Timecutter - Kohler KT725 Maintenance

shurguywutt

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I have a new Toro Timecutter with about 15 hours on it. It has a Kohler KT725-3097 engine. This is my first rider.

I have St. Augustine grass and it is cooling down and getting to be the end of the mowing season here in the S.E. I may just be trimming infrequently until it warms up again - so I can't see putting many more hours on the machine.

The manual says to do the oil change maintenance at 100 hours. This may take me a while to reach that many hours. I have heard others say to just change the oil at 20 hours and leave the filter on. Others say 50 hours.

I can follow what the manual says for the maintenance requirements but what would be the industry best practice for a machine that does not get that many hours? The manual says the engine is not even broken in until it gets about 50 hours.

What other things can I do to the mower in general to keep it in good shape? Things not necessarily written in the manual.

Also, I was looking at the maintenance kits for this engine, it seems there are a bunch of different models. My engine has the low profile air intake. Would the part number for the maintenance kit be 32-789-02-S?

Thanks!
 

MParr

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If you can locate a pre-cleaner for your air filter that would be a good place to start. The pre-cleaner is a circular shaped green foam piece that goes over the air cleaner. Wash it with dish soap and water, rinse and let dry. After it dries, spray with a light coating of foam filter oil and reinstall.
You can buy the Kohler oil filters if you like but, they usually cost a little more than filters made by Fram, WIX and etc.
FRAM oil filters: PH8712, TG8712, XG8712
NAPA: 1056
WIX: 51056
True, that Kohler recommends the first oil change at 100 hours. Some folks like to change the oil and filter early and then again at 100 hours. I’m one of those who likes to do early changes.
Kawasaki recommends 25 hours for the first change.
Briggs and Stratton recommends 5 hours for the first oil change.
 

bertsmobile1

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An old friend of mine used to say "oil is the cheapest part you can put in an engine "
Worth remembering
I don't pay any attention to hours , they are only a guide at the best of times
Change the oil on your final mow of the season and forget about counting hours.
Then the mower sits all winter with fresh clean oil in it with no contaminants .
I am not fused about oil filters on mowers , for domestic machine once every 2 to 4 years will be fine.
Air filters are a different matter
I am yet to see an engine damages by an old oil filter
I have rebuilt dozens of engines wrecked from running with a bad air filter.
Usually not because it was clogged , but rather because it was not installed properly, or had been blown out with compressed air or it has been removed & replaced so many times the seal was not effective .
So 2 choices, leave it there till you start to get a little black smoke when you engage the blades or change it but do not keep pulling it off to check it .
Te worst thing that can happen if you don't change it is eventually the filter will get clogged to the point that the engine will start to run rich ( blows black smoke when the throttle is fully opened ) .
Only you will know how often the filter needs to be changed and no two yards will be the same .
 

shurguywutt

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Thanks for the good info! I will change the oil after my next couple mows and just leave the filter on for the next season. I have to get a grease gun so I can grease the front wheels too.
 
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