Engine LT 1045 repower

[knightmare68]

Hello all. I have a 6 year old LT1045 with a cracked Kohler SV600. I was looking to replace the engine and was considering the Briggs 33197 Intek. However, the Briggs engine has a 9A alternator compared to the 15A in the Kohler. Would this engine work anyway? If not, does anyone know a good replacement engine other than the original Kohler (I really don't care to pay an extra 300 or so for the same engine when this appears to be a fairly common problem with this engine)? Thanks.

 

[Carscw]

Hello all. I have a 6 year old LT1045 with a cracked Kohler SV600. I was looking to replace the engine and was considering the Briggs 33197 Intek. However, the Briggs engine has a 9A alternator compared to the 15A in the Kohler. Would this engine work anyway? If not, does anyone know a good replacement engine other than the original Kohler (I really don't care to pay an extra 300 or so for the same engine when this appears to be a fairly common problem with this engine)? Thanks.

The 9 amp will work just fine.

 

[Deerlane]

I would short block it. I have done dozens. I have even got warranty from cub cadet after warranty ran out. They bought the short block for my customers, They paid labor.
It was a common thing on early bucket engines, but has been repaired. The bolts for the oil pan at the cooling fins are blind holes, the bolts bottom in holes and then come would loose. Some would hit the flywheel. Four bolts would come loose and then the block would crack mostly down the starter side from vibration. To make the story short, they made the holes deeper. This also happen to LT1042 or any tractor with what I call The BUCKET Engine.

 

[knightmare68]

Thanks for the input. I went ahead with the Briggs and it does work just fine (just have to be careful not to overtighten the PTO bolt). Haven't seen many great reviews for the Intek, but hopefully it'll last longer than the 110 hours I got from the Kohler.

 

[Deerlane]

Did the kohler exhaust header pipe work on the briggs?

Use a little blue lock tight on the pto bolt.

 

[bedelman0731]

I would short block it. I have done dozens. I have even got warranty from cub cadet after warranty ran out. They bought the short block for my customers, They paid labor.
It was a common thing on early bucket engines, but has been repaired. The bolts for the oil pan at the cooling fins are blind holes, the bolts bottom in holes and then come would loose. Some would hit the flywheel. Four bolts would come loose and then the block would crack mostly down the starter side from vibration. To make the story short, they made the holes deeper. This also happen to LT1042 or any tractor with what I call The BUCKET Engine.

Chalk up another LT1045 owner (2008 with less than 140 hours) where the short block cracked. It also vibrated so much that the bolts did come loose and were hitting the flywheel (I tightened them back down). It also shook so much that it broke the support bracket that held the muffler in place (which I also replaced)

My local dealer just called to let me know that Cub will cover the cost of the short-block, but not the labor ($600) -- and I see no point in sending good money after bad.

I still liked the construction of the Cub -- and I'm looking at getting a LTX-1046 KW (no more Kohler motors for me)

- Bob

 

[jmick35]

I agree 100%.
I bought my LT1045 in the winter of 2008 and began mowing with it in the spring of 2009.
Last fall with a little over 100 hours it blew again.
I purchased a used craftsman rider for $50 with no battery or mower deck that had a briggs twin Model 407707 that seemed like a strong motor.
I installed the briggs in the cub this winter and it went really well.
The Cub frame was not only drilled out for the Kohler Courage Scrap, it also was drilled out for two other bolt patterns.
So the Briggs just used a different set.I haven't mowed with it yet, there is still snow on the ground, but it went really well.
I like the way the cub mowed, the mulching deck does great, it has a high back seat, good feel to the steering wheel, I really like it.
But this Kohler Courage is scrap.
Here is how I think. If I put another courage in it then the people at Kohler will not hesitate to sell consumers inferior products in the future.
My mower is going on 6 0r 7 years old, I took care of it and I expected it to last longer. But the cost of re-powering with a new motor couldn't be justified.
I did have to remove the headlights from the hood to make room for the air cleaner on the Briggs twin. I had those disconnected and didn't use them because they had drained my battery once. So that didn't bother me.
I attached a photo of the cub with the briggs twin.