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Reload this Page Cub Cadet Original 1962 K181 Breather Problem?
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  #1  
Old 09-18-2017, 10:35 PM
sgraber sgraber is offline
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Default Cub Cadet Original 1962 K181 Breather Problem?
Ok, I'm trying to diagnose a problem with my '62 Cub Cadet Original with a K181 engine. Whenever I start this thing up, I have pressure on the oil dipstick side of the engine to the point that the dipstick pops out - especially when I shut the engine off. It'll pop it out a good 3-4". If I'm driving it, it'll blow oil out which drips down the engine block. If I pull the dipstick out while the engine's running, there's positive pressure in there and I can feel a fine mist of oil coming out.

Thinking it was the breather, I pulled the air cleaner and carburetor and then pulled and disassembled the breather. It was pretty cruddy in there and it appeared as though the breather hole was plugged, so I unplugged it with a very tiny nail. After that, I cleaned the breather housing, reed, etc with a gasoline-soaked rag to get all of the baked on stuff off. The gaskets aren't in the best shape as I don't think this thing was pulled in years (I had to get a wood chisel out to get behind it to pry it off the engine block). The breather plate has the hole at the bottom as it should be and it's now clean. I did not replace the filter medium in the breather housing, but I do know that air can get in/out easily. It was pretty black with oil and residue though. After reassembly, I started the engine up and again the oil dipstick popped out and there's still positive pressure on the dipstick side of the engine. I do not feel air coming out of the breather port while the engine's running. I know the dipstick side of the engine should be under slight vacuum, but from what I see it's not.

Any idea what's going on? Should I completely replace all the gaskets and the filter medium in the breather? Anything else I should look at to fix this? The CC runs just fine otherwise.
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Old 09-18-2017, 11:01 PM
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olds45512 olds45512 is offline
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There will always be positive pressure when you remove the dipstick while the engine is running, it's totally normal. On the dipstick there's an area where it spreads and this area creates resistance to keep the dipstick tight in the hole, sometimes they get weak and you need to spread it further so it holds tighter.
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Old 09-19-2017, 12:46 AM
J-Mech J-Mech is offline
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Air should come out of the breather. Did you install the reeds the correct way?

There SHOULD NOT be vacuum on the crankcase.
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Old 09-19-2017, 07:00 AM
sgraber sgraber is offline
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Originally Posted by olds45512 View Post
There will always be positive pressure when you remove the dipstick while the engine is running, it's totally normal. On the dipstick there's an area where it spreads and this area creates resistance to keep the dipstick tight in the hole, sometimes they get weak and you need to spread it further so it holds tighter.
When the engine is running I can see the dipstick physically vibrating around in the hole. It's pretty loose. Do I need to replace the dipstick? It's of the bayonet kind.
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Old 09-19-2017, 07:01 AM
sgraber sgraber is offline
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Air should come out of the breather. Did you install the reeds the correct way?

There SHOULD NOT be vacuum on the crankcase.
As far as I can tell I replaced it exactly according to the service manual. If I don't feel air coming out of the Breather port, what should I do?
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Old 09-19-2017, 08:26 AM
J-Mech J-Mech is offline
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If I don't feel air coming out of the Breather port, what should I do?
Take it back apart and investigate. Take pictures and post them here, in this thread.

Now it shouldn't be hard, fast moving air. But you should be able to feel it if your hand is close to the breather. When the engine is warm (been running a while), you should see a slight puff of steam there.
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Old 09-19-2017, 08:43 AM
J-Mech J-Mech is offline
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When the engine is running I can see the dipstick physically vibrating around in the hole. It's pretty loose. Do I need to replace the dipstick? It's of the bayonet kind.

Maybe. But we can't see it, so we don't know.
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Old 09-19-2017, 09:40 AM
sgraber sgraber is offline
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Ok, sounds like a plan. I will do the following tonight and post the results here in this thread:

* video of the engine running, showing the looseness of the oil dipstick and how it pops out

* pull the air cleaner and carburetor and take video of the breather while trying to turn it over

* complete photos of the breather disassembly

Thank you all for you help so far!
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Old 09-19-2017, 09:51 AM
sgraber sgraber is offline
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Take it back apart and investigate. Take pictures and post them here, in this thread.

Now it shouldn't be hard, fast moving air. But you should be able to feel it if your hand is close to the breather. When the engine is warm (been running a while), you should see a slight puff of steam there.
Oh, one thing I should note: based on the service manual pictures, the reed should be riveted to the breather plate. I know in my case it is not as the reed would move around quite a bit during disassembly.
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Old 09-19-2017, 01:21 PM
J-Mech J-Mech is offline
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Oh, one thing I should note: based on the service manual pictures, the reed should be riveted to the breather plate. I know in my case it is not as the reed would move around quite a bit during disassembly.
Better post some pics of what you have.

FWIW, the reed valve assm can be installed backwards. That may in fact be the issue.
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