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Well someone told me to come check this place out. So here I am. Hi everyone.
Hello from Michigans west coast
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welcome to the site.
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Welcome to the site Animals Only, we're glad you joined! :usa: :usa: :usa: Please feel at home here, we have a knowlegeable and helpful group of folks on the the Forum. Please take a look around and be sure to check out the comprehensive Technical Library and FAQs.animalsonly said:
Do you have any CCI GTs or YTs? Look forward to talking on site. :thumbsup:
:222: :446: Best Regards, Rich
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Welcome-Why Animals Only?? Why not Tractors Only?
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I bought a 444 cheap. it smokes. I am going to bring it in and have it rebuilt, unless I find some compelling reason here to fix it myself. Problem is I have enough going on right now without rebuilding an engine. I would like to use the tractor before next year.
Why Animals Only you ask. I run a wild Animal Control Business from my home. That's after a 8 hour day job. I don't do birds or bees. So it is Animals Only.
I did check it out a little. My first thought is I like the bigger fonts.
Why Animals Only you ask. I run a wild Animal Control Business from my home. That's after a 8 hour day job. I don't do birds or bees. So it is Animals Only.
I did check it out a little. My first thought is I like the bigger fonts.
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8,018 Posts
Animals Only: I bet your side work is quite interesting at times! :usa: :usa: :usa:
You may want to head over to the Kohler Forum (assuming you have a Kohler :thumbsup: ) on this site and do a post with all the details regarding the smoking, color, etc. and see what feedback you receive.
:222: :446: Best Regards, Rich
You may want to head over to the Kohler Forum (assuming you have a Kohler :thumbsup: ) on this site and do a post with all the details regarding the smoking, color, etc. and see what feedback you receive.
:222: :446: Best Regards, Rich
Parts interchangeability for your tractor is determined the following way.
Find the ID tag on your tractor's dash tower and carefully record the serial number.
Then go to our Technical Library, click on the PARTS MANUAL section and find the Kohler powered tractors sub-section. Once you open that up, scroll down and find the parts PDF that coincides with your serial number.
If you are seeking major parts for your tractor, then ask the person selling the parts to give you the serial number of the tractor those parts were stripped off of.
Once you know that, you can go back to the Tech Library and find the parts manual that is correct for that donor tractor.
Compare part numbers.
The 444 was made from 1969 to 1988 and underwent many, many changes in the way it was built during that period. Do not assume that any part will interchange just because the hood has a 444 decal on it. Many of the "wear parts" can be bought brand new from local bearing supply houses as can some other parts.
As for the engine, I urge you to take this job on yourself unless you have deep pockets. If you have reasonable mechanical skills as well as regular hand tools, then you should pull the engine and tear it down. When you get to the bare block stage, take the block, crank, valves, valve springs and camshaft into an experienced machine shop that knows Kohler K engines inside out. Let them bore the cylinder, deck the block, mill the head flat, turn the crank, do the valve job, profile the camshaft and re-assemble the basic engine. You can bring that home, put the flywheel, engine tins etc back on and then bolt the engine back into the tractor. That's how you save money and still come away with a professional rebuild.
Now.....let me ask you this. Did you ever get this kind of advice on MTF? :sidelaugh:
Find the ID tag on your tractor's dash tower and carefully record the serial number.
Then go to our Technical Library, click on the PARTS MANUAL section and find the Kohler powered tractors sub-section. Once you open that up, scroll down and find the parts PDF that coincides with your serial number.
If you are seeking major parts for your tractor, then ask the person selling the parts to give you the serial number of the tractor those parts were stripped off of.
Once you know that, you can go back to the Tech Library and find the parts manual that is correct for that donor tractor.
Compare part numbers.
The 444 was made from 1969 to 1988 and underwent many, many changes in the way it was built during that period. Do not assume that any part will interchange just because the hood has a 444 decal on it. Many of the "wear parts" can be bought brand new from local bearing supply houses as can some other parts.
As for the engine, I urge you to take this job on yourself unless you have deep pockets. If you have reasonable mechanical skills as well as regular hand tools, then you should pull the engine and tear it down. When you get to the bare block stage, take the block, crank, valves, valve springs and camshaft into an experienced machine shop that knows Kohler K engines inside out. Let them bore the cylinder, deck the block, mill the head flat, turn the crank, do the valve job, profile the camshaft and re-assemble the basic engine. You can bring that home, put the flywheel, engine tins etc back on and then bolt the engine back into the tractor. That's how you save money and still come away with a professional rebuild.
Now.....let me ask you this. Did you ever get this kind of advice on MTF? :sidelaugh:
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317 Posts
No I didn't. I got the tractor on the trailer now. So if I follow your advise how much would I expect to put into it?
If you hand your tractor over to a shop and say "Rebuild my engine.", then you will pay whatever their hourly door rate is to do the hours of work you are likely capable of doing. Maybe that's $40.00 per hour or maybe that's $80.00 per hour. You have to ask those questions. Rates vary from place to place.
The same holds true with machine shop fees. They can prepare the block, crank and cam and the tell you what you need. Rod, rings, piston and gaskets can be bought off of e-Bay for low cost from very reputable Sellers. I can't tell you what it will cost because the machinist is the one to inspect the engine and determine what procedures are needed. I would guess that you could save yourself a minimum of $500.00 by doing much of this work yourself.
Only you can decide. Do your homework in advance. There's no real panic here, is there? You know what the saying is. Buy in haste, regret in leisure.
The same holds true with machine shop fees. They can prepare the block, crank and cam and the tell you what you need. Rod, rings, piston and gaskets can be bought off of e-Bay for low cost from very reputable Sellers. I can't tell you what it will cost because the machinist is the one to inspect the engine and determine what procedures are needed. I would guess that you could save yourself a minimum of $500.00 by doing much of this work yourself.
Only you can decide. Do your homework in advance. There's no real panic here, is there? You know what the saying is. Buy in haste, regret in leisure.
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317 Posts
No, there is no panic. Just excitment to get it in the dirt. I think I'll wait and think on this a little longer. Start pricing out parts.
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1,211 Posts
You can buy genuine for not much more if you watch ebay.... piece by piece
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