# I need a kohler engine



## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

I'm building myself an ariens GT tractor, and I'm in need of an engine. Picking up the engineless chassis tomorrow, it'll need a good going over for sure. But I want to stick an 18-20hp engine on it. It needs to be a horrizontal shaft. I found some "new" for $1000+ on ebay, but I'm looking to spend more in the $100 range. Anyone know a decent source? It doesn't have to be new.


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

$100 might get a 12hp Briggs vertical shaft, it won't even get a 6.5HP Chinese Honda knockoff. I'm afraid you're going to have to find more funds somewhere...............


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## John_Forbush (Dec 8, 2013)

I might be able to find you one for $200 plus shipping.


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## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

I know $100 is a bit of a pipe dream, but I've seen them for $200. It's just finding one iwth front shaft and electric clutch, before someone else buys it. I've already emailed 3 guys within 150 miles that had them from 16-18hp but they were gone.


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## film495 (Nov 1, 2013)

Could you go another route and purchase a parts tractor that has a running motor? You'll probably need other parts than a motor and would have some left over to poach pieces as needed over time.


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## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

99% of parts tractors are parts tractors because of dead engines. Seldom does the body go before the motor, because if the body goes, it's usually due to neglect, and if you neglect the body, you neglect the motor too, and the motor will die long before the body from neglect. Unfortunate but it's what happens.


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## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

I'll keep looking though. The S16 I'm picking up tonight has an engine. The guy said he replaced the piston with a 12hp piston when it went bad, apparently the counter-balances on the crank weren't right then, and it broke the crank. It may be salvageable, who knows.


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

Which engine is on the tractor now?


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## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

Kohler 16hp horrizontal shaft with front electric clutch pto on an ariens s-16. I'm guessing it can be rebuilt if no damage inside was done when the crank broke. I have to look at it tonight when I pick everything up. If to many parts are broken it would probably be easier and cheaper to get another though. Gasket and seal kits I've only been able to find for $100 or so, let alone a new crank shaft, rod, and piston.


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

Kohler 16HP what? It sounds old enough to be a K-Series, and the 12HP piston is a lot lighter than a 16HP, it's also .375" smaller. Even if it's a Magnum, the same goes for piston size. In fact, they are interchangeable between the engines so long as you use the proper rod with the correct small end thickness to match the piston.

So either you have something else, or he's feeding you some misinformation.

One really has to be more specific about engines. Kind of like saying Ford small block, or Chevy small block, that really doesn't narrow it down much.


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## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

Sorry I had bad info. It was the crank shaft from a 12 hp with the normal piston. He said it ran for 10 min and then broke the crank shaft and rod. I picked it up last night and it's under a tarp on the trailer still as I got home at 10pm. It's snowing again, 6-8" so I probably won't get to it today. I'll get the number off the plate though. It's older, '73-'80 I think.

Thanks for the information, this is slightly new territory for me.


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

Yeah, probably a K-Series then, and I've had people try to tell me a 12HP crank works just fine in the 14-16HP engines. Guess that's been proven wrong.

It's a very rebuildable engine that will last a long time if the right parts are used. Don't have to be OEM, just the RIGHT part for that engine. When it comes to cranks though, OEM is your only choice.


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## rdr202 (Apr 5, 2010)

I had luck on Craigslist two years ago I picked up a used B&S 20 HP for $100.00.
Thing runs like new.


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## Papasmirf (Oct 3, 2013)

I've got a really tough Kohler 18hp, 1" horizontal shaft. Came off my gen/ welder. It's been maintained well. Good clean engine. $450.00 + shipping.


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## Fluid (Nov 28, 2013)

fatjay said:


> 99% of parts tractors are parts tractors because of dead engines. Seldom does the body go before the motor, because if the body goes, it's usually due to neglect, and if you neglect the body, you neglect the motor too, and the motor will die long before the body from neglect. Unfortunate but it's what happens.


I have found lots of good motors on so called "junk tractors". Sometimes people don't know how or want to fix them so they give up and "junk" the tractor. I got a 20hp B/S twin with filter off a "junk" tractor for $25 four years ago and I use it to this day. You just have to look and be patient and don't let them know the motor is still good or them may up the price.


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

I once got a perfectly good Brigg's 12HP vertical, well, good whole tractor really, for free because the owner didn't know to put a drive belt on it.

I had simply run an ad in the local paper that I was in the market for low cost/free, used, running or not, lawn tractors. With the number of people hauling stuff away for scrap, it's getting harder to score something like this, but with patience, one might get lucky.


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## fatjay (Dec 6, 2013)

I keep looking on craigslist. I debate putting ads up for the low cost or scrap tractors, but whenever i have something for sale, like my snowblower for $300, i assume it's those people that offer me $50 pick up today. Something about it, those lowball offers just get under my skin.


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## Cublover (Feb 20, 2011)

I ran an add like that in a local trader paper for a summer. I got calls from all over the place. That's how I ended up with the pre-historic cultivators and the 1050 Husky. One guy had a tiller that still had paint on the tines. He said that he has always hated it and his dad made him run it. After his dad passed, he wanted it GONE!
I was picking up free or super cheap tractors every couple days. 
I used them for parts for several years and still have the better stuff.


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## thirdroc17 (Sep 24, 2012)

fatjay said:


> I keep looking on craigslist. I debate putting ads up for the low cost or scrap tractors, but whenever i have something for sale, like my snowblower for $300, i assume it's those people that offer me $50 pick up today. Something about it, those lowball offers just get under my skin.


Yeah, those low ball idiots should go take a flying leap. I don't even bother with responding to them. Before I sell something for pennies on the dollar, I'll cut it up and take it for scrap. This all came to head for me when I was getting my divorce, and HAD to get rid of stuff. All kinds of people wanting to take advantage of me and my situation. WELL NO MORE! Pay me it's value, or no one gets it.

With that rant over, some people just want something gone, and don't care about value. All it's worth to them is whatever it takes to get it gone. Those are the ones that you are looking for in your ad. You're not looking to low ball a seller, rather, you're just want to be a junk man.


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