Cub Cadet 1811 - Need Advice Removing Engine

[NormL]

A generous neighbour of ours dropped off an old but well maintained CC1811 with mower attachment. He told me it had sat for ten years or so but started right up when he put gas in it and checked oil levels. He knew we needed a spare machine to mow our numerous acres of grass and said we could have it, as in for free!!

Well, we were more than happy to accept the offer and promptly put it to work. It has 600+ hours on an 18 hp Kohler engine but seemed to be running strong - for about three or four hours. My grandson was mowing their front yard when the engine simply died. I "schlepped" it back to the shop and started looking for the cause. It would start - barely, and ran poorly but stall if I tried driving it. Cleaned and adjusted the carb but no change. Put in new plugs which helped just a little but still wouldn't drive let alone run the mower deck. Changed the ignition module because the spark looked weak. A bit better but still lacked power and still not firing on the left side cylinder. Finally did what I should have at the beginning and did compression test. Right side has 80+ lbs. The left side - nothing, zero. Removed the head and saw what I feared; the piston does not move when I bump the starter, GRRRR...

There is no more avoiding it; the engine has to come out. My guess is the con-rod may be broken. But to deepen the mystery, when I pushed the piston back about a half inch and bumped the starter, it moved back to where it had been. It seems like the crankshaft pushes the con-rod out of the way and just runs the opposite cylinder. End cap broke and fell off? So I need to pull the engine and get at the bottom to see if repair is feasible. At least it didn't punch a hole in the block. May have done internal damage though.

Bottom line - advice, cautions, short-cuts?

 

[JJT]

No short cuts. Take your time, take pictures and start the tear down. Get your grandson involved, it sounds like a fun project to me.

 

[NormL]

"No shortcuts" means I'll have to start by removing the mower deck. I wish I had lowered it before shutting off the engine the last time. Now with the one side opened up I'm not sure about starting it up even for a few seconds. I'll try just cranking it with the starter while holding the valve open. Dropping should be minimal strain on the starter.

 

[oldnslo]

Deck should lower via gravity with out engine running. Just move the lever to lower.

 

[NormL]

It should and I tried it but it just hung there so I did it with the starter and that worked. I got the deck out of the way but the lift frame needs to go also. Took the hood and grill out of the way as well and that will have to do for today. It's hot out there, 31-32C (that's 89-90F) and I'm old and slow too so I need to pace myself.

 

[NormL]

I've put in an hour or two when time and energy allowed and have the engine out and on a temporary table. I am looking for the access to the crankshaft and connecting rods so I can see what it will take to put things right again. In the absence of a repair manual I'll be looking to the internet and knowledgeable TBNers to get me on the right track. I've been trying to figure out how to post the pix I've taken with my phone but so far no luck. I'll post this as is and keep trying

 

[oldnslo]

Usually their is a cover on the output end of the crankshaft that comes off. On vertical shaft engines it would be the oil pan. Remove the heads and tension off the cam shaft from the valves. Remove the push rods if that engine has them before taking that cover off since it may also hold one end of the cam shaft. Also note bolt lengths and locations since they may not all be the same length. Sometimes those covers are kind of stuck in place so tap gently to get it broke loose. There are alignment dowels so it will not twist to break loose. So and careful is the way to get this done looking for anything binding. Sometimes the bolt heads are hidden under crud in a depression in the cover.

 

[NormL]

Thank you for that, oldnslo, the engine model I'm working on is the horizontal one. It is mounted in such a way that the "front" of the engine faces the back and has a PTO attachment for driving the Hydro-static trans and hydraulics. The "back" end faces the front an has an electric clutch driven PTO for the various attachments. I'd rather not have to open either of those since access to the connecting rods is unlikely to be optimal from there. I was hoping for a removable oil pan or a plate on one side for reasonably easy access. Failing that, is there access through the top after the manifolds are removed? I will see what the internet has to say although the probing I have done so far has not been very fruitful.

 

[RandyT]

The pto clutch will need to come off in order to remove the side cover to access the rods

 

[WranglerX]

May be able to find manual for engine here...

https://kohlerpower.com/en/engines/service-manuals