5 replies to this topic

[tdbaker]

I have a K341 and a K361. Which motor should I use?  The tractor is a PK1424 and has the K341 on it now but I was given the K361. I don't have the gas tank or instrument panel for installing the K361 on the tractor but I do have the hood and front. The K361 also has the PTO clutch.  I will be using the tractor for mowing. I am planning on going restoring the tractor and now would be the time to pick which motor to put back on.

 

Thanks

[John Arsenault]

Thats a hard choice, sheeeesh I think its even harder then choosing over Bamby or Wonder bread. You have to make that choice though, all we can do is talk about a few pros and cons, but the work and expense required is up to you. With out knowing the condition on the engines and or availability and cost of the parts required its hard for me to make a choice for you.

 

Hard to beat a great running K341, and parts are easier to get on these. if you don't need the 2 extra hp this may be the way to go.

 

The K361 is a pretty awesome engine too, not much difference cost a bit more for parts and has a hump on top.  

 

So I'd say use the best of what you got and make it as nice as you can , you can't go wrong either way. 

[dodge trucker]

What condition are these in? If one is low hours, clean, don't knock or smoke and the other one isn't, that would help me decide
Now if they are both in similar condition whether that be good or bad then that makes it harder. In that case I would lean towards the bigger HP.

[EricFromPa]

Which ever engine is in better condition. Pull the head off both of them and see which one has less cylinder wear. You can always swap Gas tank and PTO parts from 1 to the other.

 

 

I torque my Head bolts to 35 ft lbs. Manual says 25-30 ft lbs but I find that they loosen up a bit to much for my liking after being run for an hour or so if they are torqued to anything less than 30-35 ft lbs.

It's always a good thing to re-torque your head bolts after a couple of hours anyway. Because even at 35 ft lbs they will get a little loose because of the head gasket squashing out a bit when the engine warms up. You can blow a head gasket if you don't re-torque the head.  

Edited by EricFromPa, March 22, 2018 - 09:24 AM.

[LilysDad]

2 hp isn't that much difference. The K361 needs a little more maintenance to keep it good. There are little tricks to get a few more horses out of the 341.

[Billy M]

I run a K361 on one of my Ariens GT18s.  Love it.  I've heard scuttlebutt that the HP was underrated on the K361.  I've heard people say it's closer to 20 HP.  I believe it.  My K361 is very torquey compared to my GT18 with an M18.  The K361 single does have a longer stroke than the twin M18, so that does make sense.

 

If you go with the K361, just make sure you keep the head clean.  I blow the head fins out with compressed air every time I cut grass with it to make sure it's clean.  Get a K361 hot & you'll be dropping valve seats like elbows at an MMA event.