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I have a Craftsman gt5000 with the Koehler 25hp. I have only owned it a couple months but really does not burn oil as I check it regularly. Today I was mowing and it began smoking really bad at the front of the engine. It was still running fine but obviously something was wrong. Shut it down and there was oil all over the place and actually caught fire for a second. Put the fire out no problem and nothing hurt. But can not figure out why it would do that or where it came from. Have not made any changes to the engine. It was like a hose or something popped a whole in it but of course there is no such thing. Wondering if its a head gasket from all I hear about that. But would a head gasket cause it to blow oil all over up there? When I say up there I mean the front of the engine. Any help would be much appreciated. Have searched a lot and found nothing like what I am describing. It did not really smoke upon start up except very very little. I have read those threads.

Possibly leaking valve cover gasket

Take off the air filter and look around there. Also check your oil level and check the smell of it, if it smells like gas,
then your carb is flooding.

Oil dipstick replaced properly? If it's loose, oil will get everywhere.

I should clarify. It is a 2002ish GT that I bought used and from what I am told had low hours although it does not have a hour meter. Seller had gotten divorced and did not end up using it to mow acreage and only used to mow small city lot up until a couple years ago. Then did not get used much. Ran really really well and was really in pretty good shape.
When this happened after pushing it up into the garage I pulled the valve cover on right side because it looks like it came from the right side. There was oil in there that leaked out when I took it off. Bottom left hand corner had oil more pooled and looked more brown/burnt? Gasket looked fine and was in place.
Engine in general did not really leak or burn oil unlike my last one. I checked every time before I mowed and have not had to add oil since I changed it a month or so ago.
Checked the dipstick and fine. Oil filter is on other side of block and not leaking.
It really is like it blew oil all across the front. Front axle was covered and even had blown out into the inside of the tire rims. Really odd. That is why I started a new thread because it is nothing like anything I have read before.
And I need to make sure people know,(thanks for all your help) the engine was still running fine. No knocking rod or like the engine exploded and quit like it threw a rod.
That is why I am wondering if it is at all possible head gasket blew and would that make it basically spray oil across the front? Hopefully no cracked block and have not seen any signs of that. And I would think if it had the engine would have sounded a lot different and/or quit before I shut it off.
All your input is much appreciated.

Fish said:

Take off the air filter and look around there. Also check your oil level and check the smell of it, if it smells like gas,
then your carb is flooding.

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Going down there to check that now to see if it smells like gas. Had mowed with it for about 20 minutes before this happened and all was fine.

northlandspecialist said:

Going down there to check that now to see if it smells like gas. Had mowed with it for about 20 minutes before this happened and all was fine.

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Just checked and no gas smell. From reading the dipstick it looks like it dumped a good .5 quart to full quart of oil on the ground. Because it was full when I started and now has only about a 1/4 inch on the dipstick. Does not smell like gas.

Pull the hood off, and push it out in the yard somewhere over some cardboard or newspapers and remove both valve covers, and start and run on low throttle. You will know where and if you have a blown head gasket real quick!!!

That is a long ago "Fish" test that I introduced 10 or more years ago, that has been stolen/adopted by many on these forums. If one side sprays like a lawn sprinkler, that is where you should look.

Fish said:

Pull the hood off, and push it out in the yard somewhere over some cardboard or newspapers and remove both valve covers, and start and run on low throttle. You will know where and if you have a blown head gasket real quick!!!

That is a long ago "Fish" test that I introduced 10 or more years ago, that has been stolen/adopted by many on these forums. If one side sprays like a lawn sprinkler, that is where you should look.

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Okay, already had the hood off and air breather cover. Put some more oil in and started it and did not even run for 10 seconds. Dumped a quart of oil on the ground. Definitely not valve cover and looks like it is coming where the head meets the block. So hopefully not a cracked block/head because a lot came out fast. Can see no cracks but there is the shroud that goes around the front of the valve cover in the way. Even after I shut it off the oil kept coming out for a while.
Hope those head gaskets with the new bolts are not to hard to find here in kc. Cause it would be really bad if I have to go a week without mowing! Never put head gaskets in anything so a little intimidating.

The Kohler Courage blocks ten to crack. Just something to check. The last one I repaired I had welded.

So you didn't do as I requested?

I requested that you remove the valve cover and start the engine, and your problem would be apparent.
And yes, it is a very common problem, buy the full kit and do both heads/gaskets......

Fish said:

So you didn't do as I requested?

I requested that you remove the valve cover and start the engine, and your problem would be apparent.
And yes, it is a very common problem, buy the full kit and do both heads/gaskets......

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Thank you. That is my plan. All the kits
im finding don't include new bolts antmore. Do i need to replace the books?

northlandspecialist said:

Thank you. That is my plan. All the kits
im finding don't include new bolts antmore. Do i need to replace the books?

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BOLTS not books. I hate this phone. And thanks for all the help. I already have the exhaust bolts soaking with pj

Back in the day, when Kohler knew that they had a big head gasket problem, so they put out whole kit, but when the kohler customers brought their engines in, the "techs" just slapped in a new head gasket that they plucked out of the update kits, so many dealerships kept a whole wall of Kohler bolts/kits.... etc....

And many of them just replaced the blown side, and the customers brought back the engine the next year to replace
the other side, and sometimes both..... And many came back some more times, which knocked Kohler out of favor
totally among the mfgrs. and Kawasaki took a big foothold. Hell Generac was doing pretty good too until they hopped in bed with Dixie Chopper....

Fish said:

Back in the day, when Kohler knew that they had a big head gasket problem, so they put out whole kit, but when the kohler customers brought their engines in, the "techs" just slapped in a new head gasket that they plucked out of the update kits, so many dealerships kept a whole wall of Kohler bolts/kits.... etc....

And many of them just replaced the blown side, and the customers brought back the engine the next year to replace
the other side, and sometimes both..... And many came back some more times, which knocked Kohler out of favor
totally among the mfgrs. and Kawasaki took a big foothold. Hell Generac was doing pretty good too until they hopped in bed with Dixie Chopper....

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Got my gaskets today. Gonna swing by my buddies to borrow his torque wrench's and give this a shot.

Are you sure it's motor oil that sprayed? If the mower is hydrostaticly driven, there is high pressure oil there. If the hydraulic oil got on a hot surface, it would smoke and maybe ignite. gregjo1948

gregjo1948 said:

Are you sure it's motor oil that sprayed? If the mower is hydrostaticly driven, there is high pressure oil there. If the hydraulic oil got on a hot surface, it would smoke and maybe ignite. gregjo1948

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Thanks. Turns out its blower cover gasket. Have it on order and hopefully back up and running by Tuesday

northlandspecialist said:

Thanks. Turns out its blower cover gasket. Have it on order and hopefully back up and running by Tuesday

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Blower cover gasket? What is that part number?

Fish said:

Blower cover gasket? What is that part number?

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Here is the part I ordered. The title is not correct but this the part that is a blower cover gasket.
Valve Cover 24 033 03-S Order now for same day shipping. 365 day return policy. RepairClinic.com

northlandspecialist said:

Here is the part I ordered. The title is not correct but this the part that is a blower cover gasket.
Valve Cover 24 033 03-S Order now for same day shipping. 365 day return policy. RepairClinic.com

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Sorry, it is a BREATHER cover gasket.:wink: Not sure why the link shows valve cover. Definitely not that as you can see in the picture. Upon further research I found other discussions about this going bad on other peoples mowers with the exact same symptoms as mine.