[Terry T]

Hey Guys,
I thought I would pass this on so maybe someone else won't have the same luck that I did.
I overhauled my 222 (Kohler K301)back in the spring and was well pleased with its proformance,and then it happened.My son was mowing and I saw him stop so I went over and tryed starting it and it had blown the head gasket.Upon pulling the head I found out that it had also messed up the head.I got a head off E-Bay and got another gasket and put it all back together.
I had bought and after market kit that was billed as to OEM standards.But comparing the after market and Kohler I noticed the after market didn't have what I call a fire ring around the chamber cut out.I also found that the 2 head bolts (not the studs) might have bottomed out.
This was my first K-series overhaul,but I don't think this will happen again.It was also trying to blow pass all around the gasket.
I was wondering am I the first for this to happen to?
Live and learn.

 

[olcowhand]

Oh heck no, not the first by a few million or so! If the bolts had bottomed, then that likely did the deed. But if they were OE bolts & washer was in place, then I see no reason for them to bottom out. Your head also may have already had warpage that donated to the problem.

 

[Caseguytoo]

Not sure if you should be blaming the head gasket if the head was not properly torqued down. If two bolts were bottomed out, then the gasket would not be properly compressed in that spot and it would only be a matter of time before it blew out.

Rebuilding engines takes experience to gain knowledge as to what to check and look for during the re-assembly process. All education costs money one way or the other and you just paid for one lesson.:trink40:

 

[Terry T]

Well I had forgot to say I had milled the head to true it up,so it wasn't warped but that was probably why the bolts were possibly bottomed out.Well the rest of the parts seemed to be fine but the head gasket did look cheeper.
But if it was me or the gasket I think I got the problem fixed.
I had a boss that bottomed out some head bolts in his Dodge Dart.His cost him alittle more than mind.My lesson wasn't to costly.

 

[rustyoldjunk]

the beauty of these old machines and cast iron single cylinder engines are the simplicity of them,so if you are mechanicly inclined they are easy machines to learn on.so dont give up or be afraid to give it a shot,no matter what part of these machines you are working on,just follow instructions,have patients and listen when good advise is given.

 

[Caseguytoo]

Well I had forgot to say I had milled the head to true it up,so it wasn't warped but that was probably why the bolts were possibly bottomed out.Well the rest of the parts seemed to be fine but the head gasket did look cheeper.
But if it was me or the gasket I think I got the problem fixed.
I had a boss that bottomed out some head bolts in his Dodge Dart.His cost him alittle more than mind.My lesson wasn't to costly.

I don't know how much you took off the head to clean it up but you could have used flatwashers under the bolt heads to compensate.

 

[RestMyCase]

Did you check to make sure the top of the cylinder is flat ? Also make sure the bolt holes are thoroughly cleaned.

 

[Terry T]

The top of the motor was flat.I chaced the threads with a tap this time.Don't know why I didn't the first time.But I hadn't overhauled an engine of anykind in about 19-20 yrs and that was when I stuff a 283 Chevy into a 79 Datsun pickup.
I always ask my bother the machanic what to do, I guess I didn't ask enough this time.If I had the time and money (and the need to )I would do another one tomorrow.I think the Kohler K-series are great motors.