kohler m12 smokes bad

stahlhouse2 · Oct 31, 2015

my kohler m12 really smokes on start up. and gets a little better as it warms up. one valve guide is a little worn. are these replaceable in this engine. will fixing that and new rings help out my condition?

Bob · Oct 31, 2015

Valve guides are replaceable, but NOT likely to be the cause of oil burning/smoke on an flathead engine.

If that engine has quite a few hours on it, very likely, the cylinder bore is worn out of round and tapered from top to bottom and will need a rebore and an OS piston and rings.

Don B. · Dec 5, 2015

not bad to rebuild at all, essentially same as K301
I have a fresh one here that has yet to be fired, all rebuilt with OEM Kohler parts Costs more but much better quality stuff.... I have ordered 2 of those Ebay kits over the years and when compared to OE parts a difference was obvious to the naked eye. so cheap kits went back. If you go thru Stens or Rotary sometimes they repackage OEM parts but you never know til you see what you get after you place the order, but the kits I refer to are the no name ones so common via Ebay...
You will probably have to have it bored with a new piston and rings to go along with what ever o/s is needed to even things up... and possibly a regrind of the crank, most automotive machine shops can do this easily.

kohler m12 smokes bad

stahlhouse2

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Bob

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Don B.

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