[CHUNKSTYLE]

Evenin all,

I finally got the motor squared away with a new machine shop and re-installed in the tractor. Got the deck on last night and changed the oil from the initial break-in. I think It was CGT who said to go thru it all and put everything right and you'll know how your tractor operates inside and out. I can tell you with no exaggeration that I can probably pull the motor out in about 30 minutes (don't ask!). It's been a long row to hoe but hopefully worth it. I'll be mowing the grass tomorrow, finally. Have to go thru the deck leveling procedures still.

Question: What is the most common setting on these deck for a 224 on rough ground. I noticed that the deck manual says to always operate the tractor with the deck in the transport position and the height selector in the "m" position for this kind of terrain. I will go with that and see how it does but thought I'd also ask for any tips so I dont have to re-invent the wheel.
One thing I've noticed is how much that k321 kohler shakes! My Mom's cub 127 has a 12 horse kohler and that motor purrs compared to mine. Anyone else notice this between the kohler hp's? I was barking awhile back about the motor not having any balance gears in it and someone mentioned that their 321's didn't either. I'm curious to know if there really is a difference having them installed.
Also, I recall a thread where someone was asking about the motor mounts from McMaster's that had a 45 lbs. load rating. Someone said that they had used a 90 lbs. load rating on the rear of the bracket and 45lbs at the front. I'm thinking that maybe that motor would settle down some with a stiffer mount as was suggested. Has anyone tried this yet and did they see any improvement in the shakiness of their Kohler?

Tim

 

[locomoconomo]

One thing I've noticed is how much that k321 kohler shakes! My Mom's cub 127 has a 12 horse kohler and that motor purrs compared to mine. Anyone else notice this between the kohler hp's? I was barking awhile back about the motor not having any balance gears in it and someone mentioned that their 321's didn't either. I'm curious to know if there really is a difference having them installed.
Also, I recall a thread where someone was asking about the motor mounts from McMaster's that had a 45 lbs. load rating. Someone said that they had used a 90 lbs. load rating on the rear of the bracket and 45lbs at the front. I'm thinking that maybe that motor would settle down some with a stiffer mount as was suggested. Has anyone tried this yet and did they see any improvement in the shakiness of their Kohler?

Tim

Tim, I spent 5 years riding for Harley Davidson as a Test Rider in their Lincoln Alabama facility and on 2 separate development cycles we were attempting to improve operator comfort in relation to engine vibration. The Dyna Glides and FL's are all rubber mounted as are the new Tacoma's which replaced the long term Sportster line. Over the course of many hundreds of thousands of miles we tested many different durometers of rubber isolators. The Give/Take line is this; soft durometer isolators, short durability, less rider fatigue. Harder durometer, longer durability, more operator fatigue. One caveat however. ALL ENGINES produce vibrations that, coupled with heat cycles ultimately cause component failures. The effect the engine isolators had on the rider were easily determined, but the effects on the engine took longer to determine. When the isolators were soft, they allowed the engine to move much more in the frame, allowing torsional loads to have a ripple like effect throughout the driveline, much more likely to cause failures with mountings with related components like transmissions and such. When the harder isolators were used they held the engine much more rigidly and caused the cyclic vibrations to be percieved as a buzzing in the operators hands but they produced a more significant effect in the engines themselves. Bolts would vibrate loose, mounting bosses would crack and internal component failures increased. Physical laws in effect.

The point is, experiment away. Just remember, you don't get something for nothing and even though your perception of the problem may change, the physical forces that ultimately create the failures in mechanical systems cannot be eliminated only mitigated.:thThumbsU

 

[CHUNKSTYLE]

Thanks Locomoto. Very interesting info. Unfortunately I may not be able to use it for awhile.

