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Posted by Dan E. [173.9.49.14] on Tuesday, September 06, 2011 at 09:56:28 :
In Reply to: OT: Kohler 14hp flathead rebuild posted by Gary in CO [64.234.252.237] on Monday, September 05, 2011 at 11:47:40 :
I have rebuilt many Kohler engines in the past, and more cast iron Briggs engines than I care to remember. The balance gears you mention counteract some of the vibration of the crank and should be used if they are no worn. The pullers take them out to reduce weight and try to crank up HP. Some mechanics remove them because they swear they create more vibration than without. The truth is in the reassembly. Kohler put out a silly little plastic tool that held the gears in the correct position while the crank was reinstalled, making the location of the weight in the right spot to the crank position. After about three uses of this flimsy little plastic tool it would bend a little and become useless. That is if the tool was available in the shop anyway, as we "the mechanics" had to purchase our own tools. Briggs did a better job with their counterweights on the cast iron engines when the used a 3/16th's or so extended threaded hole in the side of the block to hold the counterweight for assembly.
About the use of copper spray and RTV or Silicone. There are two types of head gaskets out there in force for these air cooled classics. The older asbestos with mesh in the middle and perforated metal outsides then the newer "economical" graphite type that are squishy and bend easily. The asbestos could benefit from the copper spray, although the red spray is gooier and my favorite. You can even push the limits and re-use a good asbestos gasket if it is complete. The graphite type gasket is the newer type that should not be sprayed with anything, just torque between the clean head and clean block.
On the other gaskets that you want to use sealant, it is your call. Just remember that a gasket is designed to be the sealant, and I am a firm believer that less is better in the convenient areas. The oil pan would get RTV in the corners or areas that may be slightly warped. OR if it would involve lots of work to fix a leak, I would suggest use of additional sealants.
Hope this helps a little.
Dan