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Kohler on Grasshopper 225V,2018, we bought this mower used at an estate sale about a year ago with less than 700 hours and were told it had just been serviced! I put about 200 hours on it and decided to change oil and filter, used all Kohler parts machine ran great for about 4 hours, yesterday took it down to barn and on way bay starting knocking and then seized! I used Kohler synthetic could it be that owner used regular oil and this caused failure? Any ideas? Thanx in advance Charlie W

Are you sure the oil level was correct before starting it the final time? {I check mine before each use.}

chas55 said:

Kohler on Grasshopper 225V,2018, we bought this mower used at an estate sale about a year ago with less than 700 hours and were told it had just been serviced! I put about 200 hours on it and decided to change oil and filter, used all Kohler parts machine ran great for about 4 hours, yesterday took it down to barn and on way bay starting knocking and then seized! I used Kohler synthetic could it be that owner used regular oil and this caused failure? Any ideas? Thanx in advance Charlie W

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Switching from regular oil to synthetic oil has nothing to do with it. Regular maintenance, running engine low on oil, checking air filter, etc. does.
Also, waiting 200 hours instead of 50 hours to change oil and filter is not good either.

chas55 said:

Kohler on Grasshopper 225V,2018, we bought this mower used at an estate sale about a year ago with less than 700 hours and were told it had just been serviced! I put about 200 hours on it and decided to change oil and filter, used all Kohler parts machine ran great for about 4 hours, yesterday took it down to barn and on way bay starting knocking and then seized! I used Kohler synthetic could it be that owner used regular oil and this caused failure? Any ideas? Thanx in advance Charlie W

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So, you have nearly 900 hours on that engine. Do you know if it was maintained properly before you bought it? Were the valves ever adjusted? Was the foam pre-filter, on the air filter element, washed and oiled every 25 hours? Was the oil changed yearly or every 100 hours?Was the correct oil level maintained? Were the engine cooling fins cleaned periodically?
I doubt the type of oil used had anything to do with the failure. It was probably poor maintenance.

I apologize, I meant since I owned it I put about 200 hours on it, I did change the oil after we got it using Kohler synthetic at about 100hrs, what I meant was I decided to start the year out with an oil change and tune-up filters etc. even though I may have not hit the 100 hour mark! Thanx again sorry for the mix-up, yes I do clean filters and engine regularly as I am in a very dusty dirty area!

chas55 said:

I apologize, I meant since I owned it I put about 200 hours on it, I did change the oil after we got it using Kohler synthetic at about 100hrs, what I meant was I decided to start the year out with an oil change and tune-up filters etc. even though I may have not hit the 100 hour mark! Thanx again sorry for the mix-up, yes I do clean filters and engine regularly as I am in a very dusty dirty area!

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The previous owners were probably not very diligent with the maintenance.

chas55 said:

yes I do clean filters

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What was the oil level after it seized? And how are you cleaning your filters?

VegetiveSteam said:

What was the oil level after it seized? And how are you cleaning your filters?

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oil was good, Air every other mow! I do change it every 50 or so hours as I do most of the stuff here!

chas55 said:

yes I do clean filters

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What was the oil level after it seized? And how are you cleaning your filters?

chas55 said:

oil was good, Air every other mow! I do change it every 50 or so hours as I do most of the stuff here!

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I was just curious about your actual method of cleaning the air filter.

E.g., did you use compressed air, through a nozzle?

VegetiveSteam said:

What was the oil level after it seized? And how are you cleaning your filters?

I was just curious about your actual method of cleaning the air filter.

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Here is the proper method according to the Kohler ZT740 owners manual. This is required every 25 hours.
Air Cleaner
NOTE:
NOTE:
Operating engine with loose or damaged air cleaner components could cause premature wear and failure. Replace all bent or damaged components.
Paper element cannot be blown out with compressed air.
Move bails on air cleaner cover up; remove latches from cover; remove cover.
Precleaner (if equipped):
1. Remove precleaner from paper element.
2. Replace or wash precleaner in warm water with detergent. Rinse and allow to air dry.
3. Lightly oil precleaner with new engine oil; squeeze out excess oil.
4. Reinstall precleaner over paper element.
Paper Element:
1. Separate precleaner from element; service precleaner and replace paper element.
2. Install precleaner over new paper element and install on base.
Reinstall cover; place latches onto cover; pull down bails to secure cover.

I have the same engine on my Gravely. The foam prefilter catches most of the dirt.
I wash the prefilter every 25 hours. I apply an aerosol foam filter oil after it dries. I also vacuum out the filter housing.

Yardman999 said:

Are you sure the oil level was correct before starting it the final time? {I check mine before each use.}

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Wrong oil filter, may be too short if eng has the extended tube where it screws on. MUST have long filter. Just a thought.

Or maybe a defective oil filter that restricted flow? I'd drain and cut it apart to see.

Next door neighbor bought a brand new Zero Turn Mower, spring of 2024, it ran fine, but he insisted on mowing the highway right of way. The road ditch was VERY steep and the engine locked up. Warranty covered the repair, then the very same thing happened with the 'new' engine. NO warranty this time. Oil starvation. Too steep of an angle for a vertical shaft engine.
btw, mowing your 'yard' all the out to the pavement in rural areas may constitute what the state considers 'trespassing'.
NOT my opinion, theirs!

chas55 said:

Kohler on Grasshopper 225V,2018, we bought this mower used at an estate sale about a year ago with less than 700 hours and were told it had just been serviced! I put about 200 hours on it and decided to change oil and filter, used all Kohler parts machine ran great for about 4 hours, yesterday took it down to barn and on way bay starting knocking and then seized! I used Kohler synthetic could it be that owner used regular oil and this caused failure? Any ideas? Thanx in advance Charlie W

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This is obviously just a guess but, it may not have been anything you did. I just did an autopsy on a SV840 that had locked up for no apparent reason. The gear that drives the oil pump and the Woodruff key were laying in the oil sump. All the internals look fine except the crankshaft is stuck in the in the bushing on top of the engine. I've gotten it to turn but I still haven't been able to get it to come out. Courage engines also seem to have an issue with the tube falling off of the oil pump. (Same result)