# K482s Connecting Rods



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

Hi everyone! Brand new to the forum!
I've been the proud and happy owner of a 1970 Bolens 1886 for the past three years. It's still powered by a Kohler k482s, though I was told by the original owner that this was it's fifth engine. A few weeks ago, while blowing snow, there was a loud sound that made me think something other than snow went into the thrower. I throttled down, shut off the PTO and checked it. It was fine. I continued to snow blow but the engine just lacked the power it usually has so I parked it until I had a chance to look at it.
Fast forward this past weekend.
I removed the heads and it appears one of the connecting rods is broken, as the piston just sits there when I turn the flywheel.
I know these rods are near impossible to find and I really want to keep this engine.
My question is, are there other rods that can be machined to replace the rods in the k482?
I read that the rods and pistons for the k241 are the same size as the ones in the k482, though they may need to be machined to fit the crank journal, as well as removing the dipper. Is this true? Are there any other options? I really want to save this engine.


----------



## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to the forum Cloud9! Here's a rod for the K482 on ebay........ https://www.ebay.com/i/163573064305?chn=ps


----------



## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to the forum Cloud9! Here's a rod for the K682 on ebay........ https://www.ebay.com/i/163573064305?chn=ps


----------



## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to the forum Cloud9! Here's a rod for the K682 on ebay........ https://www.ebay.com/i/163573064305?chn=ps


----------



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

Hoodoo Valley said:


> Welcome to the forum Cloud9! Here's a rod for the K482 on ebay........ https://www.ebay.com/i/163573064305?chn=ps


Thanks Hoodoo Valley! I've been watching ebay and CL for the past week without any luck. The ad says he's got 4 of them. Maybe I should pick up a spare, just in case!


----------



## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

These days...... I sure would! Make certain that you can keep it going. Everything's geared these days to buying new every few years for the most part.


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

best to split the crankcase and check the internals before you buy the rod, most times when a rod lets go, it munches the internals, in your case, I hope not.


----------



## mark pritzl (Apr 20, 2019)

Mr. Cloud9guy said:


> Hi everyone! Brand new to the forum!
> I've been the proud and happy owner of a 1970 Bolens 1886 for the past three years. It's still powered by a Kohler k482s, though I was told by the original owner that this was it's fifth engine. A few weeks ago, while blowing snow, there was a loud sound that made me think something other than snow went into the thrower. I throttled down, shut off the PTO and checked it. It was fine. I continued to snow blow but the engine just lacked the power it usually has so I parked it until I had a chance to look at it.
> Fast forward this past weekend.
> I removed the heads and it appears one of the connecting rods is broken, as the piston just sits there when I turn the flywheel.
> ...


And


----------



## mark pritzl (Apr 20, 2019)

I am retired now but I was a Kohler dealer for 30 years and have repaired many K582’s. Kohler is still in business and I would think that rod is still available. The Kohler part # is A-277130 for the standard and A-277130-10 for a .010 undersize. I wouldn’t attempt to retrofit any other rod as the rod big end does not use insert shell bearings and is it’s own bearing.


----------



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

I picked up one of those rods on ebay back on the 5th. I pulled the motor out last weekend and I'll actually be getting into it this weekend. Hopefully there's not much internal damage.


----------



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

View media item 3293So here's what I found last night


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Ewwwwww......


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

I can't open the img., being told I don't have permission, have had this problem previously at times.

From pogobill's post, it doesn't look good ?.


----------



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

FredM said:


> I can't open the img., being told I don't have permission, have had this problem previously at times.
> 
> From pogobill's post, it doesn't look good ?.


Nope, not good. Pan is full of what is left of one of the rods.


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

that is no good then, are the internals ok to rebuild ?.


----------



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

FredM said:


> that is no good then, are the internals ok to rebuild ?.


Should be good. Luckily only internal damage appears to be a small chunk off the bottom of the cylinder. I have a new rod and a piston is on its way.


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Seems like you have been extremely lucky if that is all the damage your engine suffered, most times the rod smashes or bends the cam and the cam bearings plus other internal engine components.


----------



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

Well, guess I'm not so lucky. And what I thought was going to be a fairly simple repair has gotten a whole lot more complicated. While I was cleaning around inside and rotating the crank, I noticed one of the valves wasn't opening. Yup, busted cam. And then the new rod and piston that I just got are the wrong ones. I thought I had a k482, but my cylinders are much larger than the new piston and the replacement rod is too long. I pulled the good rod and piston out to compare. The rod pic is the good one from my motor. The part number is not for a k482. I believe this is a k532, but the PO reused the shroud from the k482. View media item 3297View media item 3295View media item 3299


----------



## mark pritzl (Apr 20, 2019)

If your engine says k482 and k482 pistons and rod don’t match then you have a k532 short block. Whenever a short block was ordered for a k482 is was serviced with a k532 and the customer was supposed to install a supplied decal to note the change. The piston part # is 47 874 06, the rod part # is 48 067 12, the cam part # is 48 012 01. If you still want to fix this engine look for availability on the parts but some more homework needs to be done to make absolutely the parts are correct. Measure the bore size of your engine and of the new piston you have and in the meantime I’ll dig into my old service manuals and get those sizes.


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

the in case bearings for the cam are not damaged ?, and the big end journal is still ok, the rod didn't pick up on that ?, then you are indeed lucky.

for some reason I cannot open your images, tractor forum wont allow me which is disappointing.


----------



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

FredM said:


> the in case bearings for the cam are not damaged ?, and the big end journal is still ok, the rod didn't pick up on that ?, then you are indeed lucky.
> 
> for some reason I cannot open your images, tractor forum wont allow me which is disappointing.


Hi Fred, looks like it was how it was set up in the permissions. Hopefully you can view them now.


----------



## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Thank you, I can see your problem now Mr. Cloud9guy, are you going to have the "intact rod" crack tested ?, be a shame to rebuild and that rod let go, have you thought of using a short engine, all new components and might be cheaper in the long run.


----------



## Mr. Cloud9guy (Mar 5, 2019)

So it looks like I had the optional 2-piece cam. Nice!
So, the good rod is marked "48-059-01" and the disintegrated one appears to be marked "02".


----------

