folks think?
Muffler clogging up? Something inside it sweeling up when hot? This was the muffler on it when I bought it about 4 years ago--looks pretty good from the outside, but....


Need some answers--I remember years ago Chevy and Pontiac cars hAD problem with inner exhaust pipes swelling up, but a little tractor??

Couple of pictures--and last one is afore-mentioned 'shade tree":sidelaugh

glenn (still confused)...

 

[Ingersoll444]

Is there any rattling in there that you can hear?? Maybe try to blow through it with a compressure, and then toss it on the grill for a wile, and try agean. I guess its possable something is flexing with heat, and plugging up. Or.... maybe something in in there thats moving around. Bouncing around, and once in a wile, plugs up.

 

[Dirtdog]

I think you answered your own question with the points on the kohler being off . the kohlers would bog down and such , especially under load, if the points were out. You could rule out the coil as it runs fine now. The muffler is probably ok but i would adjust that carb .

 

[gerryw]

Nice tree! Can't help on the issue.....but really nice tree!

 

[glenn27]

I think you answered your own question with the points on the kohler being off . the kohlers would bog down and such , especially under load, if the points were out. You could rule out the coil as it runs fine now. The muffler is probably ok but i would adjust that carb .

Adjusted that carb also--just 1/4turn Sat.--was about all it took....Oh--forgot to admit I ran out of gas down by the horse pond--and had to walk back to get the can....:banghead3 "Big Dummy"!!!

And nope--nothing 'rattle" inside the muffler--and you can only see down about 3 inches, before it has a metal piece blocking it off--I guyees diverting the gas to the holes on the side..

 

[glenn27]

I'm going to do more 'in' -depth' figureing on this today--I'm going to reset the carb again--even thou I did it Sat.,
but also--a friend suggested running water thru the muffler from the garden hose--see what kind of flow comes out the other end--then do the same with shop vac, but on 'blow'...

(Still scratching my head)...

 

[pigsitter]

I had a similar issue with my ATV once and it turned out to be the muffler.It started going down in power then happened to notice one night that the pipe coming off the head was actually starting to glow!
good luck and keep us posted on what you find out.:fing32:

 

[Volfandt]

Glen, don't run any water through that muffler, that'll just start the unending rust cancer and should it be a good muffler, it wouldn't be for long......
The idea about using a shopvac is a very good one, try that, if the air pressure coming out is close to whats going in I'd say the muffler be good

My money is on the carb adjustment you did. It's quite possible that it sucked up some debris on it's way to running it out of fuel and this ?may" have clogged up the hi speed jet/circuit. Some debris could have also got lodged in the needle valve it "may" have gotten dislodged when you were wrenching. Hard to say.
Points could have caused it as the timing would have been way off with the gap too wide.
The K181 in my 856 had a similar problem once except it would also cut in & out causing backfiring, it ended up being the plug wire.

Thats a good looking shade tree. Back in the day I didn't have a nice shop to wrench but I had a nice big apple tree I'd work under. You know, now that I think about it, those certainly were the good ole days D: D:

Good luck
Dave

 

[glenn27]

Well--studied on it some more..

1. Checked the points aging--o.k.!!
2. Re-adjusted carb again--runs pretty daggone good..
3. Muffler was bothering me--even aFTER BLOWING AIR THRU IT A LOT--JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A 'DECENT OUTPUT.....

4. So==thou the muffler was in good shape (appearance wise)--I put it in the vise--and proceeded to drill a 3/4" hole down thru the baffle that is in the inlet opening..(Old school stuff)--like back in the days of the cherry bombs.....Put it back on there (Boy--I'm wearing that clamp out):crybaby:

Anyway--it's got a little 'throatey or deeper tone"--I ran it for 20 min. @ WOT--and she never hesitated a beat.,,,,

We'll see next weekend when I work her out...right now she's parked under cover...

Thanks for all the suggestions!:thanku:

glenn



glenn

 

[glenn27]

Well--the Wheelhorse didn't get the expected workout today--:crybaby:

as it rained most all night, so everything's wet, the two grandboy's spent the night here, and I haven't been feeling too well, this past week, so it was just a 'resting place' for Dylan to rest his behind...he loves to go crawl on the tractors when he's here...:fing32:

BTW--the tractor started right up, with choke on, and ran for about 10 min's. at varying throttle--planning on working it this comiing Frida when off...

glenn

 

[Volfandt]

Thats a fine looking youngman Glenn.
He'll be battleing you for seat time before long
Dave

 

[slkpk]

Is that the blade I helped getting to you? slkpk

 

[glenn27]

Is that the blade I helped getting to you? slkpk

Not that one--the big blade you picked up for me goes oon one of the
GT-14's--it's stored on a moving pallet right now....
(Secured to the shop wall)...:fing32:

and once again--Thanks!!:thanku:

BTW--workout time tomarrow--pulling a big aerator, then a spreader for several hours...



glenn

 

[glenn27]

Friday dawned bright/clear---I knew that one way or/ other--the yard was going to be aerated/seeded TODAY..(my only window of opportunity...)

