Kohler ZT 740 engine stuck!

[chas55]

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

 

[Yardman999]

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

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

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

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.

 

[MParr]

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

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.

 

[chas55]

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!

 

[MParr]

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!

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

 

[VegetiveSteam]

yes I do clean filters

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

 

[chas55]

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

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

 

[VegetiveSteam]

yes I do clean filters

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

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

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

 

[Yardman999]

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