Ok so new to this forum but not to mowers. Anyway, picked up a nice Cub Cadet rider with a 20 HP Kohler Courage motor. The starter spins it around until it gets to the compression stroke. I know a little about the compression release and how it works...I've watched ALL the videos. Turning it over by hand with the valve cover off I see the exhaust valve being opened a little as the compression stroke begins....the valve is closed again BEFORE the piston reaches TDC. So it looks to me like the compression release is working by opening up the exhaust valve a little as the compression stroke begins. BUT, is the exhaust valve supposed to close again right before the point of maximum compression??? That's where it's stopping when using the starter. I've removed the starter and checked the brushes, cleaned all wire and battery terminals, charged the battery, and even disassembled the solenoid and cleaned those contacts as well. If the CR is opening the exhaust valve, what else should I check before I crack the motor open?
20 HP Courage
- Thread starter jdp3fe
- Start date
Ran into one kinda like that myself. Changed the cam no help. Talked to Kohler admitted have had an issue with some of these engines but could not find the problem. Good thing about this engine, it would kick back and if you just bump the key and let it do that a few times it would spin over and start. Try turning the engine backward until you come up on compression and try to start it. If it starts you might try replacing the cam since over time the cam can wear and render the compression release inoperative. Or if it works like that you can learn to live with it.
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- Sep 24, 2017
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check you battery voltage at the starter under load (key in start)
or have a parts store load test your battery.
The courage starters tend to be gutless anyway, i replace 5 or more a year, typically.
or have a parts store load test your battery.
The courage starters tend to be gutless anyway, i replace 5 or more a year, typically.
I figured out the problem...it was the starter bendix. The brushes and all looked good, but I saw a video someone posted about the Kohler starters and the way the Bendix works on them. Took that apart, cleaned it, sanded the crap out of the metal disc and roughed up the rubber part. Put it all back together and it works great now. What a crappy starter design!!!
I know this post is a few months old but can you tell me what video with the starter you watched? My kohler is having the same problem like it has too much compression but have a new battery and valves have been adjusted to .004 without helping.