Toro engine replacement ideas?

ScottScout

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Hey

I've been given a Toro Commercial zero turn for our local Scout park, but the engine is no good, anyone know of a replacement for a Kohler CH745S? Ive been told they arent sending any engines to Australia for the rest of the year.
 

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bertsmobile1

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Engine no good means ?
Kohler parts are not as cheap as Briggs parts but most of them are in stock locally unlike B & S or Kawakasi
There is nothing special about that engine and it can be replaced with any engine provided it has the same diameter so the pulleys will fit
Yours will probably be 1.125". usual sizes are 1" or 1.125"

Having said that, the muffler is a TORO item so fitting an alternative engine will probably require some cutting & welding to make it fit .
Being that you are down here, the options on new engines are somewhat limited but being winter you have some time on your hands .
First thing is to pull it apart & find out what is wrong , unless there is a big hole in the side usually Kohlers are economic to repair
The factory repair manual is a free download from Kohler USA, don't bother to look at Kohler Aust all you will find there is advertising B S

And of course, the engine to mower plug will be different and a USA type that is not retailed in Australia so if you fit a different engine you will either have to buy plugs & crimpers from the USA or chop them off & fit the readily available blades
Small Engine Warehouse does bring in some surplus engines from the USA but by the time you get your hands on one you will be lucky if it is any better than 25% off the full retail price.

IF you replace it, get one that has a low oil shut down.
This is important for mowers that are owned by community organizations because sooner or latter a well meaning mechanical knit wit will run it without enough oil . I get quite a few mowers from cricket clubs, all of which have died from low oil.

The service manual is also available directly from TORO USA ( again forget the OZ web site it is a joke ) and search using the model number 74256

And you are looking at around $ 5000 to $ 9000 ( OZ ) for an exact replacement which sounds a lot but Z master were $ 25,000 to $ 35,000 new down here
I can get you kawasaki engines around that size from around $ 5000 if you are interested send me a PM
This is a drop in engines complete with everything but the flywheel PTO shaft which is a bolt on part
 
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bertsmobile1

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And while you at TORO download the owners manual
From there you will see there were 5 optional engines fitted to that model
So any one of the 5 can be used to replace the dead Kohler
 

ScottScout

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Engine no good means ?
Kohler parts are not as cheap as Briggs parts but most of them are in stock locally unlike B & S or Kawakasi
There is nothing special about that engine and it can be replaced with any engine provided it has the same diameter so the pulleys will fit
Yours will probably be 1.125". usual sizes are 1" or 1.125"

Having said that, the muffler is a TORO item so fitting an alternative engine will probably require some cutting & welding to make it fit .
Being that you are down here, the options on new engines are somewhat limited but being winter you have some time on your hands .
First thing is to pull it apart & find out what is wrong , unless there is a big hole in the side usually Kohlers are economic to repair
The factory repair manual is a free download from Kohler USA, don't bother to look at Kohler Aust all you will find there is advertising B S

And of course, the engine to mower plug will be different and a USA type that is not retailed in Australia so if you fit a different engine you will either have to buy plugs & crimpers from the USA or chop them off & fit the readily available blades
Small Engine Warehouse does bring in some surplus engines from the USA but by the time you get your hands on one you will be lucky if it is any better than 25% off the full retail price.

IF you replace it, get one that has a low oil shut down.
This is important for mowers that are owned by community organizations because sooner or latter a well meaning mechanical knit wit will run it without enough oil . I get quite a few mowers from cricket clubs, all of which have died from low oil.

The service manual is also available directly from TORO USA ( again forget the OZ web site it is a joke ) and search using the model number 74256

And you are looking at around $ 5000 to $ 9000 ( OZ ) for an exact replacement which sounds a lot but Z master were $ 25,000 to $ 35,000 new down here
I can get you kawasaki engines around that size from around $ 5000 if you are interested send me a PM
This is a drop in engines complete with everything but the flywheel PTO shaft which is a bolt on part
Thank you for the feedback, engine turns easy and i have the exhaust muffler off as well as the air intake. looking at repairing as you mentioned, im thinking its probably electrical. i have been told the ECM could be dodgy.
 

MParr

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Thank you for the feedback, engine turns easy and i have the exhaust muffler off as well as the air intake. looking at repairing as you mentioned, im thinking its probably electrical. i have been told the ECM could be dodgy.
A 2004 carbureted Kohler probably doesn’t have a ECM.
It might be a good idea to have a reliable repair shop look at it.
 

bertsmobile1

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FWIW
Now I am back & have time to check, this is a fuel injected engine & is obsolete
The recommended replacement is ECH749-3EXM and even then this is not a direct replacement & requires a certain amount of "fitting".
So this "gift" might not be a generous as first looked
It can be replaced with a cheaper carburettor engine but that will require reworking of the switches .
Any of the 700 series Kohlers should fit CH742 would be the closest
That will be the cheapest route if the engine is not repairable.
As you will not be using it 10 hours a day running the lower power carburettor engine should not be a problem but again it will not be cheap
to replace the engine still looking at $4000 to $ 6000
I don't know if any of the engines I can access will fit as this engines uses both a standard PTO & a flywheel PTO so exact dimensions are important
Sorry I should have checked it properly before I replied
Download the Kohler manual
The EFI mower engines like EFI car engines will send you fault codes .
As for repairing the engine, that will depend upon what is wrong
We can probably walk your through repairing the engine but fitting a different one is another matter
I have done all sorts of strange things to keep customers mowers running but that was when it was in my workshop
Doing it on the web is a whole different matter
The owners manual listed Kawasaki engines so there must be a Kawasaki auxilary PTO kit that will fit but I have no idea where to get one from in Qld as I am in Syd .
But we are here to help , particularly for a good cause ( I was in a troup myself till work pressures became too much ) .
 
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slomo

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Hey

I've been given a Toro Commercial zero turn for our local Scout park, but the engine is no good, anyone know of a replacement for a Kohler CH745S? Ive been told they arent sending any engines to Australia for the rest of the year.
I would snag 6 push mowers. You have all the free labor. Facebook Marketplace and such will land you some good mowers for cheap. Way cheaper and much easier to work on if needed. Great way to get free exercise.

You know on that free 0-turn, it will need a ton more work and parts. For the price of one deck spindle, you can get 2 to 4 used push mowers. Keeping a 0-turn up and running is a huge expense.

I just hope the martians on planet Tatooine don't start a war. I can't handle $11.50 a gallon for E-10. :LOL:
 
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