Colt Case Ingersoll Garden Tractors

I have a question regarding governor thrust washers on Kohler K series. Were they used on all Kohler K series engines? I ask because I am rebuilding a K341. There was no thrust washer on the governor stub shaft. I figured there should be as I know various service manuals remark about installing the thrust washer. But I have come across the parts schematic where it shows the governor components and there is no thrust washer shown. I don't believe this engine has been apart before. Now that I think about, the K241 that I originally took out of the tractor didn't have the thrust washer either. So I'm wondering if maybe earlier engines didn't have a washer? If I install one, anybody know about what thickness? I'm guessing about .005" thickness?

Michael at Enginebore.com should know .

My thinking on this is that this washer doesn't seem to have a distancing role, rather a protection role so that the plastic gears don't get chaffed too easily. The guy over at isavetractors seems to sell the washer together with the governor gear. If I were you I'd try to find a suitable very thin washer and use it, such that the gears rotate easily. Have you checked the wall of the block carefully, maybe the washer is slightly stuck to it. Either way, I'd inspect the wall of the block where the gears would normally touch, to make sure it's smooth, in case you cannot find a thrust washer. When I rebuilt my k321 I think there was a thrust washer. Just my 2c

Yeah, Mike from enginebore just got back to me. He said there should be a thrust washer. He is going to measure the thickness of one tonight. I agree, it is not for a spacing role but rather a protection role where the gear would contact the block. I don't think the washer is stuck to the block but I will look again. I am going to use a steel governor gear that I took out of the K241. However, I will look for some type of washer or make one if need be.
Thanks guys.

Maybe he can send you one in an envelope, they're tiny. that way you don't have to second guess it later on. He's not active, by he is a member here @SylvesterCalzone . I'm so itchy to rebuild another engine and get Mike to do some work on it; he's done the cylinder bore and valves for my k321 rebuild.

Yeah, he said he has no washers for sale as Kohler no longer sells them so any he has he keeps for rebuilding.

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.

Please post measurements for the rest of us when you get them, it'll come in handy when the rest of us start looking for that washer.

Oh, just noticed something interesting in a parts diagram online. The Kohler part number for the washer used with nylon gear is 237022S. But it says there "Use X-25-6-S7-S w/steel gear." Can find nothing about this Kohler part number X-25-6-S7-S.

But, the steel gear seems to always come with a pin kit, not with a washer, looks like this:
The kit is part number "25 310 09-S"

Sure that isn't a black plastic gear set up for newer engines? The steel gear I have that came off the K241 did not have those pins and looks just like the plastic gear in the K341 and just slides on the stub shaft like the plastic gear. I just watched a video of that Taryl fixes all installing the style of gear with the pin. It is a whole different set up. The broken gear in his video looked like a black plastic gear. He was working on a later Courage engine.

Here is a pic of the back side of the gear that uses the pin. Looks like black plastic and a different set up.

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.

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.

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

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.