EZ Boss 40 HP Truckmount

[Captain America]

That's not what I am reading on some of the engine boards...for full synthetic....
Either way something is wrong if your kholer engine lasts 900 hours...
Also I have had 2 or more engine guys tell me the back pressure from the heat exchangers
Are not good for these engines...
Also the kholer guys told me these engines are made to run full throttle and will work better if they are full throttle
I only use external heat such as kero...I believe it is better for the engine

 

[Desk Jockey]

My mower has a 25-hp Kohler and she's a beast. Its a commercial mower so I assume the motor is also. Oil change and filter and she keeps running strong.

It does put off a tremendous amount of heat. I can't imagine how hot it would be in a van.

 

[Captain America]

Rico you may be hitting on something ....these heat exchangers are sometimes close to the engine and are made to hold a lot of heat...it may be the extra heat from the heat exchangers and the back pressure that is causing the propblem.....
I know my vans were a lot hotter with the heat exchangers I had instead of straight mufflers....

 

[KevinD]

The EZ heat exchanger is a box with a coil in it.
No interior baffling so I don't see where it would develop any back pressure.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Could a rookie mistakenly leave both ball valves closed and what possible outcome would there be from that?

 

[dgardner]

That would completely block the exhaust - I dont think the engine would even run.

 

[Desk Jockey]

So it wouldn't shorten the life, it would actually extend the life of the motor.....since it can't run?

 

[hogjowl]

Kholer a are good engines
I have had 4 kholer engines....25 hp...30 hp
1 lasted 2500 hour
1 lasted. 2000 hours
1 lasted 1500. Hours
I believe the key to longer lasting is open van air flow
And gotta use high grade full synthetic oil and change it frequently.....every 100 hours
If you have regular grade oil every 30...50 hours
But I wouldn't suggest low grade oil...it's only a few $ more for full synthetic.....

That has been my experience with both Kohlers and Briggs engines. Never got more than 2800 hours out of either. I change my oil and filter every 50 hours like clockwork. In my opinion, it's the heat.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Air cooled is air cooled, they are just not going last as long as liquid cooled.

Liquid cooled makes far more sense for the punishment we put our powerplants through.

 

[Captain America]

Kholer engines historically run hotter....that's why a lot of manufacturers like them for the heat exchangers....
I swiched 1 truckmount to generac 33 hp...under 2000$ and seams to be a little cooler in the van.....
I am still reading on engine forums that engine makers are recommending full synthetic..
Briggs recommends it...kholer allows it....
Less breakdown at high temps and better cleaning .....

 

[clean image]

The other issue I was told from the late John for johns heat exchange and a kohler rep, is that air cooled engines must be run at near max rpm, 3200-3400 to develope enough air flow from fan to cool motor, that is how they cook... lack air movement

 

[Dolly Llama]

The other issue I was told from the late John for johns heat exchange and a kohler rep, is that air cooled engines must be run at near max rpm, 3200-3400 to develope enough air flow from fan to cool motor

'zaccally right, Carl
anyone not running air cooled near MAX are killing their motor prematurely

the other problem is a clusterfull of stuff packed in the van impeding airflow.

Briggs and Kohlers should run 3000-4000 hours before they're anywhere near toast


..L.T.A.

 

[Able 1]

Ain't falling for no banana in the tail pipe..

 

[juniorc82]

I have the same unit I am in the process of trading in. I believe the big block series Kohler engines have not had all the bugs worked out by kohler. Many over heating and vapor lock and flooding issues. On my ez the manufacturer honored all warranty work and fixed it any time it went down. I own another ez a 2345 and have not had 1 single problem with it. It has a 23hp briggs. I am trading my 3447 for another 2345 so both my machines will be the same. From what I understand ez has switched to the 35 hp briggs which runs a lot smoother . My friend has a 3547 with the briggs and has not had one bit of engine trouble. For me I think the big 3447 was over kill and have found the 45 blower machine dialed up to 15'' to be damn near the perfect single wand machine for the daily grind

 

[juniorc82]

And I have also heard that some people who have other brand units with the big block kohler such as the amtex dragon are also having engine problems with the big block kohlers

 

[Captain America]

I believe the 38-40 hp kholer may be a new engine....came out in 2007??
I am also reading where these 40 hp kholer a are having problems...don't know why??
May be too big for an air cooled engine......I believe kholer makes a water cooled 40 hp
Also kholer engines run hotter than Briggs or generac.....
Generac makes 33-35 hp engines and almost the same torque as the kholer 40 hp..
I have a generac 33 hp and it works great so far 2000$ vs 3000$ for the 40 hp kholer

 

[juniorc82]

I really like the briggs engines. I was always a kohler guy but the new briggs really seem to run smooth. I think those enormous aircooled engines can expose other flaws due to the excess of heat and vibration. I also notice my smaller 23 horse briggs consumes far less fuel making it more ideal for the day to day cleaning

 

[Goomer]

That's not what I am reading on some of the engine boards...for full synthetic....

