head gasket
- Thread starter rtenzo02
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Its not a new engine and it could be paint, I didn't paint it but it did look freshly painted when I first bought it, also this is the longest I've ever ran the kart, finally got everything somewhat correct, so the engine was hotter than the first couple times I ran it. Oil is right at the full line. Hopefully its nothing major, I was planning on buying some wheel bearings next, the kart wobbles like krazy !
THE HUNTER
"Ghetto Rigging Expert"
proper cooling air flow? was it a genuine Kohler part? did you properly torque the head bolts down in sequence?
i have a k181 as well, but ive never actually made it work hard (i have nothing to test it on, and i just put a brand new head gasket on) so i havent experienced the head gasket doing anything like your talking about.
where the gasket contacts the head and block should be bare, clean, smooth metal. it there was paint on it, that could be the problem.
kohler's service and owners manuals are here:
http://www.kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/tp_2379.pdf
http://www.kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/ens_593_f_all.pdf
i have a k181 as well, but ive never actually made it work hard (i have nothing to test it on, and i just put a brand new head gasket on) so i havent experienced the head gasket doing anything like your talking about.
where the gasket contacts the head and block should be bare, clean, smooth metal. it there was paint on it, that could be the problem.
kohler's service and owners manuals are here:
http://www.kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/tp_2379.pdf
http://www.kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/ens_593_f_all.pdf
residentg
...why did I do that?
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start with the simple fix, torque your head bolts. I do not have the specs for your engine, but 12 ft-lbs would be a safe value. This is how I would do it:
-loosen the nuts one at a time in a cris-cross pattern like the examples shown (1,2,3,4...). You are not removing the head.
1 4
3 2
or
1 7 4
3 6
5 2
-remove the nuts one at a time, put anti-sieze on the removed nut / stud, then put it back on hand tight.
-using the same pattern as above, tighten each nut down a little at a time (this avoids warpage and ensures an even fit). Use a torque wrench set to 12 ft-lbs. Keep doing this until all nuts are at 12 ft-lbs.
the assumption that I am making is that your engine is a side valve engine and that it is the head gasket that is leaking. If you have an OHV engine, be sure that it is the head gasket leaking and not the valve cover gasket.
-loosen the nuts one at a time in a cris-cross pattern like the examples shown (1,2,3,4...). You are not removing the head.
1 4
3 2
or
1 7 4
3 6
5 2
-remove the nuts one at a time, put anti-sieze on the removed nut / stud, then put it back on hand tight.
-using the same pattern as above, tighten each nut down a little at a time (this avoids warpage and ensures an even fit). Use a torque wrench set to 12 ft-lbs. Keep doing this until all nuts are at 12 ft-lbs.
the assumption that I am making is that your engine is a side valve engine and that it is the head gasket that is leaking. If you have an OHV engine, be sure that it is the head gasket leaking and not the valve cover gasket.
THE HUNTER
"Ghetto Rigging Expert"
the K181 is an L-head type engine (cast iron block, aluminum head)
the torque spec and torque sequence is in the service manual i posted a link to.
the torque spec and torque sequence is in the service manual i posted a link to.
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