Something must have broke inside the engine

[cyclone gt]

It's easy rebuild the kohler and fix the list of problems one at a time. I bought a 169 at a farm auction it was being sold as a tiller go figure that one out I've used it 2 years the 16hp kohler started put more oil out than in. It's in the shop getting the crank turned and block bored for the new piston and rod and it will go another 40 plus years plus I've put in a new wiring harness stearing gear rebuild and other things when I have time and money and it will out last a new one by far . Just my 2 cents

[dadej]

I call it therapy when I go mow with my 1282 or 782. Gas is way cheaper than what therapist charge so I say rebuild the engine.

[finsruskw]

At least Check it out first before jumping to conclusions.
You can easily do that much yourself with basic hand tools.
Post up some pictures of what you find.
At best it may only cost you a rod and a crank polish.
But if pieces got into the cylinder wall then all bets are off.

[J-Mech]

Guys, I've been emailing back and forth with Keith. We know it broke a rod. It needs an engine, and I have one for him. He just needs convinced it is a good choice to fix a 45 year old tractor.

[Bob95065]

When I was in high school I worked for a neighbor that has a 122 and a 1000. I was on the 122 and the engine just stopped running - no warning. It cranked over real fast when I tried to start it. I towed it back with the 1000 and dug in. The piston wouldn't move when I turned the crankshaft just like your machine.

I tore down the engine and found the rod shattered in the bottom of the pan. I honed the cylinder and put in a new rod and piston. I put it all back together and it fired up like new. This was the first time I had done internal engine work. Today I repair my cars along with cars for friends. A lot of the confidence I have comes from lawnmower and tractor repairs I did when I was younger.

You can look at your tractor as a broken machine that needs to be replaced or you can look at it as an opportunity to learn how to replace a rod and piston. Not only that money can't buy a replacement garden tractor brand new of the same quality of a 40+ year old Cub Cadet. Really, you have nothing to loose if you tear the engine find and inspect the cylinder for damage. If the rod shattered like the 122 I worked on all those years ago you could repair the engine for not a lot of cash if you do it yourself. There's plenty of us on this board that have been in Kohler engines because of these fine garden tractors that can help if you get into trouble. Original factory service manuals are also available on this web site.

I tend to like to keep things as original as possible. I have the 1000 that I used at the neighbor's place at my home now. It has the original engine and has mostly original parts. I also have a 1450 that I got as a basket case. I built it from the ground up. It too has the original engine. If you decide to keep it there are plenty of us on this board that have rebuilt Kohler engines that can help if you get into trouble.

Bob

[J-Mech]

Why is it when Jeff comes along and offers to sell parts everyone supports him, but when I try to sell a motor everyone wants to try to convince people to rebuilt it themselves?
Honing the motor out and cleaning the crank off with emry cloth is a very bad way to "fix" the engine. I've rebuilt several for people who did just that. They honed it and polished the crank with emry, and in 20 hours brought me a motor with a broken rod and couldn't understand why. If so many guys on here have done this and will help, how come me and like 2 other gus are the only ones who ever give advice on rebuilds?? Keith has said he is not a mechanic, or inclined to do this type of repair. His brother, however is, but isn't interested in doing it. I think Keith can swap the motor out, and I have offered to sell him a brand new one to drop in. Guys...... come on. He's not going to rebuild the old one himself. He told me so.

[jbrewer]

Ask yourself if the expensive Simplicity will be running 40+ years from now as the Cub is....

[CubDieselFan]

If you like the old Cub, fix it. Yes, all mowers including the new one will break. Do what most of us here do, get a back-up mower so when one is down the other is good. Even if you spend say another 1000 on a good 1864, that is still a lot less than 6k. That is a lot of money just to cut the grass.

[jbrewer]

There's plenty of used tractors out there with good engines too, if you want to buy one and have another with spare parts.

[DieselDoctor]

Yes you could buy a used tractor for parts, perhaps even a used motor, but if you want years of dependability at a reasonable investment buy Jon's motor and be done with it.