Anglo Traction

Three coats of primer and red top coat applied to the bonnet today. Also the drive belt guard. Flywheel cover and a couple of engine covers primed also.
 

 

 
  Hope to get the black done tomorrow.
 

 

 
 

Another update.   The telescopic steering shaft was made from square box section tube, welded to the U/J which in turn plugged into the lower sprocket on the trailer.  The inner sliding part was a length of 1/2" square bar filed to a nice sliding fit.  This was drilled and threaded then screwed tightly onto the round rod which formed the other half of the shaft.  A pin through the square bar and rod made sure nothing moved.  A short extra piece was added later to give a bit more bearing surface although probably not needed.
 

 
A bit of surface rust showing since it's last use.  The large threaded hole is a left over from it's last life.  The second photo shows it in it's storage position, held in place with the throttle cable.  The trailer is disconnected by removing the throttle lever from the steering yoke,  one screw,  pulling the coupling pin and moving the trailer back which slides the two shaft sections apart.  Coupling all together is just as simple.
 
The throttle cable had to be extended to approx twice it's length. Think it was originally fitted to a lawn mower. Couldn't find anything suitable on the internet.  The inner was 1mm.  Most others found were 1.25 or 1.5mm.  I could have opened up the cable slot in the carb piston but decided against this as after a bit of hunting found 1mm inner cable was available from China.  A 5 metre length for £1 25 including postage.   A 2 metre length of outer sleeve was found in the UK but couldn't find this to match the inner in China. Strange.
 
After careful measurement the inner was cut to length and a short piece of brass tube soldered on one end.  The carb top, outer sleeve etc was assembled followed by the lever end nipple being soldered in place.  After connecting to the trailer everything was found to operate smoothly and with approx the same amount of movement as the original cable.     This photo shows the new inner and brass tube nipple alongside the old.

You made short work of that job. Impressive . I do like that Kubota Blue.  Enjoy the seat time

Well she drives again. It Appears I have a poor injector. Number one is smoke on start up but clears after a short time . Going to get them properly checked and overhauled but it will run and starts loads better than it did.

A very pleasant Autumn so far where I am. Not long before the leaves drop from my Acer Palmatum Bloodgood.
Usually the last deciduous to lose it's leaves around here and the first to bud in spring. Even beats the Oak for leaf endurance.
Greeted with this array of colour outside the kitchen window. This view is from an upper bedroom window -
 
  

A very pleasant Autumn so far where I am. Not long before the leaves drop from my Acer Palmatum Bloodgood.
Usually the last deciduous to lose it's leaves around here and the first to bud in spring. Even beats the Oak for leaf endurance.
Greeted with this array of colour outside the kitchen window. This view is from an upper bedroom window -
 
  

A very pleasant Autumn so far where I am. Not long before the leaves drop from my Acer Palmatum Bloodgood.
Usually the last deciduous to lose it's leaves around here and the first to bud in spring. Even beats the Oak for leaf endurance.
Greeted with this array of colour outside the kitchen window. This view is from an upper bedroom window -
 
  

There is nothing in consideration of that engine's condition that is not repairable, or affect the engine in use when repaired. It can be fully rebuilt to a good running condition.
What will affect that reconditioning is how much you consider is worth spending, how comfortable you feel about doing most of the (dis/assembly) work and if you have the time, tools and facilities.
It's not uncommon for rods to fail, difficult to point to the cause(s), other than fatigue, poor maintenance or assembly.
That is a 'lucky' failure. I've seen holes punched through the crank case just above the starter high mount position, another with a large chunk of lower cylinder broken off (still running).
From the pics, I can't see any condition of the Crank that will not be remedied by inspection, measurement and a possible regrind to 0.010" under, with an appropriate replacement Con Rod.
Acceptable 'wear limit' (Kohler's) on the Crank journal is 0.0005" (five ten thousandths of an inch, or half-a-thou ). Which gives you an idea of the fine tolerances required for a long life engine.
Whatever you do, don't scrap it, someone will want to fix it up. 
 