Without a doubt, full synthetics provide a benefit over dino's under high heat, but from what I have read, when specifically dealing with the very high heat conditions experienced with air cooled engines, especially when in confined areas, the most important component of any oil will be the zinc content which activates under high heat to form a phosphate "glass"protective film between moving parts.

Only synthetics formulated specifically for air cooled engines will you find adequate zinc anti-wear additive packages, and will most likely not be found in any synthetics formulated for autos.

Rice-rocket oils seem to fit this bill very well.

 

[John Olson]

Hmmm. I expect no less then 4500 hours out of an air cooled Kohler and we usually see close to 6-7k out of the ones that bring them in regularly and 8-9 out of the water cooled engines. One thing that is absolutely necessary are the covers. Machines built by people that are not engineers and don't have covers thinking the engine needs to "breathe" or no covers means less heat are wrong. The covers are designed to pull air through and around the engine. Why Prochem and Sapphire and Hydramaster all have stickers that say running the machine without the covers voids the warranty. Now you guys can keep buying engines every 2000 hours are just buy a machine designed by real engineers that offer you real long term return on investment.

 

[Chris A]

That's interesting John. It does "seem" like the lower price mounts go through engines faster. I have limited experience with air cooled motors was my boxxer that had 2300 hours when I sold it but I did a valve job at 2000. My dad had an old legend that went 8k on the original 18 hp Kohler

 

[KevinD]

Here is the 38hp I run.
Notice the intake and all the plastic shrouding that directs the air
into all the tin deflectors around the heads and oil cooler
and eventually out by the exhaust ports for cooling purposes.



I couldn't imagine any additional machine shrouding
keeping it any cooler.
These things were designed for open air running.

 

[Captain America]

John
What size are these engines that go5-8 k hours??
I believe the problem is with the larger kholer so overheating.....35-40 hp
Cap

 

[KevinD]

You could probably take the front louvered cover off these big blocks and simply replace it with a nice 10 inch 12 volt radiator cooling fan.

 

[John Olson]

Your boxer had a Brigss not a Kohler though right? Most Briggs I've seen don't usually make it to 4k. Don't want to bash them but I wouldn't use a Briggs.

 

[Chris A]

Yeah it had a Briggs 21, I only put 300 hours on it in the 3 years I had it

 

[FFA]

Its the engine, he switched over to Briggs.

 

[Loren Egland]

I have had the same long engine life experience as John Olson mentioned. My powermatics have had the 25 horsepower Kohlers. But in addition to the air cooling there is an auxiliary oil cooler, the oil traveling through a simple copper tubing coiled through the small fresh water tank on the machine. It makes a huge difference in how hot it runs. I never worry about over heating. Of course no heat exchangers on a Powermatic, so no restrictions and no need to use a bigger gas hog engine that runs hotter to create more (not so free) heat.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I have had the same long engine life experience as John Olson mentioned. My powermatics have had the 25 horsepower Kohlers. But in addition to the air cooling there is an auxiliary oil cooler, the oil traveling through a simple copper tubing coiled through the small fresh water tank on the machine. It makes a huge difference in how hot it runs. I never worry about over heating. Of course no heat exchangers on a Powermatic, so no restrictions and no need to use a bigger gas hog engine that runs hotter to create more (not so free) heat.

YEP...my first one had a 23hp cast iron Kohler ...8600 hours before it gave up the ghost.
it was plenty tired though, and i disconnected the generator at 6000 hours cause it dogged the motor down pretty good when blower was under full load

My current one (25hp) has over 4500 hrs right now and still going strong
couple valve cover gaskets is all I've done to it, ( 'cides oil, filters and plugs )
oh yea, and a fuel pump

..L.T.A.

 

[Mikey P]

So why can't Marty get more than 1800 hours out of a air cooled engine?

 

[dealtimeman]

Shipping karma?