Timing a Kohler K321

C

coinman66

Active Member
I know the specs call for .020 on the points, but what if the engine has a lot of hours on it? Would the settings lean towards over the .020 or under like .015 or something? Anybody have any experience with this? At .020 the engine has trouble starting and seems to backfire out muffler and carburetor.
 
First, check the flywheel key to make sure it is not sheared. Even a small cut could cause backfiring. I now set the point gap on the older engines at .018" and have had no problems.
 
Rivets said:
First, check the flywheel key to make sure it is not sheared. Even a small cut could cause backfiring. I now set the point gap on the older engines at .018" and have had no problems.
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Ya know I never thought of that. Thanks ibwill be checking soon. I bet your right though.
 
Also check your carb. If it is set too rich backfiring through both the carb and muffler can occur. Easy way to see if it is running rich, look at the plug, heavy black color indicates a rich condition.
 
Rivets said:
Also check your carb. If it is set too rich backfiring through both the carb and muffler can occur. Easy way to see if it is running rich, look at the plug, heavy black color indicates a rich condition.
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So screw the high idle screw in a little more?
The plug looked dark. I'm still leaning towards the flywheel key. I'm pretty good at tuning the carb, but can't get it to come out of it.
 
If it has a battery ignition, you actually use a timing light to set the points gap on those engines. The points gap could be anywhere from .016" to .024" depending on the camshaft and push rod wear. There is a timing sight hole on the carb side of the blower housing and a timing mark on the flywheel. If you do it this way you will dial it in correctly. The service manual has the procedure listed in it.
 
cashman said:
If it has a battery ignition, you actually use a timing light to set the points gap on those engines. The points gap could be anywhere from .016" to .024" depending on the camshaft and push rod wear. There is a timing sight hole on the carb side of the blower housing and a timing mark on the flywheel. If you do it this way you will dial it in correctly. The service manual has the procedure listed in it.
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Yah I don't have a timing light. But what I do is rotate the flywheel until points open fully, then rotate a hair more and when they just start to close, that's when I set them with feeler guage. I have had success with other engines this way, but this one is giving me fits. That's why I'm thinking sheared flywheel key?
 
You adjust the points when they are fully open. It fires when they do open and you want the piston around .050 BTDC at this point or also that engine must have taming marks. Not that big of a job to check the key just remove the flywheel. I find then the keyway is striped it doesn't run at all. Just why do you think the key is striped, did you hit something or take it apart and didn't torque the flywheel proper so check it out. Because of the backfiring is the reason I think more of a valve adjustment and also you said the engine has a lot of hours on it.
 
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