Took the maiden trip with the mower this morning and ended up having my newly rebuilt (again) motor seize up on me. I really have to laugh cause the alternative is much worse. Can't believe this is happenning. Can't explain it either. WHat the ****'s wrong with machine shop's these days?! This latest one was a shop referred by An authorized Kohler repair center that they send alll their work out to. Claimed they never had a problem with the shops work in the last ten years they did business with them. I can't understand what the heck is wrong with this motor.
Power was impressive for the first forty minutes of running. The last five minutes I noticed that the mower deck was getting bogged down on the easy part of the lawn I was cutting. I then noticed the dreaded oil plume gettin blown out the crank breather cover again. Shut the motor off and checked it over. Oil all around the bottom of the motor and the frame. Oil level was also down to the fill mark on the dipstick. Topped it back up and my thought was to head it back to the machine shed. Started fine and I listened for any knocking that I heard from the previous two rebuilds. Shut the motor off to look for the source of the oil leak. After determining that I needed to get it in to the shed where I could go over better I tried to start it.
No way Jose. Bung up solid. Sterter motor wouldnt turn it. Took out the spark plug and tried turning it by hand. Again, no way. Locked up solid. What the heck is with this **** lightening striking me all the time : (
Any how I'm gunna go nurse my wounds and contemplate all that's still right with the universe.
I will say that the machine was nice to use for the time that I had to use it. Deck is a little squirrely but I figured it would be what I would start addressing next on it.
So far I have logged less than 1 hour on this thing and have dumped near a grand into it. I feel Lou's pain and understand why he would have sold that ingy recently. I'm gunna have the wifes wrath to deal with when she hears about this.
Question: How the heck can you determine if a machine shop is any good? Each one that I have gone to has had experience and each one has delivered a lemon. This rebuild is a real farce. I've talked to Brian Miller about it and will be working with his guidance and parts but I need a machine shop to do the work for me. Simply don't have any more time for this and I've got a business of my own to run. Any Ideas on this reoccuring issue?

 

[CHUNKSTYLE]

Hope I havn't exhausted anyone else about this problem cept' myself.

 

[RichardP]

Hope I havn't exhausted anyone else about this problem cept' myself.

I haven't enough knowledge to fill a thimble on this topic, but did the re-build come with some kind of warranty?
Have you talked to the machine shop that did the work the second time? The dealer that recommended them?

I know that if I recommend someones work, and it doesn't work out, I want to know, I also would tell whoever I recommended that if they are at fault, and don't make it right, I won't recommend their work again.

But thats just me.

I hope you get some answers and get rolling soon.

 

[Caseguytoo]

Uh...... how far did you say you lived from the Rainbow Bridge crossing?:ROF

:sorry1: I just couldn't resist.

 

[CHUNKSTYLE]

Hey Richard,
Nothing written for a warranty, only the verbal "any questions or problems call me..."
I have already left a message for the shop to listen to on Monday morning. Plan to show up there with mower not much later.
Good idea to go back to the service shop and let em know about what's going on. Can't hurt I guess.
Never had such troubles like this before. Cannot figure out what the heck is going on here. Wish I could think of what I might be doing wrong (cept trying to rebuild this motor). At least I could get beyond this .

 

[CHUNKSTYLE]

Uh...... how far did you say you lived from the Rainbow Bridge crossing?:ROF

:sorry1: I just couldn't resist.

About 1 1/2 hrs but may as well have been 1 1/2 days. I'm marraied too.

 

[Caseguytoo]

About 1 1/2 hrs but may as well have been 1 1/2 days. I'm marraied too.

Oh dear. I guess I need to get that MTD back together quick so I can sell it. I sense another Case tractor may be coming my way soon. :ROF :ROF :ROF and I need to make space for it.

 

[Kbeitz]

The problem might be the way your trying to break the engine in... The first few time you use it don't let it get hot... Run it for 30 min. and take a break and let it cool... The engine probably getting so hot the oil is not doing its job...

 

[CHUNKSTYLE]

Kbeitz,
It's an idea. I'll try it on the next merry-go-round. I asked what the rebuilder would suggest and he told me to run it in for an hour at a nice steady idle.
Looked over the motor some more after a nice cold can of perspective and it definately has opened up somewhere and leaked oil. Dip stick level was low when I checked it. Maybe the leak has something to do with what you said. MOnday sure is shaping up for this week. Gunna get interesting.
Sorry CGT, no chance. I'll part the boat out if it comes to that. Try and get some money back. Though my experience so far makes me understand your need to have a few "spares" of these tractors around : )
For the record my MTD cub DID cut grass before the tranny went. My case technically cut grass once before the motor went.
I'm bringing my Mom's older IH Cub 127 down for what's looking like the summer, while I try and get this Case sorted out. Some real irony going on here.