workhorse engine swap

[Thimmesch1]

I have a workhorse with a 350 in it.it has a rod knock
can I put a 295 in there instead?
I realize it will have less power,but I found a real good deal on a 295.
questions are can I use the 350 carb?rejet?
I do have a high torque spring for the primary clutch.
should I also use a different ramp for the clutch to help with power?
Thanks

[sccowboy]

What kind of a good deal is the 295? Whats your budget?

[BrewCityMusic]

the engines are a direct swap, but yes the 350 carb has a larger jet so that would have to be addressed ... A primary spring is a questionable plan though in my opinion, the way they work is to allow the clutch to stay engaged at a higher ratio for a larger RPM range, however the tradeoff is that You end up with a higher engagement RPM which can make for jerky starts and stops. Being a Workhorse, your cart already has the 28deg driven clutch (which is the best you can get for torque) so that should be fine - personally if you're looking for more "oomph" I would leave the primary alone and just run a 1" shorter belt, you'll basically get the same or better gains than re-springing the primary without the jerkiness (not to mention it's a $30 mod that takes 8 seconds and no tools to install) ...

Keep in mind that swapping your motor for a new one through CT Rebuilds is about $600 and gets you a brand-new engine with a full warranty - unless you're getting the 295 dirt cheap and can be sure it's a strong engine, that may be a better route. Also, make sure the engine you have and the new one are both either pre-MCI or MCI engines as if they are from different series then it's nowhere near a "drop-in" and can cost a bit to get right.

[sccowboy]

That's what I was curious about.... That "good deal" may not be so if the engine is near its end of service life.

[Thimmesch1]

I bought a rebuilt 295 off ebay for 625-no core fee
I am going to part out the 350,hopefully end up with 3-400$
so if everything goes I will have a rebuilt 295 for around 300.00
last time I listed a complete head it bid up to 260.00.(ebay prices are insane)
I was going to go with ct but did not want to risk sending them the core and them saying it is partially rebuildable.I sent them a question and got no response. reading their feedback that happens quite a bit.
I do not blame them these engines are over 20 years old.
my other cheapskate option was to open it up and replace the one rod I think is bad. probably would have had 200.00 into putting a half *** bandaid on it to get it running again.
the engine was running but had a knock.
it had 175 psi on the pto side and 160 on the side with the knock.
looks like I may have to change the main jet and I think the throttle linkage may be a little different. this is the extended frame workhorse...1200...?
Thanks

[sccowboy]

I rebuilt my 350 for around 4 after it was all said and done. It runs like a top now. If you were into the engine to replace one rod then you may as well go ahead and do the whole thing. Good luck.

[Thimmesch1]

Yea,I looked at that route also.
I have never rebuilt a twin cylinder 4 stroke.
plenty of 2 strokes.(they are easy)
I think that after taking this engine completely apart it will give me
a better understanding of this engine and what it takes to rebuild it.
any idea of what size jet I will need here in MN.
thanks for the info

[BrewCityMusic]

if the throttle linkage is different, you may have one MCI and one pre-MCI engine ... If that's the case, the ignitions are different, the exhaust system is different, the coil is different - I'd wait until You have the new engine in front of You to get too far into anything - the dead giveaway is the exhaust manifold, if it's 1pc cast it's an MCI motor, if it's a 2pc it's a pre-MCI. The manifolds don't swap, so if they're different You're going to need to replace the exhaust (also possible to cut the old one at the intake and spin it 15deg or so then reweld, if your current exhaust is in good enough condition to take the welding) ... The ignition modules and coils are different (and not interchangeable) too - don't let that scare you though, it's possible the engines are the same gen and if so, like I said earlier everything should be a direct swap except the carb / linkage (and that should be able to be used with rejetting and some modification) ...

Let's make sure the motors are compatible and we can go from there

[sccowboy]

Brew is giving you very sound advice. Once you have the 295 do what he said. On a side note, if you're interested in it, you could rebuild the 350 at your leisure and have it on the shelf for future use. I know you were thinking of parting it out to offset the money on the new one so keeping it may not fit your plans.

[Thimmesch1]

I am also in the process of building a 95 txt with a 16 hp duromax(see link)
one clutch seems to overpower the other.
It seems to go to max rpm really quick then the speed comes on.
governor is intact.
I use the workhorse around the house....mostly flatlands.
Do you think it may be a good idea to swap driven clutchs and run a 1" shorter belt? on both?
How do I find a part # for a belt that is 1" shorter than stock?
Thanks for all the info I really appreciate it!!!