Power King Kohler

1435 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by RED-85-Z51, Jan 12, 2012

echoman

Discussion Starter · Jan 12, 2012

A buddy at work recently picked up a nice Power King tractor of the '78 vintage. He tells me it's an 18hp Kohler which I believe may be a K361? Not too sure or familiar with the older cast Kohlers. Anyway, even though this machine was well maintained, he was talking to another fella who sold these models, and was informed about how these engines would lose the valve guides and push the valves up through the head.
He is a bit worried about the possibility of this happening, but I gave him some PM measures to go through including starting the use of Marvel Mystery oil in his fuel. Can anyone give me some details or info about this problem?
:thanku:

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gravely-power

· #3 · Jan 12, 2012

RED-85-Z51 said:
Common problem with the K361.

The K361 was essentially a flathead block, modified to accept an aluminum OHV head.

These things had a head problem, but not so much a guide problem as a seat problem. The exhaust seat would come loose and hammer out the head, ruining it. Heads are no longer available, and repairing the head is not really psosible as by the time you realize it has happened, the head is ruined.

I used the last head available through Kohler Distributors in the SE region, about 2-3 years ago. Anything left will be NOS sitting on a shelf somewhere.

I have had 2 361 heads repaired. Not hard to do. Mill out the old seat area and install a chevy seat and valve. Total cost $100. This guy does it on many of his pulling engines.

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