New Kohler 5400 with odd noise

M

merlars

Forum Newbie
Hello! I am new to the forum and hope someone can help me. I ran a search but did not find anything that seemed relevant.....I have a brand new lawn tractor with a Kohler 5400 (KS540) engine with about 15 minutes on it and it seems (to me anyway) to have an odd noise, in that I can hear a rattling noise when its running that sounds like its coming from under the flywheel and there is a banging or clicking noise from the crankcase when I turn the flywheel back and forth with the engine off. Please see the linked video. Is this normal for this engine? Thank you! Dave

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Kohler 5400 engine noise

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i would remove the spark plug and stick a wooden dowel or other long slender object into the plug hole, and rotate the engine... it will rest against the head of the piston, see if there is any slack or delay from the time you spin the flywheel to the time the piston moves.
 
Would like to hear it while running. that clicking noise could easily be the slack in the PTO clutch anti rotation pin transmitting through the engine when turned by hand.
 
Thank you very much for your help! I pulled the plug and put pressure on the piston with a pencil and it still does it. I have tried reaching out to Kohler, but no response. I bought it at a retailer who has been no help, basically telling me I am on my own in that I need to go through the Mfg MTD who recommends that I take it to an authorized service center over an hour away. It has a belt drive and so no PTO clutch that I am aware of and I took all the belts off to make sure it wasn't a pulley rattling or something. Here is a video of it running, but unfortunately its hard to hear on the video, but I can hear it in person. I can hear it above the combustion noise, especially at low RPM's. Apparently these engines have a new balance shaft system and I wonder if its something with that? I've always had Brigs and they never rattled like this, etc. Thanks!

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Kohler 5400 engine rattle

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Start by removing both belts and see if the noise goes away
If no difference then take the blower housing off and rotate the engine again by hand plug out.
I think you will find something loose under the housing
If you take the dip stick tube off and the sound is louder then it is probably inside the engine .
In that case take the 1 hour drive.
I am not a dealer but I always recommend people buying from dealers & not a discount store for just this reason.
And do not expect the dealer to do backflips to help you either
You have effectivly spat in his face and are now expecting him to get you out of the poo.
The other alternative is to take it back & demand a refund
Mower parked in front of the shop doors with a sign & T-shirt warning people not to shop there works wonders to get customer service .
Kohler are reasonable with warranty but it has to go through the system
you => dealer => district rep => kohler service rep => district rep => dealer => you
 
Thank you. I pulled the belts and dip stick tube as suggested and its definitely coming from the crankcase. I guess I'll have to make the drive and hope for the best. Yeah...I should have bought from a dealer, rather than a retailer, but I don't have one of those super close either. Plus its a Craftsman. I've had Craftsmans for 40 years and never had an issue and went back to what I knew (Brand loyalty, I guess), paid extra to get a Kohler over Brigs because figure its my last mower and thought Kohler's were better, etc. Oh well, live and learn.
 
If it is a brand new mower you will void working on it yourself. Highly suggest letting the dealer handle the problem.

And actually Kohler engine are better built and they a lot better on warranty repairs. But buying from a big box store is problematic at the best as they must send the equipment out for repairs.

Around here dealers are getting to where they only handle warranty repairs on what they sell and not from other vendors.
 
Thank you. I don’t intend to work on it myself. I was mostly trying to get advice on if the noise I am hearing is normal with this engine or not. It’s a newer design apparently with a new balance shaft system and so I didn’t know if there is actually a problem or if it’s just a noisy design. Searches online turn up posts that say some Kohlers sound like sewing machines but last forever, etc. I live in a small town and was actually partially trying to support the local hardware store by buying it, etc.
 
IT actually sounds like something bouncing around
You get those types of noises from aluminium rivets / brass washers bouncing around under the flywheel.
If it is in thee crankcase it could be some thing some one dropped down the dip stick tube ( if it was floor stock ) or a broken decompressor bouncing around inside the crank case .
When Sears owned Craftsman they were generally good value for money
Now B & D own them and they are like just about everything that comes out of the MTD factory.
The cheapest pile of rubbish that can be passed off as a mower
 
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