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Darn kohler courage engines are such crap

#1

Craftsman Garage

Craftsman Garage

Bought a craftsman dgs6500 with a kohler sv735 vtwin engine for $300. Previous owner replaced the head gaskets and couldn't get it started or something? This was a few months ago before all the snow here in oregon. Got it running...BARELY. Was smoking bad when running (Major disappointment #1). Eventually found out that the carb float needle was messed up and allowed all the gas to pour into the crankcase :cautious:. While I was at it I cleaned up the carb and she ran much better. I finally get time to look at the deck and the mandrels (3) were junk. Bent up, broken bolts, bearings shot (Major disappointment #2). Bought new mandrels and blades. Put the deck back on and BANG, the deck belt is now a pretzel (Major frustration #3, that deck is everything but easy to unmount, not to mention its WEIGHT). I forget about it for a while. It's winter and I wanna try out my blade. Wasted an hour and only moved a few feet (not machines fault). When I come back to try again the next day the engine starts smoking in key on position. I am furious. Fast forward to when it's NOT 15 degrees outside, I convert the coils to mdi. She runs and drives and I eventually fixed the deck belt issue! Here's where it gets BAD. When I engage the deck, the engine bogs and takes a wh ile to get the mower up to speed. Strange... Bad rings? Sheared flywheel key? Carb needs adjusted? I dunno. I sell it for $1k+ thinking that it's normal??? When I go to start it I will have to crank it for a few secs with choke and then without and then it will start. Anyway, I sell it and that night the buyer texts me that he took the valve cover off and it was running on one cylinder because the pushrods were just laying there and there was water in the oil?! No idea how the water in the brand new oil happened. I changed it a few days before he bought it. I assume the thing with the pushrods is because when the previous owner didn't do some thing correct when he replaced the head gasket, or just plain forgot to put them in. Regardless of all that crap, I'm never buying another kohler courage again, PERIOD.


#2

I

ILENGINE

So you purchase a mower that has been abused and destroyed by the previous owner, and he did a poor repair, and it is the engines fault.


#3

Craftsman Garage

Craftsman Garage

ILENGINE said:
So you purchase a mower that has been abused and destroyed by the previous owner, and he did a poor repair, and it is the engines fault.
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Well it's really the small things. The DSAI coils, the float needle, etc. These engines just don't deserve to exist.


#4

I

ILENGINE

MechanicLane said:
Well it's really the small things. The DSAI coils, the float needle, etc. These engines just don't deserve to exist.
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And you listed the issues with not only the courage engine but also the Command engines from ASAM to DSAM to DSAI to MDI. And the float valve is an issue on every engine on the market from all the brands. The head gasket issue and compression release on the Briggs Intek single. Every brand on the market has quirks that shouldn't exist but do.


#5

R

Rivets

I don’t like it because I tried to make a quick buck, but it bit me in the butt. Now I’m going to condemn all Kohler engines because I don’t know what I’m doing. Does this make a lot of sense, and sound like a worth while recommendation? I think not, more likely the experience of a lot of flippers, who want to blame someone else for their problems.


#6

Tool_Maker_Tim

Tool_Maker_Tim

MechanicLane said:
Bought a craftsman dgs6500 with a kohler sv735 vtwin engine for $300. Previous owner replaced the head gaskets and couldn't get it started or something? This was a few months ago before all the snow here in oregon. Got it running...BARELY. Was smoking bad when running (Major disappointment #1). Eventually found out that the carb float needle was messed up and allowed all the gas to pour into the crankcase :cautious:. While I was at it I cleaned up the carb and she ran much better. I finally get time to look at the deck and the mandrels (3) were junk. Bent up, broken bolts, bearings shot (Major disappointment #2). Bought new mandrels and blades. Put the deck back on and BANG, the deck belt is now a pretzel (Major frustration #3, that deck is everything but easy to unmount, not to mention its WEIGHT). I forget about it for a while. It's winter and I wanna try out my blade. Wasted an hour and only moved a few feet (not machines fault). When I come back to try again the next day the engine starts smoking in key on position. I am furious. Fast forward to when it's NOT 15 degrees outside, I convert the coils to mdi. She runs and drives and I eventually fixed the deck belt issue! Here's where it gets BAD. When I engage the deck, the engine bogs and takes a wh ile to get the mower up to speed. Strange... Bad rings? Sheared flywheel key? Carb needs adjusted? I dunno. I sell it for $1k+ thinking that it's normal??? When I go to start it I will have to crank it for a few secs with choke and then without and then it will start. Anyway, I sell it and that night the buyer texts me that he took the valve cover off and it was running on one cylinder because the pushrods were just laying there and there was water in the oil?! No idea how the water in the brand new oil happened. I changed it a few days before he bought it. I assume the thing with the pushrods is because when the previous owner didn't do some thing correct when he replaced the head gasket, or just plain forgot to put them in. Regardless of all that crap, I'm never buying another kohler courage again, PERIOD.
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I own a Cub Cadet LT1050 powered by a Kohler SV720S V Twin engine. I am the third owner. My son bought a house, and the Cub was included in the deal. We serviced it and Jake used it for about two years and then he gifted it to me. He purchased an Ariens 24 hp Zero-turn, from Lowes with a deal he couldn't pass up and called me. "Do I want a Cub Cadet? Is this a trick question?" The Cub has had a rough life at the hands of its first owner. Be it abuse, ignorance, stupidity, or just laziness, and possibly a combination of all of the previous reasons, it has suffered from poor maintenance. The oil was black and gritty, and the air cleaner looked as if it was rarely serviced, if ever, as for the spark plug. The same story. Damned shame. Outside of having an appetite for drive belts (on average,1 belt per year, and Gates belts have not fared any better than the cheap ones, though I keep buying Gates), I have had no major problems. I've heard all of the trash talk about the cylinder walls developing cracks on these engines, but so far, so good. I like mine and when she breaks down, I suppose I'll fix her! Besides, that's what I do!