Two cups of ,a bowl of ceral, and I'm on the way to Home Depot, to pick up a rental aerator. (That they couldn't find in their computer....)
Got that , mailed a package, back home in an hour,:fing32:

Now is where it gets dicey--I had wished to use my "trusty" W/H
(Ol Krazy Horse), so I removed the front blade, stored that away--checked all fluids--filled it w/ fresh gas.

What more could a machine want?/ Obviously--it had spoted the bright blue, big aerator in the back of the truck, and got nervous.....:thSick:
It started--ran a minute and cut off....Had been doing fine...
I drained the fuel line--re-installed everything--started right up!! We hook up the aerator, fill the water bottles for ballast--and start out----do the back yard first--man, even as dry as it is, that aerator tears up some earth!!!

I park it under the ever-present 'shade tree' to cool off, while I eat a little lunch. Come back out--fill w/ gas again--NO START!!!:fing20: Battery dead as a doorknob...WTH?? I jump it off--then realize the amp guage is not showing any charge-I check all the wireing--the little plastic plug on trhe back of the regulator had wiggled it's way loose--I twist it back on there--charging full bore now!!! I'll fix it permanantly later on--


We move on to the front yard--and I notice after awhile, even with ear muffs on--the motor noise is getting loud.. Again--WTH?? I stop-shut it down--notice the muffler, which is up front on this engine is dropped down off the pipe--I try to tighten the muffler clamp--and wring that off..

Now I'm really thinking this Red Devil is tryiing to fight
me...However--I rummage in theW/H stash,and find a new 1-1/2" clamp, ands install it in a couple minutes, and fires right back up. Like said, in a previous post--I've had the muffler off so much lately--I guess that can be expected...still:thSick:

Back to aerating....
Then went across the road and did my buddies front/side yard...

Unhooked the aerator--hooked up the broadcast spreader, and put down all 150 lbs. of grass seed I had on hand.... Put the spreader away--Blew the Wheelhorse oiff w/ compressed air, and put her away--showed 4.5 hours use today on the meter...:woohoo1:

At this time--went in, tookj the required shower, and poster here..

All in all--a good day--once again--Capt. Shade Tree was victorious!!!
Now I'm happy....
:trink40:

glenn

 

[Brad]

Sounds like you got things worked out. Good job on that. Sure makes you feel good when things turn out like expected. A good accomplishment!

 

[PA318Guy]

Great story Glenn, nice tree, grandson looking like he's having a good time. What kind of aeriator is that! I like the bottles for weight on that!

 

[glenn27]

Great story Glenn, nice tree, grandson looking like he's having a good time. What kind of aeriator is that! I like the bottles for weight on that!

***************
The aerator is a 4ft. wide H/D Bluebird brand--They loan you five of those big 6-1/2 gal. bottles--(I only used three)--that gave me over 150 lbs + the aerator is heavy--
I really like the crank down travel wheels on it...with a trailer jack--a good idea!!!Also--has two smaller wheels on the back edge to roll it sideways on to load/unload...
I'd like to buy one, if they ever sell them later--very well built!!

 

[PA318Guy]

Glenn, thanks for the info! I'd never heard of that brand before. Looks like the engineers accounted for the operational requirement correctly. Wheels for loading and unloading, now that's thinking it through!

 

[Volfandt]

I just started aerating my [pnderosa about 3 ys ago and I can tell a huge improvement in the turf.
Glenn, I'll tell what why she's fighting you so, she must not like the way you/ve got her dressed
I need to overseed this fall and 150lbs sound about right for me too. Where'd you get it and did it set you back a bunch?

Dave

 

[glenn27]

I just started aerating my [pnderosa about 3 ys ago and I can tell a huge improvement in the turf.
Glenn, I'll tell what why she's fighting you so, she must not like the way you/ve got her dressed
I need to overseed this fall and 150lbs sound about right for me too. Where'd you get it and did it set you back a bunch?

Dave

Yes--could be--she has been shabby for awhile..
.You see--the 'dress-up part" is in the future stages--

I have all , very good condition, sheet metal for her with good paint on it--just got to dig it out and install--I was going to add the hyd. lift feature when I had it apart, eockshaft and all----all I need for that is the hyd. pump, for the tranny--with the vales/springs in it--

We'll see////:fing32::Stop:

As far as the seed, I have been useing Pennington brand Blend (4 varieties)for this area--
(Pennta-coated they call it--I buy it @ Southern States, or a local feed store--but rarely goes on sale. I saved about five lbs, to use later this year when I re-grade my front ditch line...

glenn