122 engine rebuild

pintoplumber · #1 07-30-2026, 03:22 PM

I inherited a 122 that my brother said used or burned a lot of oil. How do I remove the head without breaking the fins?

finsruskw · #2 07-30-2026, 03:35 PM

Looks to me like you already have it off!!

RLause · #3 07-30-2026, 03:36 PM

I suggest you get the free manual from Kohler online and read it before you go too far.

finsruskw · #4 07-30-2026, 03:39 PM

I second that!!
Bag and TAG EVERYTHING, take plenty of pictures and make notes!!

Oak · #5 07-31-2026, 05:10 AM

You have the head removed in the pic. The jug does not come off on these because the jug and the case are one.

pintoplumber · #6 07-31-2026, 07:54 PM

Thanks for the advice, I’m glad I didn’t do anything wrong yet. I bookmarked the engine manual and hopefully downloaded it also. I hope I can find where downloads are located.

ol'George · #7 08-01-2026, 07:27 AM

I would suggest that after you get the engine apart, that you take all the clean parts to your local machine shop for precision measurements so you know what
oversize piston/rings need purchased and what undersize rod it will require after the crank is ground round and true.
The machine shop will also tell you if you need valve guides or just a minor valve grind/seat touch up.
There are other things to look for but this will get you started.
This will be a good introduction to your lerning experience,if this is your first "rodeo"

pintoplumber · #8 08-01-2026, 01:36 PM

I already talked to the machine shop. Never did a 1 cylinder before, this will be new. I assembled my 239 y block in 2013.

ol'George · #9 08-02-2026, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pintoplumber

I already talked to the machine shop. Never did a 1 cylinder before, this will be new. I assembled my 239 y block in 2013.

Ah yes old Y block, I remember them well, and when they first came out to replace the flathead.
Had a friend in Hi skool who used to carry a couple of jugs of water in the trunk
because his old '54, 256" Y block Merc, had bad valves and would not start when it was at operating temps, unless he slowely poured the water over the heads to cool them.
The old Merc was way past a needed valve job.
We were kids in school and $50 cars were affordable.

Good luck with your overhaul of the little single Kohler, they don't make good engines like that today.

pintoplumber · #10 08-03-2026, 09:28 PM

I have a 54 F100 that I bought in 1978. It had a 239 car engine in it. I restored it from ‘97-‘03 thinking I could get my boys interested in something other than Nintendo. We bored it .120 and turned it into a 256. In 2013 I got a crank and rods from a 312 and large valve G heads. It’s still 6 volt and 3 on the tree, but does 16.88 @ 81mph in the quarter mile.