Tractors, Mowers, Chippers, Trailers, Chainsaws, Generators, Driveway Erosion Control, ETC.

I used to work at a john deere dealer and one of the biggest problems was running 87 octane especially with ethanol. I would check to see if there is a screen inside the fuel tank they should be replaceable if needed also if you have a manual fee shut off check to see if you have good flow when open ethanol tends to coke up (think sugar like crystals) fuel shut off valves and filter screens along with the small venturi inside the carburetor which will cause surging and backfiring and eventually carburetor failure. The fuel cut-off solenoid is more or less there to shut off the flow of fuel when the engine is off if a key is left on it will energize the solenoid which may flood the carb but again they have been know to fail I suggest removing it from the bowl and checking it (just make sure you ground the solenoid) and do this a few times to see if it fully opens and closes the plunger they again can coke up and not operate as they should. We always told our customers to use mid/premium fuel and to use a ethanol treatment or ethanol free fuel. I use pump 93 with a product called Startron I use about a cap full to 5 gals every time I get fuel for anything 4 stroke and knock on wood I've never had any problems with either of my tractors the first was a john deere LT155 from 1999 i got second hand in 2013 as the owner thought the transmission failed i bought it and found the drive belt and pulleys needed replacement aside that only oil change tune up at the end of season. My new tractor is a john deere S240. My 2 stroke engines I use Echo premix red fuel it's costly but I've had my equipment for 8years and only done tune ups every other season. hope this helps

 

Soooo? I picked up this ZT Toro unit early this summer. Bad hydro system and rusty deck, good running Kohler 25, with a bad oil leak.

I found the crankshaft end to have a cockeyed seal.

Asking for a friend...if one was to remove the seal from a parts engine and installed it the oil leaking engine...is this possible and how long would I, er I mean my friend, be shunned?

 

If you your friend tries it and it doesn't work he would be lambasted for being a lazy cheapskate and trying to do something so silly...


...on the other hand...


If it actually worked you he would be heralded as a hero of both innovation and thrift and we would all say "if anyone could pull it off..."

Tell (cough) *him* to give it a try -- super curious now.

 

Do you think it was poorly installed or did something get packed up in there and move it?

 

I'll tell that asshole he better be on his "A" game! I gots internet creds dependent on the outcome!

 

Pretty sure a pressure washer. The location of the side pushed corresponds to direct access for the water stream.

I found high crank case pressure issues, that just pushes out a side of the rubber on the seal.

Just to clarify, the seals are not seated completely in the case, they are about 3/8" of an inch from being pushed in as far a they can go. There is a hole that drains the oil circling the crank end.

 

i have a choice of 87 ethanol free or 92 with. for my 2 strokes i go 92 or prebottled 95 at seasons end. use eth free near winter.

 

I agree if ethanol sits that's where the problems start. I have heard people using racing fuel at end of season as it's high octane rating and available ethanol free but @ ~$12 a gal I just buy a gal of the ethanol free fuel from home depo and run it out of fuel then add a can and run for about 15 mins good till spring

 

Is the base pan gasket good? some had problems gasket blow outs

 

Dont be cheapass for a seal get a new one.

 

That area looked fine on this unit.

That intersection where the oil pump galley is located is often bad.

 

Too, late. He already installed it.

Now it's just a waiting game.

 

...and the shunning starts...

 

If it leaks just put new seal over the old 1 double your sealing power

 

the running joke at work was kohler makes great toilets... i mean engines lol

 

It is only a 5 minute job. These horizontal shaft engines are really easy access.

1 bolt releases the clutch.

1 sheet metal screw into the seal body and pry out the one seal with a claw hammer.

Grease up new seal and carefully tap in place with the same claw hammer.

Install clutch and clutch bolt.

I'm just curious if that part is as good used as new.

And yes, I know it's $7 at Napa, 8 minutes away.

We will know right away if this experiment was a failure.

Kinda seems like good question for a poll.

@six5crèéd

 

For the price of a seal I wouldn't mess around with trying to get an old 1 out and reuse it your asking for a problem! And yes horizontals were always easier the clutches on the vert style were prone to seizing on the crank had to use the fire wrench and a puller or prybar most of the time the clutch was trash after

 

Seals deform easy and the sides that mate to the base pan have a very fine layer of silicone material or a paint I don't recall which as that's different per engine /manufacture

 

Yep, they do. I added form a gasket sealer to the outside of this seal to insure it did not leak around the outer perimeter.

I want know if this used seal has any life in it. A 1500 hour engine is just the motor to practice on.

I'm betting something else goes before this seal starts leaking.

Just to help those that aren't aware of these Kohler Command engines:

They were built with a horizontal crankshaft or a vertical crankshaft.

Both styles are very similar with many shared parts.

The horizontal pto side of the engine is called the engine block cover.

The vertical shaft version is called the block base pan. I know, just what we need, more confusion.