Important Information About
the Cub Cadet Oil Pan
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Normal High Speed Engine
Vibration Can Cause an Oil Pan to Loosen and Possibly Break!
On a Cub Cadet, the only thing that fastens the engine block to the tractor frame is the oil pan. An OEM aluminum pan can be used on a stock pulling engine that operate no more than 4,000 rpms. But on a high performance pulling engine that's going to turn well above 4,000 rpms, and due to normal engine vibrations, it's best to use either a cast iron or steel oil pan. To permanently prevent the oil pan from becoming loose under any circumstances, first make sure that the flywheel, crankshaft and piston/connecting rod assembly are all precision balanced and DON'T USE AN OIL PAN GASKET. Instead, apply a thin bead of clear RTV silicone adhesive/sealant between the block and pan and then torque the bolts (use hardened grade 8 bolts with split lock washers) to 35 ft. lb. And by the way - it's a good idea to use split lock washers on ALL fasteners, to prevent other parts on the tractor from becoming loose later.
And if you're concerned about driveshaft misalignment or clutch pin binding when not using an oil pan gasket, install a 1/32" (.030") thickness steel shim at each mounting hole between the oil pan and tractor frame. This will set the crankshaft centerline at the proper height with the driveshaft.
On a Kohler pulling engine that turns well above 4,000 rpm, sometimes the oil pan will loosen because the gasket acts like a cushion between the engine block and pan. At high rpms (above 4,000 rpm), normal engine vibration (caused by crankshaft side thrust, which is unavoidable in a single cylinder engine) can cause the engine block and oil pan to "shift" against each other a few thousands of an inch, allowing the gasket to flatten out overtime. As this happens, the bolts that fasten the pan to the block loosens. But sometimes the bolts don't always rotate or turn counterclockwise to loosen, they just lose their torque or tightness against the pan because of the flattened gasket.
FYI - In a pulling tractor, normal high rpm vibrations from the engine could cause the oil pan gasket to flatten out overtime, which will cause the oil pan bolts to loosen, and which could crack or break the oil pan and/or engine block. Using silicone sealer will allow positive metal-to-metal contact, which keeps the bolts securely tight, plus it fills in any imperfections between the two metals, eliminating oil leaks. So if somebody recommends using an oil pan gasket on a pulling engine that's going to turn well above 4,000 rpm, don't do it! Don't take chances! You could be sorry. Because sometimes listening to the wrong person can be very costly.
Identification of Kohler Engine Blocks -
Makes of garden tractors that
originally came from the factory with a straight or narrow base Kohler engine
block are: IH Cub Cadet, J.I. Case, John Deere (models 112, 110 and early
model 210 with the Kohler K241 engine. Model 112 serial number 100,001 –
250,000, 110 serial number 250,001 and up with the Kohler 10hp K241 engine,
and 210 up to serial number 95,261), some Ford, some Jacobsen and Springfield.
(The oil pan used on the John Deere and Springfield Kohler-equipped garden
tractors are identical to the Cub Cadet flat bottom oil pans. They're made
of cast iron, too.)
Makes of garden tractors that originally came from the factory with a flanged or wide base Kohler engine block are: Ariens, Wheel Horse, some Ford, some Jacobsen, Gravely, New Holland, Sears Suburban, Engineering Products Co. (Economy models) and Allis Chalmers. No Cub Cadet originally came with a wide base Kohler engine block.
If you have a flanged or wide base single cylinder Kohler engine block, they're made for the wide or large oil pan. These can be easily converted for use with a Cub Cadet oil pan. What needs to be done is this:
-
Cut the flanges off the block
with a saw-saw or reciprocating saw. Then grind the remaining metal even
with the rest of the block.
- If there's oil fill openings (notches) on each side of the block, the angled part will need to be ground flat, and a couple of 1/2" x 1/2" x 1-3/8" long pieces if steel welded into them. Then after the welding process, use a large file or lightly grind the steel so it's even with the rest of the bottom of the engine block.
To weld steel to cast iron...
- First of all, being cast iron is porous (like a sponge), the area that's to be welded must first be heated with an acetylene torch to burn the oil out of the iron. Be careful not to get the metal too hot though. Overheating could shrink it and crack it. Heat it just enough so the oil evaporates and the iron appears dry.
- Grind the edge of the cast iron and steel pieces creating a "V" shape area so the weld will lay into this and not be "lumped up." (Welding bonds metals together better when it lays into a "V" shape area.)
- Use a wire-feed MIG welder with mild steel wire or a stick welder with a nickel rod and weld the steel to the cast iron like you would with ordinary steel. Allow the weld to air cool. Don't dip it into water or pour water over the weld. Doing this may separate the weld from the iron.
