Kohler camshaft end play

The Shmunk · Jun 30, 2014

Just wondering if too much camshaft end play in a kohler K301 would affect the way the governor functions. My engine seems to like to "hunt" at 1/2-3/4 throttle. I have cleaned the carb/adjusted, and reset the governor, and tried different governor springs, with no luck. I know my camshaft end play is a little out of tune (excessive) and I know the camshaft drives the governor gear. any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

wisbaker · Jun 30, 2014

IIRC the governor sensitivity is a factor of the length of the rod that goes from the governor arm to the throttle shaft get a Kohler service manual or print off the governor pages from the on line one and adjust as per their procedures. One of the recent Kohler posts on this board has the address for the on line manual.

Steve@Advance · Jun 30, 2014

The problem is usually a too lean mixture. Try partial choke to see if it levels off. If so test for vacuum leaks, low float level, revisit carb.

Bob · Jul 1, 2014

"governor sensitivity is a factor of the length of the rod that goes from the governor arm to the throttle shaft"

Actually (for these engines) governor sensitivity is determined by which hole on the governor arm the spring is connected to.

T.R.K. · Jul 1, 2014

Like Steve at Advance said, If you can feather in the choke and it smooths out, its starving for fuel. Since you say it is worse at 1/2-3/4 throttle, the problem is probably in the idle circuit.

I really don't think camshaft end play will have any effect on this problem. It would seem to me that the governor gear would turn the same rpm regardless of exactly where the cam gear happened to be. I do understand that camshaft endplay does make the engine to knock.

wisbaker · Jul 1, 2014

One of our college kids at the golf course decided his Workmaster wasn't running fast enough (K321) so he lengthened the rod between the governor arm and the carb. After that it started surging and bucking until I got it set back where it belonged. Check out what the other guys have suggested, look at the exhaust is it rich or lean? Others have suggested the idle circuit, you say you went through the carb (cleaned and adjusted) did it start doing this and then you did the carb or did it start misbehaving after you worked on it? Do the choke thing and check for vacuum leaks although there isn't much that can leak on these engines.

The Shmunk · Jul 3, 2014

I rebuilt the engine, bored 20 over, 10 under crank/rod, new governer gear. It did this before I took it apart too, not sure what the deal is with it. also I changed the oil after about 5hrs of use and it looked like it had very fine metal particles in it because the oil was kinda greyish, talked to a local small engine shop down the road and he said I can expect that for another 20 hours and not to worry about it, but I don"t wanna see my money being shot out the side of the block either, any thoughts?

Kohler camshaft end play

The Shmunk

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wisbaker

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Steve@Advance

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Bob

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T.R.K.

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wisbaker

Well-known Member

The Shmunk

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