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Re: Kohler K341 governor thrust washer

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 2:31 pm
by Eugen
I can't say I'm 100% sure but if you do a google search for
k241 governor steel gear
you will see, as far as I can tell, that all steel gear are dark in colour, while they nylon ones are all beige/off white.

Re: Kohler K341 governor thrust washer

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 2:46 pm
by puttputt
Yes, the original steel gear is your typical dark steel looking color. The later plastic gears for the K series and magnums are a white or beige color nylon. But the gears for the later Command and Courage engines are a dark nylon that use the pins to lock the gear into place. Basically the pins are a style of clip that push down in the center of the gear between the weights to hold the gear in place. To sum it up, the dark gears you see with the pins are a nylon gear for later model engines that use the pins to lock them in place. They are a dark color and might be mistaken for steel at first glance.

Re: Kohler K341 governor thrust washer

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 9:11 pm
by myerslawnandgarden
puttputt wrote: Mon Sep 19, 2022 12:24 pm Yeah, he said he has no washers for sale as Kohler no longer sells them so any he has he keeps for rebuilding.
I have plenty of used thrust washers and will mail one out to anyone in need, just send me a private message with your address. Last I knew, the white plastic governor gear kits came with this washer and when I installed them new, I always kept the old ones. And I never, never, never reinstall a used plastic governor gear in a rebuild. They get brittle from heat and age so why would you take a chance on a relatively inexpensive part that is pretty much the first thing that you put in the block?

As already mentioned, very early K series engines did have steel gears and the dark colored plastic gears will not work.

Bob

Re: Kohler K341 governor thrust washer

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 10:36 pm
by puttputt
Yes, I would not reuse the plastic gear. I installed a new plastic gear in a magnum when I rebuilt it a few years ago. I would put a new plastic one in this engine but I have the steel gear out of a K241 that looks like new so I want to install it. But I need the thrust washer.