Smoking on start up

[Patrick0525]

An update, the Cub Cadet dealer did a compression and leak down tests.
The engine has Kohler Command 7000 Series has 63 hours.


90/90 Left Side 189
90/90 Right Side 190

What does this mean? Is it in specification? Please interpret these results for me.
Under warranty, conclusion no head gasket was needed.


On occasion, it still blows white smoke upon start-up and I smell oil fumes right after shut-down.
The oil is Rotella Shell T5-10W-30 CJ4 and recently changed at 55hrs.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

Have you tried regular Kohler 10W30 oil, rotella is meant for diesel engines.... Might try it...
I know it has higher levels of Zinc which is "better" for the engine life . I've ran regular automotive oil in many engines, valvoline 10w30 in my kohler for 10 years, and 10W40 valvoline in my FE290 kawasaki for almost 20 years.

Cub dealer should know, but that compression reading sounds okay.

 

[Mower King]

As many has already said....use Lawn Mower oil in a Lawn Mower, and here is a good explanation as to why : Lawn Mower oils are for mower engines that are air cooled and run at a high/ hot temp....350 degrees and up. All autos & trucks have a cooling system and run below 200 degrees and that oil is designed for that lower temp and when you use automotive oil in a mower, it gets hotter than designed, gets thinner and the eng will / burn the thin oil.

 

[Patrick0525]

The last two comments are interesting. I purposely left out the dealer’s comment. He told me to use Kohler 10w-30 air cool engine oil. I did do an used oil analysis at 55hrs and the 10w-30 had a viscosity of v100 of 10.9. It is in specification.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

I would think with so few hours the dealership should be fixing/trouble shooting ...:confused3:

How long was the warranty on it?

 

[tom3]

There have been a bunch of posts about Kohlers smoking on start up, general theory is that they 'just do.' Mine does and I tried all the suggestions but the only thing that stopped it was parking the mower on an uphill incline. My shed has a floor that up slopes at the rear door so it was easy to try and it worked. I did use Kohler oil for a long time but the $8 a quart made me look around. My father-in-law used to swear by Valvoline so I tried their 10w30 (cheap at Rural King) and started smelling burning oil when I pulled the mower in the shed, not good. I changed it quick with Rotella 15w40 and no problems of any sort since. I'm sold on that.

 

[Patrick0525]

I think I will give 15W-40 Rotella a shot once I am done the jug of 10W-30. Thanks,

 

[Patrick0525]

I bought the unit in July 2017. Three year warranty.