WheelHorse K341 to Case224 ?

Can someone tell me the main issue(s) with moving a K341 from a WheelHorse to a 1974 Case 224. I need to 'dissuade' a friend !! Thanks C Kain

Not sure of the crankshaft PTO length on a WH on a Case it is short. and the oil pan maybe different.

I swapped a K341AQS into my 70's model Case 444. The engine came from a Cub Cadet 1650. It was not a hard swap to do. The exhaust is 1.25" on the K341, so a bigger exhaust system is needed. I had to use some of the sheet metal from both engines. My choke control works opposite from original. The EZ adjust clutch installed with no problem. I used the air cleaner from the Cadet, because there is an intake hose from the engine cooling discharge air connected to the air cleaner.

The largest Kohler K or M Series engine used by CASE was the K321. It was spec'd by CASE to have a special oil pan. The block was also cast with a special "ring" on the crankshaft output side that would accept the hydraulic pump mount devised by CASE. That ring made sure that the pump mount was perfectly centred to eliminate the alignment issues between the pump and the engine. The crank output stub was also very short and of a specific diameter so that a certain model of Lovejoy coupler could be used that would fit inside the pump mount.

I am not aware of any other brand of GT that specified the "ring" in the block. It is possible to have a machine shop carve that ring into a block that does not have one but that costs money. Crankshafts can be shortened and if they are of a slightly larger diameter it is possible to use a different coupler half. I believe that all Wheelhorse GT's use a cross mounted engine, whereas CASE always mounted their engines in-line. So for sure, the diameter and length of the output stub will be and issue on any Kohler taken from a Wheelhorse. I have also heard that some Kohler engines were welded to the tractor frames. That is an issue for you to take up with the members of Red Square, which is the only dedicated Wheelhorse forum that I am aware of.

It is possible to take a pan from a K-321 and install it on a K-341 but...... you have to do some modifications to the 321 pan because it does not match the 341 block 100 percent.

To me.... this is one of those situations where you have to say.... yes it can be done.... but at what cost and effort. Personally, it is my belief that your friend would be far better off doing a PROPER rebuild of his 321 engine and forget about trying to gain 2 more HP. I am willing to bet that his 321 is badly worn out currently and that he has never experienced a 321 that is fresh.

Strip the block and take it and the crank, cam and head to an experienced machinist. Spend the money to have the block boiled clean and then measure the bore for taper and roundness so that the correct oversize piston can be ordered. The throw on the crank can be either polished or turned so that a new rod can be ordered. The valve seats can be ground and new valves obtained along with new springs. The camshaft can be profiled initially and checked to make sure it is not twisted. If his engine has counter-balance gears, discard them. Either install new ones or just leave them out. They are not worth the risk. A new governor gear is essential no matter what the existing gear looks like. The head and the block can be surface planed to make sure they are perfectly flat.

ON e-Bay, there are people selling KITS for Kohler engines and if you look at the vendors statistics, they have sold thousands of these kits. But the machinist needs to tell him what he needs first before he orders the parts. Good luck with your friend, Cleo.

Great information Tom, Thanks

A couple of additional comments on my Cub Cadet K341 swap- I seem to recall cutting the crankshaft end shorter with a Sawzall so that it matched the length of the Case spec K321. The Case pump mount bolted up to the K341 block with no modification needed. Can't remember if I swapped the oil pan or not. The K341 is mounted to the Case isolation brackets and sits in the same physical space as the K321. I did not have to raise or modify the hood. I was only going to do the swap if the original arrangements with the engine mounting, pump mount, and clutch could be maintained. I seem to recall using the K321 flywheel on the K341 to facilitate clutch mounting. I feel certain that a WheelHorse K341 is a different spec engine than a Cub Cadet. It is best to do some measurement and research before committing to swapping in a non factory engine application. There are plenty of projects like this that are never completed due to unforeseen difficulties, or that never function satisfactorily due to various reasons. I am not certain if the WheelHorse engine is a good swap candidate for a Case GT, but I am pleased with the swap of the Cadet engine and it has performed well now for five years.