- Use a thread cutting tap to make 3/8-16 NC threads in the holes that's in the block. If there are no holes in the block, use the oil pan as a template to locate and drill the holes.
- Install an oil pan that's made for a Cub Cadet. (See below Ê)
To identify a Cub Cadet oil pan, first of all, they're exactly 1-1/16" tall.
The pan to tractor frame holes measures exactly 4-15/16" x 7-5/8". From the
base of the Cub Cadet pan to the centerline of the crankshaft for the 10-16hp
Kohler engines, the measurement is exactly 4.71875" (4-23/32"). And with
a wide base oil pan, it measures 6.125" (6-1/8"). These are with the (.030"
thickness) oil pan gasket installed.
Cub Cadet oil pans have either a flat bottom or deep sump. The flat bottom pans are originally made for the 10hp engine, but will work with no problem on the 12, 14 and 16hp engines, but half of the oil dipper on the connecting rod must be cut off. The deep sump ones are good for stroker engines. The flat bottom pan holds 1 quart of oil, and the deep sump one holds 1-1/2 quarts.
The length of the dipper on the connecting rod when shortened must be no shorter than 1-5/8" in length, when measured from the bottom of the rod cap to the end of the dipper. And a short dipper will help to increase the engine power. If a 10hp Kohler engine has a small, flat bottom Cub Cadet oil pan, the connecting rod has short dipper. But if it has a large, wide base pan, the rod has a long dipper. The 12, 14 and 16hp engines all come with a deep sump oil pan, as well as a large, wide base oil pan. Therefore, their connecting rods have a long dipper.
If you have an oil pan with the drain plug in the wrong location, you can install another drain plug by looking at the oil pan and find where the metal is thicker than the rest. These places are specially made to drill and tap oil drain plug threads.
| If you need an oil pan, please contact me, Brian Miller
at A-1 Miller's Small Engine &
Specialty Shop (1501 West Old Plank Rd., Columbia, Missouri. 65203 |
Phone: 1-573-875-4033). Please call any day between 12 noon and 8:00 p.m.
Central time, and please be patient because I stutter. Fax: 1-573-449-7347.
You can also contact me through Yahoo! Messenger:
|
|
 Magnetic drain
plug. Has 3/8" square head with 3/8" NPT threads. Universal fit. Helps trap
metallic pieces inside crankcase to reduce engine wear. $3.50 each,
plus shipping. |
|
 Narrow Base
Block Oil Pans -
Used cast iron flat bottom or OEM aluminum deep sump oil pan. These originally
came off an early model 10hp K241 K-series flathead engine that was in a
Cub Cadet, but will fit the 12, 14 and 16hp K-series and Magnum flathead
engines with half of oil dipper on connecting rod cut off. This is also an
exact replacement for John Deere models 110, 112 and early model 210 with
the Kohler K241 engines. Model 112 serial number 100,001 – 250,000,
110 serial number 250,001 and up with the Kohler 10hp K241 engine, and 210
up to serial number 95,261. These will also fit Wheel Horse garden tractors.
Clean and in excellent condition, including good bolt threads. Includes drain
plug. Holds 1 quart of oil. $45.00 each, plus shipping. [When
available.] |
|
 Cast iron deep sump oil pan.
Good for long stroke pulling engines. NOTE: For better lubrication, these
oil pans require a full length oil dipper on the connecting rod. Includes
drain plug. Holds 1-1/2 quarts of oil. $60.00 each, plus shipping.
[When available.]  |
 OEM aluminum deep sump oil
pan. Good for general yard use or governored stock pulling engines. NOTE:
For better lubrication, these oil pans require a full length oil dipper on
the connecting rod. Includes drain plug. Holds 1-1/2 quarts of oil.
$40.00 each, plus shipping. |
 Wide Base Block
Oil Pan -
Used (but clean and in excellent condition, including good bolt thread holes)
cast iron wide base, deep oil pan for Kohler K-series and Magnum flathead
engines. These come on various makes of tractors such as: Ariens, Wheel Horse,
some Ford, some Jacobsen, Gravely, New Holland, Sears Suburban, Engineering
Products Co. (Economy models) and Allis Chalmers. NOTE: For better
lubrication, these oil pans require a full length oil dipper on the connecting
rod. Includes drain plug. Holds 3 quarts of oil. $30.00 each,
plus shipping. [When available.] |
|
Linked pages to my parts & services:
Please click HERE, e-mail me at pullingtractor@aol.com or call me at 1-573-875-4033 if you need machine work performed, repairs made, various parts, if your business would like to help sponsor my web sites or if you'd like to make a donation towards my web sites. Please call between 12 noon and 8:00 p.m. Central time, and please be patient because I stutter.
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