[TomasR]

Hi, i'm new around here. This is an fantastic site, hours just fly by sitting and surfing around in all this stuff. Super!
I just bought an old Ariens s16h with a K341 in. It has been sitting for some years without running, so i started with cleaning everything, changing oil, filters, spark plug etc. And it fired rigt up... Well its running quiet good, age taken into concideration but it started to smoke bad (gray smoke) especially when moving throttle. I have ordered at carb kit, and am waiting for that. In the mean time i took the head off just to see what i am messing with, and it looked quiet bad to start with. All wet an nasty

But it cleaned up quiet well

And i tryed to measure it. It seems to be 3.756 2" below top. Manual states max wear out 3.753, - well do you think it should have the big total rebuild job..?

The manual also states something about measureing the compression, - that because of the feature of lifting the exhaust valve during startup its not possible the normal way. In stead one should meassure the undepressure in the crankhousing. Have anybody tryed that and have any experiense what to look for?
Thanks
Tomas



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[WNYTractorTinkerer]

Looking @ the top picture it sure looks well lubed!! Carbon from either ring or seat blow-by.. How did the cylinder walls look as my old eyes can't judge it by the picture.. Look for scrapes and scratches on the walls which indicates wear and trouble.

If the measurement you are talking about is the bore it's time for a rebuild if the measurements you took are correct. Make your measurements perpendicular to the crankshaft as that is the way the cylinder will oval out.

A leak-down test will evaluate the rings and is the only true test you can do since it has ACR.

:goodl:

 

[TomasR]

The cylinder wall looks exellent, smooth and no schrates,

Its difficult to take a good picture of, -however you can feel an "edge" at the top of the cylinder where the rings stop which can not be seen in the pic.
Tomas


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[TomasR]

WNYTractorTinkere, thank you for the answer, ill do the leakdown test.
The measures is from the bore and taken 2" down from the top.
Maby I should just start searching for a good maschine shop...
Tomas


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[WNYTractorTinkerer]

That ring @ the top of the cylinder is called 'the ridge' It is the area above where the rings stop. Your cylinder walls look pretty good.. Also- How accurate was your measurement?? Was it @ room temperature? Are you comfortable with telescope gauges & Mics? Just saying because it will cost a bit for parts & machining. Rebuilding that thing will cost a whole bunch of quarters & pennies.. What parts you use will affect the prices immensely.. Kohler purists will spend ~$300 for piston & rings and other folks opt for the $150 EB kits. So if you tear it down take your time & do it right! If you need any information & help there are lots of folks here to lean on! :howdy:

**Before you tore it apart while it was running- Did a lot of oil/pressure come out of the Air breather tube in the air cleaner? That would indicate blow-by as well.. It's hard to say here @ a computer in WNY on a cold April night..

 

[RED-85-Z51]

knowing Kohler K series engines have a knack for sticking rings after a long situp...id change the oil..put some seafoam in it, and pour some seafoam on top of the piston..put the head on, put some in the fuel, and take it out and run it...

worst case scenario..it still smokes, but when you rebuild, it will be a little cleaner inside.

 

[tomw0]

Personally, I'd run it more. But I have a tendency to think things need to be used to maintain their operability. Cars need to be driven, or the transmissions, brakes and seals get dried out or hung 'in position'. Piston rings are very much the same. Chemical reactions are taking place the whole time an engine has oil with any use kept in the crankcase. Running the engine with good oil is good exercise for all the engine parts.
Many engines condemned because of smoking will become quitters when run for a while. Not all, of course, but a lot.
tom

 

[TomasR]

thank you for all your replies, I think the conclusion is to install the carb repair kit (when is arrives!!) put every thing together with a new head gasket and work it for a while before I go any further. time solves many problems..I have had many small machines over the years, most of them with B&S engines, and as this being my first kohler I think I just wanted to hear about known issues.
Tomorrow I will try to borrow the right tools ,at my work ,to measure the cylinder bore, just to know where I am, before I put everything together.
About the Seaform, I will see if I can find a european substitute, as we do not have that stuff around here, I was on their website and see what it should do.
Thanks again
Tomas

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Marvel Mystery oil has virtually the same ingredients, but Ive found it is not as effective, possibly less potent...

 

[tomw0]

I have never been convinced of any 'mechanic in a can' product repairing something that really needed repair. Some may dissolve or loosen deposits, but if the metal parts have worn, or lost spring tension, they won't work any way. Rings can lose tension if they are overheated, valve springs the same, and bearings can knock and rattle if they are worn.
Chemicals won't fix those problems.
I think Seafoam makers have suggested a lot of uses for their product. "It's a floor wax! It's a non-dairy whipped topping!" ... Umhh, we're not so sure, so you, Customer, decide what you want to do with it. I am not sold. It was suggested to remove water in the gas tank, but I didn't see a lot of difference after pouring it into the fuel tank.
Your mileage may vary.
I don't see what it could hurt, as all it would be doing is acting as a solvent for the deposits on the piston rings, lands and grooves. I don't believe it will degrade the lubrication of the moving parts, unless too much is added.
tom

 

[RED-85-Z51]

ALot of miracle in a can products are snake oil trash, like pro-long, STP, Rislone...They offer up repairs, when all they do, in general is mask a symptom, or act as a bandaid.

Stuck rings are a legitimate problem, and there are 2 ways to go about fixing it, obviously...dissolving the varnish with a solvent, like seafoam...OR, by physically removing the piston and rings, and removing it that way. Seafoam can also unstick a gummed up or clogged lifter, clean a sludged engine, and effectively removed carbon deposits, if used as directed.

These kinds of products though, will not fix worn bearings, or quiet a ***aged lifter, fix valve problems, or fix worn rings...and they dont claim to do such things.

Products like Rislone, no-smoke, engine restore, etc..DO claim to be able to "heal" a worn engine, however all they are really doing is masking symptoms like..smoke, and rattle, by thickening the oils viscosity..