Kohler K321

I have a Massey Ferguson 14 HP tractor that I did "refresh" on 2 years ago/ I paid approximately $1600 to have the K321 rebuilt. That includes a lot of new parts and machine shop work. I have since been told that is way too much money for a rebuild. That may be true, I don't know. I spent the money and I am satisfied with the results and I am not going to dwell on the past. It's over, I can afford it. I'm not worried about it. There is an old saying around here...."Those that can do, those that can't, pay those that can." I am not worried about it. Now for my question. In my younger years (20s) I rebuilt a couple of small block chevy engines. They are pretty straight forward, nothing unexpected, and the engines were still running the last time I saw them. My point is, I do know how to use my hands and standard tools. I now have a chance to buy a K321. I would like to rebuild it myself. Are special tools required to uninstall or reinstall the balance gears or governor. Small block chevys don't have any of this stuff. If special, expensive tools are required, I will probably pass. I don't want to spend a lot of money on tools I will only use once. I have a mic, feeler gauges, torque wrench, and all the other regular tools a person might have. I know I may have to buy or borrow a ring compressor. I have watched you tube videos, but I have never found one that shows installing the governor or balance gears. Thanks for any help. Greg

Hi I have overhauled a couple of K321 engines and have no special tools from Kohler you can get by without them if doing one or so engines. The money for special tools say for removing the valve guides and installing them would be better spent a an engine machine shop along with the valve seats and boring the cylinder, as for the balance gears I've done it per the service manual its a pain but can be done my next engine I left them out the engine runs just fine with over 100 hrs on it now you will need a Service manual which can be downloaded from Kohlers web site OH kits can be gotten from Ebay. Good luck with your choice here's a link to the Kohler manuals download site
https://kohlerpower.com/en/engines/manuals#

If you were paying a 'real' reputable small engine shop to rebuild your engine, $1600 is not far off.

The last Kohler I rebuilt for someone else I had put 11 hours in from when I began to pull the engine off the frame until it was back in
the frame running. The parts bill was over $800 (for all genuine Kohler parts) and it did not get bored oversize. The labor rate at the
shop I work at is $75 per hour. Most shops in town are more. For example, I was told that the local Deere dealer is $95/hour.

(11 x $75 = $825 in labor. And $825 + 800 = $1625)

Back to your 'real' question:

I don't have the special tool to put the balance gears in. Just follow the procedure in the manual to do it without a tool and you will be
fine. (It did help to mark the primary and secondary timing marks with a silver sharpie.)

All other tools I used were the same I used for the last small block chevy I built with the exception of the valve spring compressor and
it can be bought pretty cheaply.

OK I did finally find a video on you tube explaining how the balance gears are installed. Before seeing this video I didn't even know what they looked like. I didn't know that leaving them out was an option. As far as the valve guides, and machining, I would leave that to my local machine shop. I may have to buy a valve spring compressor and a couple other small things, but nothing real expensive. I did find the manual on line, thanks. After watching a couple videos I think I will buy the K321 and give it a shot. It will give me something to do. Thanks for the help.

They are a fairly easy engine to work on you should have no trouble getting it going. If you research the balance gears about half say leave them out and others say put them in if I do another K series engine I'll install Kirk Engines crankshaft balance wts and leave the gears out.
GB in MN
[/url]https://www.kirkengines.com/

You can do it. I've done six or eight of them, always had the best luck having them bored to straighten the cyl. walls, crank probably needs to be cut,. Machine shop can grind the valve seats. Last one I did was close to twenty years, think it was a Stens kit I bought on E Bay, piston and rod didn't look near as robust as Kohler parts but didn't cost near as much either. I left the balance gears out of the last one, a ten horse and it runs good but I think it has a little bit of vibration it didn't have before. You can get the gears in without a tool but I usually have to scratch my head awhile and do it a couple of times before I get it right. Think you can get a kit with or with out valves but the old exhaust valve is usually junk any way.

You will need a pretty stout harmonic balancer puller to remove the flywheel. Buy a cheap one or rent
one for free at an auto parts store. A cheap Lisle valve spring compressor works fine, you can almost
compress the valve springs with two fingers. A piston ring compressor is needed too. If your careful
you can install the piston rings with your fingers.

Give your balance gears to someone you hate. Use Dave Kirk's balance plates instead. I had Dave install
mine in my K321, it vibrates about as much as the K241 it replaced did. And by the way, somebody
mentioned reinstalling balance gears in a 241, but they NEVER had balance gears in them, Ever.

You must be talking about me, I left the gears out of this one when I overhauled it. The engine came out of an Allis or Simplicity, don't remember, and I stuffed it in a 110 JD. It's the last one I overhauled and the only one I left the gears out of.