kohler engine spewing liquid out of breather

newbe101

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I have a Cushman Truckster, so its not a lawnmower but it has the Kohler Command 18 engine, model CH18S. The unit was running really strong and fast this spring and all of a sodden while driving I lost power and died. Eventually I can start it now and then but couldn't get enough power out of it to move. When I took of the air filter it had a small pool of gray / black liquid that had the viscosity of water, however engine is air cooled.

See the video showing it spewing out liquid.

I hope someone can tell me what the problem is. I need to get this going as this is the way I transport my firewood across the 3 acres.

Kohler Command 18 Model CH18S - YouTube

 

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ILENGINE

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Check the oil and make sure it isn't overfilled, and also smell it to see if it smells like gas. I suspect the float needle isn't sealing and the crankcase is full of gas.
 

newbe101

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Check the oil and make sure it isn't overfilled, and also smell it to see if it smells like gas. I suspect the float needle isn't sealing and the crankcase is full of gas.


I replaced the whole carburetor, it was cheaper then the rebuild kit. It worked like a dream for couple of days and then it started stalling out again. I checked the oil is not over filled and it is gray in color. The fuel cant just be leaking in because it has a mechanical fuel pump, doesn't it?

Is there anywhere that would allow fuel to get into the oil other? There is no spewing of liquid out of the breather this time.
 

reynoldston

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The video you are showing has nothing to do with the carburetor. The tube that the liquid is coming out of is the crankcase vent. As a engine runs the crankcase will build up air pressure and that tube vents it into the air cleaner. On that engine if you follow that tube it go's to the valve cover. This tells me you have a oil or internal engine problem. As said earlier post gas in oil. Now you did change the oil also and it is at its proper level? If not start there. I would say if you installed a new carburetor you are going about this repair all wrong. Bad piston or rings?
 

pontiac69

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Has this problem been taken care of. I have a sear craftsman mower 16hp and all of a sudden this started happening to mine. I pulled the air filter off and ran the machine and the oil starts off slow flowing from the breather tube into the air filter box, then it starts flowing like the Nile. Tons of white smoke and runs starts to studder like its going to stall. Could i just block off or pinch this breather tube.
 

reynoldston

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Has this problem been taken care of. I have a sear craftsman mower 16hp and all of a sudden this started happening to mine. I pulled the air filter off and ran the machine and the oil starts off slow flowing from the breather tube into the air filter box, then it starts flowing like the Nile. Tons of white smoke and runs starts to studder like its going to stall. Could i just block off or pinch this breather tube.

If you close off the crankcase vent tube the pressure has to go somewhere. It will blow out the oil seals, gaskets, and then you will really have a mess. I would say the best way to get around it would be to do like some of the old Harley Davidson motorcycles do. The put a catch can at the end of the tube and when the can gets full empty it.
 

pontiac69

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If you close off the crankcase vent tube the pressure has to go somewhere. It will blow out the oil seals, gaskets, and then you will really have a mess. I would say the best way to get around it would be to do like some of the old Harley Davidson motorcycles do. The put a catch can at the end of the tube and when the can gets full empty it.

Cant do a catch can unless it can be routed back into the engine. I would be out of oil in no time as fast as its flowing into the carb. I did a fresh oil change yesterday and i see today its low on the dipstick. This was just after testing a few things.

Could the breather just be bad. I guess i can just spend the 25 bucks and get a new one but hate to spend money if i dont have to.
 

reynoldston

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I have a Cushman Truckster, so its not a lawnmower but it has the Kohler Command 18 engine, model CH18S. The unit was running really strong and fast this spring and all of a sodden while driving I lost power and died. Eventually I can start it now and then but couldn't get enough power out of it to move. When I took of the air filter it had a small pool of gray / black liquid that had the viscosity of water, however engine is air cooled.

See the video showing it spewing out liquid.

I hope someone can tell me what the problem is. I need to get this going as this is the way I transport my firewood across the 3 acres.

Kohler Command 18 Model CH18S - YouTube


The Kohler CH has to be a horizontal engine and it the same style engine that is in some lawn tractors. It looks like Cushman put this engine in some of its bikes. I know that some of the early snowmobiles used the Kohler engines but they were too heavy and slow. So doses your bike have a small pick up truck box like some of the ATVs have? Seeing you are hauling fire wood with it must be geared high to get more pulling power. Is it also set up to run on the road or is it off road only. Would like to see some pictures of the complete bike also.
 

reynoldston

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Cant do a catch can unless it can be routed back into the engine. I would be out of oil in no time as fast as its flowing into the carb. I did a fresh oil change yesterday and i see today its low on the dipstick. This was just after testing a few things.

Could the breather just be bad. I guess i can just spend the 25 bucks and get a new one but hate to spend money if i dont have to.

No the breather or carburetor is not the problem. Read my earlier post. Its a internal engine problem. Sorry I just can't sugar coat this but I am sure someone can. I do see you did a oil change and assume its the right level. The next step is to find out where the excess pressure is coming from. You can pressurize the cylinders with compress air to test the rings and pistons for bypass. If oil is coming out crankcase tube so fast that it would fill a catch can it think the problem is going to be easy to find.
 

pontiac69

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No the breather or carburetor is not the problem. Read my earlier post. Its a internal engine problem. Sorry I just can't sugar coat this but I am sure someone can. I do see you did a oil change and assume its the right level. The next step is to find out where the excess pressure is coming from. You can pressurize the cylinders with compress air to test the rings and pistons for bypass. If oil is coming out crankcase tube so fast that it would fill a catch can it think the problem is going to be easy to find.


If i could make a video it would look like this with the hose off the air filter. This guy said his problem was the oil cap was loose. Not the case for me.

What i just did was try to make my own breather for the crank case. I drapped a rag over the oil fill tube with the dipstick out. I put rubber band around it so that the dipstick tube to hold the rag onto it. Now can let excess pressure out, acting like a breather. This did nothing and still had alot of oil pouring into the air filter.

Riding lawnmower wouldn't start due to oil going back into carb. - YouTube
 
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