 
 
 

Fine example of a 'Proper Job' 

There is nothing in consideration of that engine's condition that is not repairable, or affect the engine in use when repaired. It can be fully rebuilt to a good running condition.
What will affect that reconditioning is how much you consider is worth spending, how comfortable you feel about doing most of the (dis/assembly) work and if you have the time, tools and facilities.
It's not uncommon for rods to fail, difficult to point to the cause(s), other than fatigue, poor maintenance or assembly.
That is a 'lucky' failure. I've seen holes punched through the crank case just above the starter high mount position, another with a large chunk of lower cylinder broken off (still running).
From the pics, I can't see any condition of the Crank that will not be remedied by inspection, measurement and a possible regrind to 0.010" under, with an appropriate replacement Con Rod.
Acceptable 'wear limit' (Kohler's) on the Crank journal is 0.0005" (five ten thousandths of an inch, or half-a-thou ). Which gives you an idea of the fine tolerances required for a long life engine.
Whatever you do, don't scrap it, someone will want to fix it up. 
 
 
 
 

crank in with new main bearings . Pistons and rods in all new bearings . flywheel fitted. I will hang it back on the engine now as it is still lift able at this stage

No way of telling what size it is visually. Maybe worth pulling the head to check it anyway,  just to see the condition and know what it is for sure.
Can only offer you some engine spec info. Records of Kohler engines supplied to Moto Mowers show the following info-
K141 Spec 29218 6.25hp.  K161 Specs 28635 7hp, 28858 and 28861.
Could not find any other engine type supplied to Moto Mowers, unless they obtained a batch of a Basic Model (off the shelf). 
Is that a Delco Remy starter generator?. You could search the parts list manuals for those specs to see if they show the mountings etc for it.
Hope  it's the original engine and not a swap in. 
 

Great and unusual find Ewan. Reckon you're right to go down the path of dismantle, clean, fix and re assemble. A good, aged example  

Hopefully it’ll be there, for once I think I might try and keep one original  although it has been painted over at some point, they did make a fairly good job of it. Going to need to be stripped, cleaned and rebuilt first, will be a winter project 

Recently Mr Jarrovian had his old Auto Culto Junior at Brunton Rally It had been giving him some problems recently loosing drive at Ladybank Rally it was given to me to repair  and service and now after a few hours in the workshop it looks like this I think it will live again 

To be honest, I would say you are there with it. Hopefully the new gasket rolled lip will sit in the same depression area remaining.
You have enough flat area for a gas tight joint now. The original pic of the head showing the blown gas leak areas, which I later showed and denoted (but forgot to explain) with green arrows are now fine.
There is just the chamber carbon deposit areas to finish back to bright and you're done with the C/head.
Nearly time to arm yourself with a torque wrench and bolt it down to the sequence in the manual. 
 

Comparing what you started with, it looks a whole lot better. I have never seen one that badly distorted. 
In an attempt to be practical and honest, I can't help thinking that it needs more done to prevent further leaks?, but I'm a pretty fussy over-cautious person.
 
If you stop there, call it a day and fit it, there is a risk it will leech gasses past the gasket to the two uppermost, red circled bolt holes. I can''t say what the level of risk is. 
At least the head would not be distorted again when bolted down to spec (unless the cylinder gasket face is not flat). 
I can't be sure but I think those 2 bolts go onto blind holes?, so may contain any further leaking, but will make it difficult to remove them in future.
The 3rd red circled hole with the black arrow carries the bolt which I believe sometimes breaks into the Exhaust outlet chamber. That looks like it would be ok, as you have a small, clean flat face between it and the head chamber.
  

 
I understand/admire your self disciplined, marathon efforts to get to this stage, but it's your call really.
Maybe if you could continue at least to the point of obtaining a flat 'land' on the chamber side of those two top circled bolt holes?.
It may help if you place the head down on the paper and presuming you are right handed, place the palm of your hand (ball of your thumb) over the Spark Plug hole area, you can apply slightly more pressure to that area and less over the opposite end. You would emphasise more localised metal removal that way and still achieve flatness.
 
I don't think there is any issue with Valve (lift) Head clearance as a result of metal removal, but it would be worth checking anyway.
Just wondering if you have obtained/downloaded a copy of the K series Engine Service Manual?. It's very helpful.
Keep at it, you'll be rewarded with a better running Kohler in the end.  
   

This Gasket looks perfectly serviceable as an example (others are available)-  K341 .
 