#7

StarTech

StarTech

This is very reason I do not buy used mowers other than as an used parts source. Yes it pisses off the sellers but I not buying their junk at a premium price.

I just got back in a mower I sold 12 yrs ago. The owner ragged it completely out before they decided to give it to me for parts. It would more to fix it up than I can dell it for even in today's market so I will stripping it down and save whatever parts are still good and recycle the rest.


#8

V

VegetiveSteam

The Courage twin cylinder engine was a very good engine. The Courage single cylinder, not so much. It's not too uncommon to have carb issues when fuel is left to get old and stale. The DSAI ignition was something that rarely had any issues and it was the same with the DSAM ignition. ASAM ignition did have some issues early in life, but those issues were resolved although it did take several years.

Kohler has no control how their engine is abused after it leaves the factory. For the abuse these engines sometimes take, it's a wonder they last as long as they do.


#9

G

GearHead36

VegetiveSteam said:
Kohler has no control how their engine is abused after it leaves the factory. For the abuse these engines sometimes take, it's a wonder they last as long as they do.
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Agreed. I bought a Cub Cadet Pro Z with a Kohler EZT engine. It had been used commercially, and was bought from an auction. No known history. It ran fine, so I just changed oil, filters and plugs. I used it for a half season. During the off season, I found that the cylinder cooling fins were completely blocked with oily dirt. I'm surprised the engine didn't burn itself up.


#10

Tool_Maker_Tim

Tool_Maker_Tim

Tool_Maker_Tim said:
I own a Cub Cadet LT1050 powered by a Kohler SV720S V Twin engine. I am the third owner. My son bought a house, and the Cub was included in the deal. We serviced it and Jake used it for about two years and then he gifted it to me. He purchased an Ariens 24 hp Zero-turn, from Lowes with a deal he couldn't pass up and called me. "Do I want a Cub Cadet? Is this a trick question?" The Cub has had a rough life at the hands of its first owner. Be it abuse, ignorance, stupidity, or just laziness, and possibly a combination of all of the previous reasons, it has suffered from poor maintenance. The oil was black and gritty, and the air cleaner looked as if it was rarely serviced, if ever, as for the spark plug. The same story. Damned shame. Outside of having an appetite for drive belts (on average,1 belt per year, and Gates belts have not fared any better than the cheap ones, though I keep buying Gates), I have had no major problems. I've heard all of the trash talk about the cylinder walls developing cracks on these engines, but so far, so good. I like mine and when she breaks down, I suppose I'll fix her! Besides, that's what I do!
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Update: At the end of last year's Mowing season, I pulled my beloved Cubby LT1050 into her parking spot, and hooked up the float charger. Fast Forward to April 2024- I went out on the first day that the ground was dry enough to mow, turned the key, and nothing but crickets!!! Expecting to head out for another battery as well as a new float charger, I decided to check the battery. The battery had ample charge in it, but my engine was/remains locked up tighter than a drum! I wish to apologize for my smug attitude! Damned you Engineers of the Kohler SV720S V Twin engines! Eating crow sucks and my last comment is really hard to swallow: "I like mine and when she breaks down, I suppose I'll fix her! Besides, that's what I do!" I'll be doing a lot of that now!

Darn kohler courage engines are such crap​

Darn kohler courage engines are such crap​



#11

V

VegetiveSteam

Tool_Maker_Tim said:
Update: At the end of last year's Mowing season, I pulled my beloved Cubby LT1050 into her parking spot, and hooked up the float charger. Fast Forward to April 2024- I went out on the first day that the ground was dry enough to mow, turned the key, and nothing but crickets!!! Expecting to head out for another battery as well as a new float charger, I decided to check the battery. The battery had ample charge in it, but my engine was/remains locked up tighter than a drum! I wish to apologize for my smug attitude! Damned you Engineers of the Kohler SV720S V Twin engines! Eating crow sucks and my last comment is really hard to swallow: "I like mine and when she breaks down, I suppose I'll fix her! Besides, that's what I do!" I'll be doing a lot of that now!

Darn kohler courage engines are such crap​

Darn kohler courage engines are such crap​

Click to expand...
In Kohler's defense, your own words say it's doubtful Kohler is at fault for this engine failure.

"The Cub has had a rough life at the hands of its first owner. Be it abuse, ignorance, stupidity, or just laziness, and possibly a combination of all of the previous reasons, it has suffered from poor maintenance. The oil was black and gritty, and the air cleaner looked as if it was rarely serviced, if ever, as for the spark plug. The same story."


#12

Craftsman Garage

Craftsman Garage

Tool_Maker_Tim said:
Update: At the end of last year's Mowing season, I pulled my beloved Cubby LT1050 into her parking spot, and hooked up the float charger. Fast Forward to April 2024- I went out on the first day that the ground was dry enough to mow, turned the key, and nothing but crickets!!! Expecting to head out for another battery as well as a new float charger, I decided to check the battery. The battery had ample charge in it, but my engine was/remains locked up tighter than a drum! I wish to apologize for my smug attitude! Damned you Engineers of the Kohler SV720S V Twin engines! Eating crow sucks and my last comment is really hard to swallow: "I like mine and when she breaks down, I suppose I'll fix her! Besides, that's what I do!" I'll be doing a lot of that now!

Darn kohler courage engines are such crap​

Darn kohler courage engines are such crap​

Click to expand...
Hate to say it but “I told you so” 🤷‍♂️


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