My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Troubleshooting, rebuilding, repairing Kohler engines.
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Eugen Canada
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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by Eugen »

So it's a little smokey right after the rebuild. I let it idle for up to about 10 minutes a couple of times, and went around the block for a few minutes. Still smokes. Does it take long for the rings to be seated?



https://vimeo.com/633906118

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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by Eugen »

Well, I decided to put a little load on the engine, after warm up on highish idle I went through some brush, and in about one minute it started to smoke less. Then, still in Lo setting on the transmission I went a few times over a small hill, which seemed just to easy for the gutsy Kohler. So I set transmission in Hi and went slowly over the hill a few times. That sound of the thumper under load is like music to my ears.



https://vimeo.com/633958774


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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by Gordy »

It was mentioned several times on the old site, that under load like a mowing is the proper way to break in an engine. Just idling does not put enough pressure on the rings to make them seat correctly. Don't know personally, all mine were well broken in when I got them ;)

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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by DavidBarkey »

Gordy wrote: Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:04 pm It was mentioned several times on the old site, that under load like a mowing is the proper way to break in an engine. Just idling does not put enough pressure on the rings to make them seat correctly. Don't know personally, all mine were well broken in when I got them ;)

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I don't know for sure with small engines but our race engines were all broken in on a water pump pressure brake . Basically a a large water pump with a restrictor valve to add load . Engines were warmed up at idle , then a fast idle , then sequentially brought up under more and more load , then some raving up and down under different loads load. The fast idle at the beginning was critical to make sure nothing was to tight when warmed up before putting under load . I am assuming small engines are the same as I am still learning these . All in all break in usually took about 2 hours , change oil and ready to put in race car .

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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by Eugen »

I did the low idle, and high idle as well. Wasn't in the right mood to put a deck on, but going through the brush added a light load, then up that hill a few times seemed to do the trick and was glad to see the light smoke all gone.

There used to be a guy on the internet, motoman or something like that and he was apparently rebuilding race car engines and had a write up on how he was doing the engine break in. Was not gentle at all. In 2008 I bought myself a brand new Suzuki V-Strom 650cc. It was a wet and dark October night when I rode it out a dealership in Brampton and I took a risk and applied the crazy break in on country roads north of Toronto. I still have that bike and the engine pulls like crazy and no oil burning.


My intention is to apply a variety of loads on this engine until I'm pretty sure the rings are set in well. Have to say I'm pretty pleased with the rebuild atm. My wife thinks it's some kind of miracle that I didn't make some major mistake given that most of the work I've done on it was at late hours in the night tired and sleepy. Hopefully the only updates to this thread will be about oil changes and such. :pray:
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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by Eugen »

A little more loading up the engine, by controlled pushing against a small tree stump

https://vimeo.com/635470837





And no more smoke even at idle



https://vimeo.com/635472031

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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by Eugen »

Hi all, the restored 244 is running fine but the cranking it to start still seems a little slow. @myerslawnandgarden mentioned the lovejoy coupler needing to be adjusted and I thought I did, as it at least starts, but I am now wondering what the proper procedure is for adjusting the engine to pump coupling.

I have looked for it on the net and so far found nothing explicit for this.
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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by Gordy »

In my experience those starter generator combos always turn slower than the newer engines with the dedicated starter you may be used to.

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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by DavidBarkey »

My 222 with the starter generator setup is slow turning over as well . I went over everything including rebuilding the st/gen . It is just the way it is . I talked to and long time Auto electric re-builder and he told me because it has to do 2 jobs there are compromises. So it does both ok but neither one well . What I have found that helps is to start it with throttle wide open and add the choke after it starts rolling over . As soon as it starts back the choke and throttle down to half , then slowly back both down as needed .

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Re: My Kohler K321 14HP rebuild thread

Post by ssmewing »

Eugen wrote: Fri Oct 08, 2021 1:45 am Had very little time tonight to work on the engine, my wife didn't feel well and I wasn't able to come out until very late. Hooked up the carb, and some of the governor stuff. Next time I do something like this I'll take a lot of pictures before disassembly.


2AB09EA3-164D-42BA-AEEA-3A6A6F490A5B.jpeg
I have not looked in on your progress for a while. But, something is definitely off with your throttle shaft being much higher than the governor's arm. That linkage should be close to level to the ground. There is also a stated length the link is supposed to be.

But anyway, that is not right. I suspect you went with the cheap knock-off carb or swapped in a carb you thought was the same as the original.
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