Someone has de-coked that in the not-too-distant past and may not have checked the flatness before refitting, or bolted it down in the wrong sequence and torque setting.
Clearly burning fuel at a rich setting, as the exhaust valve should be pale fawn/white colour. The good news is, it is not yet burning any oil from worn rings or cylinder.
  
You should not have a problem cleaning the face up on the head. It's quite straight forward.
Just take it slow and let the weight of the head sit on the W or D paper when circulating it. You can use a P320 grade or P240 if it's rough to start, then progress to finer grades.
No need to press down hard on it.
Use a brush to clean the dust out of the paper regularly (use a mask). If you find it hard to tell the high/low spots, use a coloured felt tip pen to highlight them.
I had to learn and have done all my engines that way, even if they didn't need it. I had to start with examples like this-
 
 
to this-

 
Done properly, you won't need to revisit it after.
 
 

Part of my Workshop stock tidy up.
This carb is from a 1981 K301 engine. I have completed what is known as a full rebuild on this and is returned to virtually new condition. What has been done was covered in a Topic on Redsquare a while back, so I've added a link here for scrutiny-  -CARB-  
Yes, you have the option to pay much less for a new Chinese copy, but this one now has quality built into it to run for many more years with some care.
It was assembled with a new repair kit, super clean inside and out. Stored in that condition until I set it up on one of my Tractors to adjust the settings for correct running mentioned here in this link-
Set up Carb on K301   Returned to storage until now.
 


 
Should bolt straight onto a K301/M12. Note- this was set up and adjusted on an engine in good condition and a clean Air Filter. You may still need to make further adjustments.
Includes the Governor Arm linkage and Fuel inlet elbow  £45.
   
  

Nothing would touch the carbon other than the rotary tool with a steel wheel and wd40 after a screwdriver scrape (I was very careful with both). Lots of dings in the head so figured I can't make it any worse. The piston going to look like the surface of the moon I bet.
Think I'm done on this now after 1 more sheet for good measure tomorrow 

Nearly there.  Before you reassemble check with a straight edge just to make sure it is nice and flat.

To be honest, I would say you are there with it. Hopefully the new gasket rolled lip will sit in the same depression area remaining.
You have enough flat area for a gas tight joint now. The original pic of the head showing the blown gas leak areas, which I later showed and denoted (but forgot to explain) with green arrows are now fine.
There is just the chamber carbon deposit areas to finish back to bright and you're done with the C/head.
Nearly time to arm yourself with a torque wrench and bolt it down to the sequence in the manual. 
 

Part of my Workshop stock tidy up.
This carb is from a 1981 K301 engine. I have completed what is known as a full rebuild on this and is returned to virtually new condition. What has been done was covered in a Topic on Redsquare a while back, so I've added a link here for scrutiny-  -CARB-  
Yes, you have the option to pay much less for a new Chinese copy, but this one now has quality built into it to run for many more years with some care.
It was assembled with a new repair kit, super clean inside and out. Stored in that condition until I set it up on one of my Tractors to adjust the settings for correct running mentioned here in this link-
Set up Carb on K301   Returned to storage until now.
 


 
Should bolt straight onto a K301/M12. Note- this was set up and adjusted on an engine in good condition and a clean Air Filter. You may still need to make further adjustments.
Includes the Governor Arm linkage and Fuel inlet elbow  £45.
   
  

Part of my Workshop stock tidy up.
This carb is from a 1981 K301 engine. I have completed what is known as a full rebuild on this and is returned to virtually new condition. What has been done was covered in a Topic on Redsquare a while back, so I've added a link here for scrutiny-  -CARB-  
Yes, you have the option to pay much less for a new Chinese copy, but this one now has quality built into it to run for many more years with some care.
It was assembled with a new repair kit, super clean inside and out. Stored in that condition until I set it up on one of my Tractors to adjust the settings for correct running mentioned here in this link-
Set up Carb on K301   Returned to storage until now.
 


 
Should bolt straight onto a K301/M12. Note- this was set up and adjusted on an engine in good condition and a clean Air Filter. You may still need to make further adjustments.
Includes the Governor Arm linkage and Fuel inlet elbow  £45.
   
  

Reminds me of a skeletal version of a House Robot from the Wars......Dead Metal-ish . Regret not being able to pay a visit yet Ian. Hopefully in the near future.