Only Cub Cadets

PLEASE PATRONIZE OUR SPONSORS!

CC Speciaalties R. F. Houtz and Sons

Patton Acres IH Cub Cadet Parts

Cub Cadet Parts & Service


If you would like to help maintain this site & enhance it, feel free to donate whatever amount you would like to!




Attention Folks we have a new owner!
Greg Rozar AKA- CubDieselFan


Go Back   Only Cub Cadets > Cub Cadets > Cub Cadet Engines > Kohler Engines

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-13-2018, 07:57 PM
cadetmike's Avatar
cadetmike cadetmike is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: NY
Posts: 120
Default K301 Piston Clearance

Got the engine I am rebuilding back from the machine shop today. Supposedly it was bored .020 over. Now, according to information I have seen the stock bore is 3.375 (correct me if I am wrong). The bore I have in front of me is measuring 3.390... now I'm not the best at math but that's only .015 over, and if I put a .020 over piston in it (3.385) it will only have .005 of clearance. My question is, is that enough?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-13-2018, 08:01 PM
J-Mech J-Mech is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 17,594
Default

These questions can be answered here. Find and read the specifications page:

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=4646


You do know how to check piston skirt clearance correct? You use a ribbon gauge.... Unless you have a bore gauge, you can't get an accurate reading of the cylinder anyway.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-13-2018, 08:07 PM
cadetmike's Avatar
cadetmike cadetmike is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: NY
Posts: 120
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Mech View Post
These questions can be answered here. Find and read the specifications page:

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=4646


You do know how to check piston skirt clearance correct? You use a ribbon gauge.... Unless you have a bore gauge, you can't get an accurate reading of the cylinder anyway.
According to the manual .005 is acceptable. I just don't get why they were .010 from the factory if .007-.005 is spec... I am probably just overthinking it, but better safe than sorry.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-13-2018, 08:17 PM
J-Mech J-Mech is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 17,594
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cadetmike View Post
According to the manual .005 is acceptable.
Then it is.


Quote:
Originally Posted by cadetmike View Post
I just don't get why they were .010 from the factory if .007-.005 is spec...
Originally, they had a different type of piston. Newer pistons are made from a different material. Besides.... unless you have a brand new motor to check, you wouldn't know what they were. My guess is they are like any other mass produced engine. Higher tolerance means that the likelihood of failure is less, and if you had 10 engines to look at, you would likely find that the machining wasn't all that uniform.


Quote:
Originally Posted by cadetmike View Post
I am probably just overthinking it, but better safe than sorry.
I don't know what there is to overthink. Place the piston in the bore with a ribbon gauge thinner than the smallest clearance. Move up in size until it get tight. The next smallest one is the clearance. If a .005" gauge fits, you're good. If a .006" fits you're good. Honestly, you can run them as tight as .003", but I don't like to. Not for other people. .004"-.005" is where I like to see them.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-13-2018, 08:19 PM
cadetmike's Avatar
cadetmike cadetmike is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: NY
Posts: 120
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by J-Mech View Post
.004"-.005" is where I like to see them.
that's what I needed thanks
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-13-2018, 08:33 PM
J-Mech J-Mech is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 17,594
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cadetmike View Post
that's what I needed thanks
Just make sure you check it.... don't rely on the math. I always double check my machine shop(s).
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-14-2018, 06:40 PM
dodge trucker dodge trucker is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Illinois
Posts: 639
Default

On my last K301 rebuild, I used a machine shop I had never tried before. (ones I used to use for years, no longer exist) The guy came back with a finding that my block did not need to be bored, just honed. I was skeptical, as were some of the guys here. I wound up buying a bore gauge just for that purpose. to recheck what he said once I got it home. and the block measured just what the guy claimed that it did. As I remember tolerance says you can be as much as 0.0035" over and still be good. the machine shop said my block came out true and "square" (hard concept for some, being cylinder bores are round) at 0.0025" over standard. I found a deal I could not pass up on an NOS Kohler 0.003 over piston, which uses standard rings.
In the meantime before I found the NOS piston, I had bought the kit from "the guy" that everyone likes to use via EPay. I bought a standard kit. In comparing the NOS 0.003 o/s piston, to the "std" piston from the kit, I found that as compared to the piston measurements in the Kohler book, the kit piston was barely in tolerance, at the smallest acceptable diameter. The NOS piston was dead nuts perfect at 0.003" over. the kit piston was actually 0.0075" smaller than the NOS piston, rather than the 0.003" that I expected.
so all that said I was able to restore my engine to OEM clearances (luckily) without being bored, but the kit piston would have put it at excess clearance.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-14-2018, 07:07 PM
J-Mech J-Mech is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 17,594
Default

And that is why you have the new piston in hand before a shop will finish boring. So it fits. The fact that the "kit" piston was "barely in spec" is completely irrelevant. It's not an OEM part, so that is to be expected. It doesn't mean it is lesser quality, just different. I've put lots of engines together with aftermarket pistons. Well enough to be sure that they are just fine to use. If ever a new standard aftermarket piston is needed, the block should have a sleeve in it so you can fit it. This is also why most of us are so adamant about going .010" over and not honing. On a hone job, the piston is too loose.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-14-2018, 08:18 PM
Poser Poser is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Florida
Posts: 59
Default

Man, you're good J-mech, I understand your last post, one day, I'll overhaul mine, like when I retire, just gathering information now, thanks.
Kevin
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

Cub Cadet is a premium line of outdoor power equipment, established in 1961 as part of International Harvester. During the 1960s, IH initiated an entirely new line of lawn and garden equipment aimed at the owners rural homes with large yards and private gardens. There were a wide variety of Cub Cadet branded and after-market attachments available; including mowers, blades, snow blowers, front loaders, plows, carts, etc. Cub Cadet advertising at that time harped on their thorough testing by "boys - acknowledged by many as the world's worst destructive force!". Cub Cadets became known for their dependability and rugged construction.

MTD Products, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio purchased the Cub Cadet brand from International Harvester in 1981. Cub Cadet was held as a wholly owned subsidiary for many years following this acquisition, which allowed them to operate independently. Recently, MTD has taken a more aggressive role and integrated Cub Cadet into its other lines of power equipment.

This website and forum are not affiliated with or sponsored by MTD Products Inc, which owns the CUB CADET trademarks. It is not an official MTD Products Inc, website, and MTD Products Inc, is not responsible for any of its content. The official MTD Products Inc, website can be found at: http://www.mtdproducts.com. The information and opinions expressed on this website are the responsibility of the website's owner and/or it's members, and do not represent the opinions of MTD Products Inc. IH, INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER are registered trademark of CNH America LLC

All material, images, and graphics from this site are the property of www.onlycubcadets.net. Any unauthorized use, reproductions, or duplications are prohibited unless solely expressed in writing.

Cub Cadet, Cub, Cadet, IH, MTD, Parts, Tractors, Tractor, International Harvester, Lawn, Garden, Lawn Mower, Kohler, garden tractor equipment, lawn garden tractors, antique garden tractors, garden tractor, PTO, parts, online, Original, 70, 71, 72, 73, 76, SO76, 80, 81, 86, 100, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108,109, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 147, 149, 169, 182, 282, 382, 482, 580, 582, 582 Special, 680, 682, 782, 782D, 784, 800, 805, 882, 982, 984, 986, 1000, 1015, 1100, 1105, 1110, 1200, 1250, 1282, 1450, 1512, 1604, 1605, 1606, 1610, 1615, 1620, 1650, 1710, 1711, 1712, 1806, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1912, 1914.