Is the engine cylinder in good enough condition to rebuild? Cast Iron, I would think so but checking with a Mic should show wear or not.

OLD! You might want to pull the head and inspect the cyl before investing in a kit. I had good luck with OLD B&S with steel sleeves. In the 70s LOL! What is the compression?

What would cause smoke if the compression is good?

Good Luck!

Good point! The bore appears in decent shape, but I was planning on a small overbore to clean it up, The tiller is a mid '80's model...runs good just smoky lol.

What do you bore with? I have honed for break-in or minor scores but not for sizing.

I am going to let a machine shop do it.

Good Luck! I have purchased bored rebuilt blocks on old 70's 6 cyl engines or added Big Bore Jugs on VW engines. Otherwise, I bailed out vs having the job of the needed bore, pistons/rings matching (above standard sizes). A lack of interest at that level on my part has not been there. A lack of a known good machine shops.

Don't like to promote Chinese stuff, but the harbor freight 6 1/2HP Honda clone on sale for $100 can't be beat. I put one on my horse several yrs ago and it has worked well w/ no trouble.
If the Kohler doesn't have much ring ridge, break the ridge, hone it, new piston, rings and rod and it will be good to go.
Mike

I also have one of the Predator engines from Harbor Freight on another tiller, I agree it is a good engine, especially for the money. I just enjoy going through old engines and making them like new again. Just worried about parts availability on the older iron Kohlers...

I also have one of the Predator engines from Harbor Freight on another tiller, I agree it is a good engine, especially for the money. I just enjoy going through old engines and making them like new again. Just worried about parts availability on the older iron Kohlers...

I know the feeling about OLD STUFF! I like the Quality of the Old and Technology of the New.

I fired my two old mowers yesterday to finally harvest my leaves. The 80s mowers started and did their jobs w/o any problems. One shocked me by not showing treated fuel but I feel some was at least in the bowl (even though it needed priming at carb vs button). I added “some vs full” fresh treated fuel and ran the mower at the start of this past summer and parked as my backup.

I built my 1st mower with a B&S (3.5 hp?) from 5 part’s engines in 1972 and specifically used a block with a steel sleeve. About 10 yrs later I was given a Tecumseh. I stored the orig B&S 10 yrs before starting and donating it. I was given a better Murray with 6.5 hp B&S and bagger. Finally I was given some Self Propels (3) to learn that I d/n like them vs my light Murray. I donated all but one self propel incase age changes my mind. LOL!

Bottom Line Is, Old Can Be Good & Fun! I have never purchased a mower but have donated 10-12 (to friends helping the elderly) after minor fixes off the curbs. The curb finds are rare now due to salvagers combing for metal).

Snuffy,

I have a Troy Bilt PTO machine with that same engine. Are you sure the smoking is not from a too-rich air-fuel ratio? The carburetor is adjustable for that problem and a leaky needle & seat will cause rich running as well.

Finding a "machine shop" to bore that cylinder may be challenging. It's easy to adapt a car/truck boring bar to a cylinder like that but most "machinists" aren't smart enough to figure it out. In my off road motorcycle racing days I had a neighbor with an engine shop who did my motorcycle cylinder boring and he always did a perfect job for a fraction of what a motorcycle dealer would charge for much less accurate work. He's long retired now.

By "perfect" I mean that I would give him the piston I was going to use and ask for a bore with a clearance of 0.0025". That's exactly what I got, 0.0025, not 0.0024 or 0.0026. It was a pleasure to deal with a craftsman who took such pride in his work.

Motorcycle dealers have the ability to rebore your Kohler cylinder.

Snuffy,

I have a Troy Bilt PTO machine with that same engine. Are you sure the smoking is not from a too-rich air-fuel ratio? The carburetor is adjustable for that problem and a leaky needle & seat will cause rich running as well.

Finding a "machine shop" to bore that cylinder may be challenging. It's easy to adapt a car/truck boring bar to a cylinder like that but most "machinists" aren't smart enough to figure it out. In my off road motorcycle racing days I had a neighbor with an engine shop who did my motorcycle cylinder boring and he always did a perfect job for a fraction of what a motorcycle dealer would charge for much less accurate work. He's long retired now.

By "perfect" I mean that I would give him the piston I was going to use and ask for a bore with a clearance of 0.0025". That's exactly what I got, 0.0025, not 0.0024 or 0.0026. It was a pleasure to deal with a craftsman who took such pride in his work.

Motorcycle dealers have the ability to rebore your Kohler cylinder.

Its the rings....it is a 1985 model, and judging by the wear on the tines and tire, has quite a bit of hours on it. Looks like I may just go ahead and break it on down and inspect the condition of all the internals, and replace all the seals and gaskets and give it a nice powdercoat, new decals, new tires and tines, and use the Predator engine while I rebuild the Kohler. Fine with me...I have been needing a little winter project!

HF engine called Matador now epa make change named when meet reg.. You will need over fill oil by 4 oz because low oil shut off don't unhook wire. You may just need air filter, old are dirt filter change crankcase pressure blown up by piston smoky. over tilling while tilling glaze cylinder walls because low oil. If walls are mirror like rebuild all can do. I bought my first HF engine in november 2008. Engines are light weight traction suffer some weights help a lot. You want have horsepower problem going to overhead valve engine 6 or 6 1/2 be stronger that 8 hp flathead.
If you can print off net 20% coupon it helps at checkout. I got one new engine for 72.00 was at end predator years.

What part of Georgia are you in, Gator? Greenville here.

lol Glennville.

As Gator mentioned about weight, I had to add 17 lbs, IIRC, to the counterweight to make up the difference.
Mike

Thats one of the reasons I want to keep the Kohler...

I recommend a hot soak. Get it hot, pull the plug and pour in some Berrymans B12 Chemtool. Pull it over a few times with the plug out, add some more and then wait a day or so. Change the oil before using the tiller. The compression rings may be OK, but the oil ring is gunked up.What with the costs you're gonna incur re-building or replacing, a 3$ can of solvent is short money.' Specially on an occasional use OPE

I will definitely try that!

Well, andyma, I owe you a cold beer! I did the hot soak with a cocktail of Berrymans and MMO, let it sit for a few days, changed the oil, added a little MMO and Chemtool to the gas, and a little MMO to the oil, let it run a while, and no more smoke! Even under a heavy load, not so much as a puff...thanks for the advice, you saved me a heck of a lot of money!