MightyRaze - Red Bandit

Not sure how a fuel pump would actually work without the diaphram that seems odd to me...

You can get the diagram for the replacement pump and fit it in the old housing but I had to elongate the holes in it, did that on a friend's machine and used the original spring I think. I still say it's best to make a block off plate, install a fitting in it (for pulse) and install a pulse pump.

MightyRaze wrote:

Well, I pulled it.

It has a dimple in the set screw.

There is a type of locking set screw that is cross drilled and a piece of plastic pressed in to serve as a locking thing, sort of like a nylock nut. They're well suited for vibration resistant threaded adjustments or just hole plugs.

Brianator wrote:

Not sure how a fuel pump would actually work without the diaphram that seems odd to me...

I think he just means he's going to use the old fuel pump with the diaphragm cut to draw pulse for an external pump.

@Brianator I guess I didn't describe what I was saying about the original pump. Apparently some people have had luck taking out the plunger, diaphragm and plugging off one side of the original fuel pump using the out as a pulse for a Briggs pump. I got one of those replacement diaphragms and the disk was too large it seemed.

Good news, more good news, and ugly news.

Bad news, the old diaphragm disintegrated.  I did a lot of looking this week on fuel pump diagrams and assembly.  Good thing, because when I opened it last time, I didn't realize the input valve was backwards.  But wait!  That is only 50% of why it did not pull gas.  This is the other 50%.



I could not identify what that was.  I didn't pop the valves out when I cleaned it last time.  Wasn't really sure how they came out.  Well all cleaned this time.  I was able to use the replacement diaphragm that the holes were wrong now that the one valve was fixed.

Good news.  It worked.  It now pumps gas just fine.

More good news.

IT RUNS again!  This time for real and not just on carb cleaner.




Now the ugly.  Not sure you noticed it, but she got a KNOCK!  I don't remember that.  I'm hoping I just have it out of time.  I don't remember it knocking before.

Some motivation renewed.

Oh... I have been working the guide as well.  This is a take 2.  I was able to straighten it back out and fix.



Carb seems already dialed-in with factory presets. Carb kid was a win!

Thats a serious belt setup you got going on there, full wraparound guard goes above and beyond, and the holy pulley mod is looking sweet too, if that is in fact what that is?

TechnoChicken wrote:

Thats a serious belt setup you got going on there, full wraparound guard goes above and beyond, and the holy pulley mod is looking sweet too, if that is in fact what that is?

Thank you, its a work in progress.  It's mostly copied from @Crazy_Carl. Yeah holey pulley mod.  Seems to work ok.  I still get some slip on Dirty Rat, but I think it needs a few more tweaks as well.

Bent the brake band back out.  Ran it back the other way and it will lock the rear end now going forward.  Like @Crazy_Carl mentioned.  Reverse is another animal.  Not so good, if at all.  I need to do some fine tune adjustments on that now.  But easily done.

I'm going to have to put the engine tuning on hold for a few days. It's going to be 43 and strong north winds for the next couple days.  Not being outside and tuning on a tractor weather for me. I probably will fine tune that brake though.  I think I need a few rounds on the nut.  I replaced the spring, and I do not think it is quite strong enough.  I wonder if I can take an inch off of it.  I think that would be a good tension.  Maybe get another one.  We will see.

OH, and stock location would be good again. I haven't done that yet.

@MightyRaze the wheel horse band is notorious for being useless in reverse. Great job on the fuel pump and carb. How did you bend the radius for the belt guide? FYI I've made some minor tweaks to my belt guide since I made the video so I really should make an update video. oopsies Did you really get a bottom end knock out of no where?

I used the pulley itself and those green bolts.

As for the knock? I am hoping just out of time. I'll narrow the gap a bit and try again. I found my first fire video when I got it home and I did not hear knocking.

Great work @MightyRaze! The whole brake band thing... I think it's just inherent in the design that it cinches togther one way and spreads the other, same difference when opening a twist cap bottle by wrapping your hand around it. Cap in left hand pulls in tight while cap in right hand pushes apart.

