Search results

Any chance you could post a picture of the terminal side of your current key switch. There are several switches you could make work but it could be nice to know what type of terminals your switch has and how each terminal is labeled. An Oregon switch part # 33-389 could be made to work but not...

And just to throw in what might be considered useless info, most of the old guys I know call a magneto a magneto, a coil a coil and the newfangled thing you’re speaking of an ignition module. It is an item made up of different components all combined into a modular unit. And when mounted on an...

If it looks like the one in the picture, I would mount it so fuel flows from the small end toward the large end.

Run an unswitched hot wire directly to the + side of the coil. If the engine starts and runs fine, you know all of the ignition components are fine. Now just find out why you aren't getting power to the coil while cranking.

No need to check. Sometimes when points and condenser get replace a person might connect the condenser to the + side of the ignition coil and that doesn't work. You probably have no voltage to the coil while cranking. Just a thought but has the ignition switch ever been changed? If so and it...

If the answer to IL's question is yes, is the black wire from the switch the only thing connected to the + terminal on the coil?

Yeah Fiebig. I put on some of those meetings. We would rotate.

We've probably seen each other.

Where did you typically attend Kohler updates? Effingham?

I wouldn't think the carb would have anything to do with it. Having the choke on reduces the amount of air being drawn in and in theory should reduce compression if anything. Reduced compression should actually make the engine turn over easier. Did I read correctly that the engine did turn...

Yeah, just start with trying to crank the engine with the plug wires removed from the spark plugs and see if that helps anything. If it doesn't then there is no need to mess with air gap.

Kohler had an ignition timing issue with some of the big block engines causing them to hang up when cranking. It was a rare enough issue that Kohler never tried to find a fix for it. That left folks in the field to try and come up with a solution. Leave the spark plugs in but remove the spark...

Without the engine spec number I can't be 100% sure, but this is most likely the OEM Tecumseh filter FWIW.

kohlerengines.com With Kohler it's the serial number. They don't call it code.

You have a + and - sign on the coil. What is connected to the + side of the coil?

Sorry it took a while to get this info but with the holiday they just re-opened today.

Take the flywheel off and look. It could be sheared but shearing a steel key on a push mower would be pretty hard to do without causing more damage to the crankshaft. Often it will break off the top of the shaft. Most push mower engines use an aluminum flywheel key.

I won't bet my life on this, but I believe this info is correct.

With the engine not running but the key switch turned to the on position, how much DC voltage do you have on the violet B+ wire? It should read battery voltage. If that violet wire did read battery voltage, did you have it connected to the voltage regulator when you were checking regulator...

Yeah, Walbro doesn't provide parts for carbs they build for Kohler. You have to get the parts from Kohler. Would you be able to provide the number right off the carb? It will be 12 053 and two more digits.

As a dealer no but as a rep I would. Paul and a lot of reps might not even know that screw was there. Typically, they would call me, before I retired, or one of my associates before signing off or denying a warranty. But all reps are different.

I wouldn’t have denied warranty if that screw were missing.

Good answer. Even a lot of seasoned Kohler techs don’t know that info.

I guess I'll sort of start over with my reply as I just gave my opinion on the question about the chunk out of the cylinder. If i found no other damage to the block and the bore was in good shape and ring travel did not enter into the broken area, I would have no problem trying get the engine up...

I agree with Bert that it will be fine. I would let the customer know what you found and let them make the choice on how to proceed.

You can simply flip it over. And whatever that goop is all over the mounting post, clean that off. The module and mounting boss need to be clean. Otherwise, the module can't ground properly.

Three different carbs all with the same result would lead me to believe that it's not a carb issue. Are you getting power to the fuel solenoid? Any possibility of posting a video showing how the engine acts?

https://resources.kohler.com/power/kohler/enginesUS/pdf/tp_2379.pdf?_ga=2.39984290.1859233433.1699765057-2120003328.1699765057 If I did this correctly and this link works, check out the ignition timing starting on page 8.2. It may help.

I use a brake drum puller.

Like ILENGINE mentioned, take a timing light and check the timing. Setting the points with a feeler gauge is just a starting point. Often times the point setting needs to be tweaked a bit to keep the ignition timing correct. I've seen K-series Kohlers burn a hole in the head when run out of time.

