Kohler break in

[Louis]

So I has new Kohler 30hp for my machine. I have not found anything in the paperwork about break-in procedure or if you should use break in oil. I would like to get thousands of hours out of this motor so I don't want to screw this up.

Thank you

 

[hogjowl]

Don't worry to much. Best you can hope for is 3500 hours.

And it's going to leak oil from day one.

 

[Louis]

Mine has thousands of hours on it and it only has one leak that I don't want to try to fix because I have had to tap it out and I'm afraid it may strip it out again.
Another cleaner had 5900 when he replaced his and it was still running.
It's all about the maintenance.

 

[hogjowl]

Keep telling yourself that. You'll feel better.

 

[Mikey P]

Change the oil at the first 50 then every 100 from then on.

Don't cap off your vacuum in the AM to warm it up. Just clean the clean areas first.
Leave all your doors open while running
Put an extra quarter inch of oil on the dipstick when topping off, there is plenty of from in there.


Don't blame me when it craps out at 3500 regardless.

 

[Jimmy L]

Do they have these motors in lawn mowers and do they have a hour meter? If so I would find out how many hours they get .

 

[hogjowl]

I changed my oil and filter every 25 hours in the summer and every 50 in the winter.

Still burned up at 3000 hours.

And leaked oil from day one.

And this wasn't just one Koehler. It was the last three.

Briggs were WORSE!

 

[Cleanworks]

Get a honda

 

[BIG WOOD]

Change the oil at the first 50 then every 100 from then on.

Don't cap off your vacuum in the AM to warm it up. Just clean the clean areas first.
Leave all your doors open while running
Put an extra quarter inch of oil on the dipstick when topping off, there is plenty of from in there.


Don't blame me when it craps out at 3500 regardless.

That's the worst advice on oil changes for a kohler. I tried doing that, and by the time it was at 75hrs, it started burning oil. I don't see how an air cooled engine can go 100hrs in between oil changes.

As for the break in, I think you need to change the oil around the first 20hrs, because it has a break in oil in it. It should be a green color oil

 

[Louis]

My Kohler had at least 3000 hours on it when I bought it. I put new heads and a cam on it and it's been over 2000 hours now. Has one oil leak but starts up and runs every day. I go over 100 hours on my oil changes all the time, maybe that's the secret. Only burns oil in the summer. When it gets over 100 it burns through the oil. Much better track record and then my PTO. Someday I want to move into a three cylinder or four cylinder liquid cooled. I have been looking at some bluelines and 405s.

 

[hogjowl]

New heads and a cam.
At 3000 hours.

I rest my case.

 

[Mikey P]

That's the worst advice on oil changes for a kohler. I tried doing that, and by the time it was at 75hrs, it started burning oil. I don't see how an air cooled engine can go 100hrs in between oil changes.

As for the break in, I think you need to change the oil around the first 20hrs, because it has a break in oil in it. It should be a green color oil

well what the hell do I know, I'm a Vortex Man.

 

[Mikey P]

I changed my oil and filter every 25 hours in the summer and every 50 in the winter.

You drove to Atlanta/TCS every 25 hours?


no wonder you're such a sour puss.

 

[hogjowl]

I can use an oil filter wrench and a crescent wrench.

It's screw drivers that give me trouble.

 

[Mikey P]

I hope you buy your oil in gallons, which are more than a quart by the way.

 

[BIG WOOD]

well what the hell do I know, I'm a Vortex Man.

That's why I'm jealous

 

[Cleanworks]

New heads and a cam.
At 3000 hours.

I rest my case.

My Honda went 5000 hours before I had to rebuild it.

 

[Louis]

I wish hondas made bigger motors.
I think air cooled engines just don't last long in a warmer climate.

Even if you put a new motor on every 4 to 5 years that's not a lot of money compared to the money that machine will make you. Less than a dollar an hour. Especially if it's a TCS unit not much labor to put that engine on.

 

[Larry Cobb]

I wish Hondas made bigger motors.
I think air cooled engines just don't last long in a warmer climate.

We have tried water-cooled Hondas and Kohler engines.
Neither lasted as long as the similar air-cooled equivalents.

Two things for longevity in air-cooled engines:
1. Make sure they come with oil coolers (22HP Hondas & 32-35HP Kohlers)
2. Don't use automotive oil, because they recently reduced the Zinc additive package in that type.

We use Kohler 20W50 oil or Valvoline Racing oil for best engine life.
They are both mineral oils, but have extra Zinc additives.

http://www.cobbcarpet.com/zen/myworld10/categories.php?cPath=68&pID=4054

 

[Louis]

The guy know that got 6000 hours out of his motor faithful used Valvoline racing and K&N oil filters.
So Larry do you guys do any break procedures to the new motors you put on truck mounts or give the new owner instructions to do anything with the air cooled motor before they put it in service?

 

[Cleanworks]

If you are continuously operating in a hot climate, think about putting a air mover in your van, pointing out the rear doors to exhaust the hot air that builds up inside. I see lot's of guys just having the sliding door open. That is going to cook your machine if it is too hot outside. Same with a pto. Put an air mover in front of the van blowing over the engine grill. Simulates driving down the highway.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I put a roof vent over the 405s. Sometimes raise the hood on the cds.

 

[Larry Cobb]

The guy know that got 6000 hours out of his motor faithful used Valvoline racing and K&N oil filters.
So Larry do you guys do any break procedures to the new motors you put on truck mounts or give the new owner instructions to do anything with the air cooled motor before they put it in service?

We put the first hour on the TM engines.
I do tell new TM customers to run their new engines at moderate RPM's and to vary the RPM they operate at. We start @ 2600 for a couple of hours, down to 2400, up to 2800 and repeat. This RPM range is around the peak torque output for these engines.

Of course, keep two doors open for good airflow thru the van at all times.