A lot of engine never came with Balance gears. they where and option. If one lets go they can put a hole right through the side of the block. Not that much of a difference with or without them.

Especially if the engine is mounted with the PTO coming out of the sides of the tractor. It is when the PTO is facing front or back when you feel a slight difference.

If you have them out, I would leave them out. Especially if you plan on using higher rpms then recommended like some tractor pullers do.

Just one less thing to go wrong if they are not in the engine.

just my opinion, I left them out of several engines that I have rebuilt and do not see that much of a difference in them

Joe

This is just my take on this.
One of my gt14s has a rebuilt replacement motor on it. Either its one without balance gears or they left them out, the thing vibrates lilke hell compared to the others. and since i'm not up to replaceing them it'll be goin up for sale soon.

Who rebuilt it? Do you know anything about the internals?
I know of a K-301 block that was bored .125" and fitted with a STD K-321 piston and rod. (the guy couldn't find another K-321 block after a balance gear went out through the side of the original one) It shakes and bounces more than a "fat chick" on a trampoline.
If your engine is a 14hp (or 16hp) with a 12hp crankshaft, it'll try to jump clear out of the tractor!

Its a 14, had my engine builder check it out, and since it only vibrates he stated it was one or the other. He also stated that in the last 35yrs( WH dealership) he has never left the gears out just for this reason. When kohler removed the gears in the newer motors everyone went to the rubber mounts so thets why he said it could be either case.

Whoa........ it's gonna take a while to get THAT image out of my mind.

So to summarize, we have a whole bunch of guys who have had good experience leaving them out, and a couple who say leave them in.

Personally, I'd go with the odds. WAIT, I did, they aren't in mine either... LOL

It's been 6 months so what's the verdict about the balance gears? I had no
problem timing them. Now the needle bearings was a whole nother (nother?)
story!! But since I somehow scored the cylinder walls putting the new piston in I'm doing another tear down. I have the K341
and wanted to know if it's best to leave the gears out. But I don't want an engine
that vibrates. And is it to my understanding that these gears are known to explode?

Butch,
There is a slight, noticeable vibration at low idle, which goes away as you throttle up. But, it doesn't vibrate anymore than my stock C-125 with the K301 in it. I would recommend leaving out the balancing gears.

I have a K341 from a genset that came without the gears. So, they aren't absolutely necessary.

The easiest way to fix balance gears is with a slab of concrete and an 8lb sledge.
I have seen many blocks ruined by balance gears that failed.
If you have a slight knock and no balance gears there are a couple of place to look.Check your timing with a light.If the timing is good, check the end play on the cam.....yup,it'll make you think your loosing a rod.

T-Mo is your engine isolated or is bolted directly to the frame?

I left mine out-because of Brian Millers advice-and - like has been said ,they must be a BEAR to time. No noticeable change in the vibration-maybe a little a very low idle-which I don't do anyway because of the "splash" oil system. _AL

Butch,
My K321 is iso-mounted - I did replace the iso-mounts on C-141 before I placed the engine on the tractor. My other C, the C-125, and the rebuilt engine in the C-141 vibrates as much as the C-125 does.