Just my 2 cents. When I know I'm about done mulching leaves for the year I switch from pump gas to Tru-Fuel or VP Fuel for the last couple of tanks. It's a little expensive but nothing gums up and everything starts next year without any issues.

Return the 25 707 03-S if you can and get the correct coversion kit 24 755 307-S Star mentioned. That is the only way to be sure it will work correctly. The 25 707 03-S will not work properly with your flywheel assuming it is the original factory flywheel. It will be out of time. If you look at...

Including a 20 amp fuse wouldn't be a bad idea.

You might already know this and I meant to mention it when you first talked about honing the cylinders. After honing them, wash the cylinders with hot soapy water and a stiff nylon scrub brush then rinse with plain water. It's the best way to get rid of the honing grit.

20 853 03-S supersedes to 20 853 86-S, is still available and is for a Courage single cylinder engine. If that is what ebay is saying they are incorrect. CV single cylinder carb part numbers begin with 12. See if that ebay search didn't lead you to a 12 853 03-S and not a 20 853 03-S. I've been...

It's sort of funny. When Kohler droped PartSmart and went to Kohler PLUS, many of the dealers were upset about it and never really liked Kohler PLUS. When Kohler changed to this new system, I told one of my colleagues, "I know a lot of dealers never liked Kohler PLUS but it won't be long and...

You can replace just one lifter. They used to come with a little tube of grease to put on the cam side. I assume they still do. Put a couple of drops of oil on the push rod socket side and a drop in the hole. Then run the engine at 1500 RPMs for 5 minutes. The lifters normally rotate but not...

And I know we talked about the flywheel too but since you're dealing with something elusive I thought it wouldn't hurt to know for sure you had DSAM. And you did. I'm trying to look under every stone.

It will probably turn out to be correct but I don't always trust Kohler's parts look up when it comes to carbs. Look at the number right on the carb. It will be 20 053 and two more digits. You might get lucky and find the last two digits aren't 23 but something else that's still available. I'm...

Let me ask a silly and probably useless question but, do you still have the spark advance module you took off this engine? If so, what's the number on it?

From what I see in the pics the cam lobes and lifters look fine. As far as the lifters being the same as a small block GM, they are the same external size but according to Kohler they oil hole sizes are different. I can't say if GM lifters will work or not. I've never tried. They might work...

Yes. A crack would allow the gear to slip and yes that should have been ruled out by checking overlap, but since you're in there I figured it couldn't hurt to take a look. And if you could clarify something for me. When you ran the engine on one cylinder at a time you said neither side would...

While you have it apart, look at the crankshaft gear very closely for anything resembling a crack.

How do the lifters look? Can you post a pic of the side that runs on the cam? And you don't want to change the cam if it's not needed obviously, but for a different reason than you may think. Kohler says to replace the camshaft and crankshaft together. Never just replace one. So you'd be...

Anything above 150 psi is good and your leak down test was good so the rings and cylinders seem good. I know there is the issue with some smoking on #1 cylinder but whatever is wrong seems to be affecting both cylinders. It sounded really good when you started it cold even at idle. I know the...

If you take it off you might be able to grab the rod and slide the support bracket sharply toward the flange sort of like a slide hammer a few times and see if that loosens it. Not too hard because you don't want to break that bushing in the support bracket. You might be able do something...

I would agree. It's an engine issue but all the tests so far aren't revealing anything. A collapsed lifter should cause less rocker arm movement and be noticeable. They all move the same, so to me, that rules that out. I'm going to bore you with a couple more questions. This is exactly how the...

Maybe tearing into it is the next step but to me, the things you've checked such as, compression and valve timing on top of new head gaskets says to me it's not internal. But it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. Your valves may be opening a bit under spec but I don't think it's enough to...

Yes. You have to pull the black flange off the shaft and then reinstall it in a new position with just enough tension close the choke. And again, pull if off. Don't twist it.

Retiring two years ago, I worked 27 years for a Kohler distributor doing this exact thing for about 9 months out of the year. We dealt mostly with Kohler authorized dealers helping them with engine troubleshooting, parts help and warranty. That was a little easier than this because it was all...