Either way that tractor is looking great, I'm sure you can have it ready in time for the Christmas parade! Lol

Well guys... I am on FULL STOP.  I was adjusting on the points per ideas from a wheel horse forum should it be timing knock.  No matter how I adjusted, it didn't make a difference.  I went ahead and wrapped my belt on the drive pulley.  I figured, I would let it warm up before I adjusted anymore while trying to break in the belt.  I put the points back to spec .02 gap.  Started it back up and set the throttle to where it was quietest.  I started walking away to get another tool and she went from the knock to full rattle which caught my attention.  I headed back to mess with it, but before I did she went full "let the demons out with hammers and stones".  I quickly shut the engine off before they opened the window to the bottomless pit.  I think the Kohler is done for in it's current state.  To get it running again would require a minimal full overhaul at this point.  Sux as it's pulley is 1-1/8 bore and all the new stuff is 1 inch.  Also, stinks about the $$ I did put into it, carb kit, pump kit, new ignition, etc.



SO... with that.  I don't see a reason to move forward with the Kohler for off-road use.  It just wouldn't be happy with the revving and such.  Really sux due to the effort that I did put into that Kohler.  I really wanted to make it work, but it is what it is.

Where do I go from here?  I am not sure.  I have that 10hp Vanguard single, but it will need an adapter for the output shaft to go from tapered to keyed.  I'm just not skilled enough to chop it and grind a keyway.  I'll be honest.  I may look for a horizontal opposed.  They are hard to find.  I have one as a parts engine, but one of the piston bores has got a big gouge in it.  I may have a block from a vertical I could put on it?  Maybe, or just get a new ohv engine.

If I go the new OHV engine route, I may be tempted to make it my new full time rig and become one of those wheelie guys.  LOL.

I did sit on it today for the first time and it had a good feel to it.

@MightyRazei hate to hear that. I still have that b&s 18hp oppy it's a horizontal if your interested

RIP if you get bored, you can always do the 212 swap and just run it to 5000 RPM. you’ll get away with it for a lot longer than you think.  Those engines can take a lot of abuse right out of the box.

That's a tough break man I'm sorry to hear that. Those K series sure are hungry for connecting rods for whatever reason...

Crazy_Carl wrote:

RIP if you get bored, you can always do the 212 swap and just run it to 5000 RPM.  you’ll get away with it for a lot longer than you think.  Those engines can take a lot of abuse right out of the box.

And they are $99 bucks black friday sale right now. Although, I am not sure about it.

Brianator wrote:

That's a tough break man I'm sorry to hear that. Those K series sure are hungry for connecting rods for whatever reason...

The more I read, the more I have found that to be true.  That and blowing head gaskets etc.

I've seen the K series rods in person and they're quite long compared to most other small engines, maybe a reason they tend to break? They're not overly expensive either so it's not game over for that engine until you say it is! Lol.

Definitly not game over, just put aside for another day.  If I'm going to rip on this WH, then I need something a little more Rip worthy.

Right now I am contemplating an oppy vertical to horizontal mod since I have all the parts.  I just need a gasket kit. I think.  I may even have all those as well.

That sucks about the Kohler.

I wonder if you could get a machine shop to build the taper on the vanguard up with weld and then machine it down.

I later realized, if you see the line down the piston.  That line is transferred from the head where it was slapping it. There was a good 1/4 inch up/down float to the piston.  

Aye...

@MightyRaze If you end up getting rid of that let me know. I could send it out to get rebuilt. I could use a spare K301 long block from a WH to keep as a spare for my K241 in my C-105 that now has some piston skirt squeak.

I saw the YT short. Ouch. Too bad we are so far apart or I could sell MightyRaze my spare horizontal Oppy

@mightyraze did leave the set screw out and if so that could of had something Todo with bitting the dust. And I had one years ago that had the same set screwin it and I removed it and it was long after it done the same as ur did.

It was knocking and getting worse well before the screw was removed from a hole with no other provisions than just threaded.

Honestly, I think my cast iron pulley amplified a problem that already existed that didn't show when it was pully-less.  Then adding the belt was the needle that broke the camel's back.

@MightyRaze after watching your short I'm wondering if all that's gone wrong is the connection rod cap bolts have loosened up

I typed this while @Crazy_Carl was typing too.  I walked away for Work, then returned to finish and post.

Hmm...  

The Kohler may be down, but maybe not out.  I pulled the camshaft cover off to peak inside.  It appears my rod cap has come loose.  Granted, I can only see one side, of the crank journal, it appears fine despite being ran with the rod loose. Again, I can only see one side.  I think this is evidence enough to remove the engine from the sump for further inspection and possibly reassembly!


Yes @Crazy_Carl, it did come loose.

UGH! That don't look good.