Broken connecting rod?
 

Was having a bad day with my 126 yesterday. Doing a little food plot plowing and weld broke on my plow sleeve hitch. Started heading home and made it almost to the shed when it started blowing white smoke and losing power then a bang and it died. Turns over freely but the piston doesn't move. Any free download links for tearing the motor apart? How does it unhook from clutch? After I unbolt the 4 mount bolts under neath will it slide forward and pull out from clutch or is there more to it then that?

Download the service manual found on this site. Besides the 4 bolts you have to disconnect the throttle cable, choke cable, etc etc.

ok thanks. Any idea what would cause the rod to break besides old age? It was only being ran at half throttle.

No oil......

I bought a 129 a few years back that had had the engine replaced with a black 12 hp Kohler engine. I assumed it was a service replacement. The dealer said the engine was put in the tractor the year before so it wasn't an old engine.

I took the engine apart. The rod was broken just above the big end. Crankpin was perfect so I don't think the rod broke from lack of lube. I really have no idea why it broke unless the rod was just defective.

I put a new rod in it, put it back together and it's run great for years.

well I checked the dipstick and it has oil but is a little low. I have been searching this site for the downloadable manual for the engine but I can't find it even with the search feature so If someone has a link to it I would appreaciate it. Going out now to see what I can figure out without the manual.

It's in the technical section. Under "tractors" 3rd page. Kohler "K" series engine.

Here, just so you don't have to look again.
http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=4646

Thanks for all the help. I got the engine out and oil pan off. The connecting rod is broke and it did leave some burrs on the crankshaft. If I lightly sand the burrs down with a dremel is it possible it will still work with a new rod? I didn't see any stamping on the piston top so I am thinking it is stock bore and the cylinder walls are scratch free. The engine is a K241AS I was told it was not the original engine. I see the 241 is a 10hp is it possible that the flywheel cover with the model number was from a 241 but the rest of the motor is a 301 or would it not fit? If it is the 10hp it has plenty enough power for me I just need to know what model I need to order parts for. Is there a number on some other part of the block I can look for? I did download the manual and am reading that also.

If the big end of the rod broke and it banged the crank journal, you may get away with knocking off any HIGH spots and be good to go. If that big end seized due to lack of lube, you may not be so lucky. Measure the crank pin and see if it's still round.

I'm sure you'll get other advice.

Please, don't use a dremel on your crankshaft....... just take it somewhere and get it cleaned, measured, ground if necessary, or polished. You nick that crank with the dremel just right, and you'll be back where you started with a broken/ seized rod.

It could be a 10hp or a 12. The tins and blocks are same size, just different bore and crank. The block is "stamped" (raised cast numbers actually) on the PTO end either with a K241 or K301. Be careful though, there are some 10hp motors (K241's) that are marked K301. So, your better off using crank numbers, or measuring the bore.