Kohler Engine Quality ?

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NCgrinder

NCgrinder

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Joined
Oct 4, 2009
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Location
Gastonia NC
In 2014 ,I replaced the original CH25 Kohler engine on my Vermeer 252..It was mfd in 2000 and after 14 yrs had a ton of hrs on it..Just plain wore out ..I replaced and upgraded to a CH 940 33 HP Kohler . That replacement engine lasted 450 hrs before destroying itself internally... Catastrophic failure ,lots of damage to case ,rods,pistons... It was in the middle of the season 2019 so I ordered another CH 940 and installed it.. Again ,very careful on break-in , governor settings , RPM limits. Its now got less than 160 Hrs on it and its using oil like crazy . Not unusual to have to add 1/2 -3/4 qt per operating hour .Engine has always seemed "noisy" internally..Right hand cylinder fouls plugs.... Theres approx 16 mos. left on the 3 yr warranty and it would probably develop into a pissing contest to get it replaced under warranty... So it looks like I'm faced with replacing this engine yet again in the near future . I've also not had good luck rebuilding these Kohlers...
Anyone else run into this type of scenario... ?
 
Bought a Countyline 40 ton splitter 4 years ago with a 429cc Kohler Command Pro CH440 - 14HP engine and have put over 1100 hours on it so far and it seems just as solid as the day I bought it. I added another splitter exactly like it this past year and it only has 35 hours on it so far and it to seems just as solid as the first one. Sorry to hear you've had issues with them. Then again I run very low RPM's on my splitters. I'm not running them anywhere near top RPM range.
 
NCgrinder said:
In 2014 ,I replaced the original CH25 Kohler engine on my Vermeer 252..It was mfd in 2000 and after 14 yrs had a ton of hrs on it..Just plain wore out ..I replaced and upgraded to a CH 940 33 HP Kohler . That replacement engine lasted 450 hrs before destroying itself internally... Catastrophic failure ,lots of damage to case ,rods,pistons... It was in the middle of the season 2019 so I ordered another CH 940 and installed it.. Again ,very careful on break-in , governor settings , RPM limits. Its now got less than 160 Hrs on it and its using oil like crazy . Not unusual to have to add 1/2 -3/4 qt per operating hour .Engine has always seemed "noisy" internally..Right hand cylinder fouls plugs.... Theres approx 16 mos. left on the 3 yr warranty and it would probably develop into a pissing contest to get it replaced under warranty... So it looks like I'm faced with replacing this engine yet again in the near future . I've also not had good luck rebuilding these Kohlers...
Anyone else run into this type of scenario... ?
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Just put new pistons rings and check the valves for leaks. No need to buy new. I done it to two of them already.
 
I have a TSC 35 ton splitter, first or second pull no matter the weather. Kind of apples to oranges. Strange the singles have such a strong following.

I have a friend that bought a Z turn with a Koehler twin, high hours, blown head gasket. Guy told him to do both gaskets, they are prone to blowing with the hours on it. He did both head gaskets and adjusted the valves and loves it.
 
The killer of small air cooled engines is them not being kept clean of leaves, dirt, grass etc under the top cover and flywheel(the fan) and they get hot spots nuking gaskets/ pistons/rings, rubber seals and even deforming the cylinders. filtered air/fuel/oil are the other main causes of premature death. I would pull the engine covers and look for crap packed in there. Being only one bank I would suspect a pinched or collapsed valve cover breather tube as well as stuck rings and crap in the cylinder fins on that side preventing air flow. I would chck these things and fight kohler if internal damage is the fault of the oil consumption as 160 hours is very little time ran. Before you take it to kholer take pictures of the engine as proof you kept the cooling fins and fan clean.
 
Here's my experience with the big block kohlers. One out of a chipper, replaced under warranty with 37 hours on it. Carbed 37hp. Can't remember the model chipper, but it was a bandit. Burned oil like crazy, had a bad knock. Kohler let us swing a new engine in it. It burned oil too, but slowed way down after the first 100 hrs. Second engine is on an ex mark zero turn. Efi big block, ran great. Burned oil like a pig. Was told it was perfectly normal by kohler. Close to a quart every week. It too slowed around 100 hours. But it was still normal to have to add a 1/4 quart or so every other week. Both were strong runners. And fuel hogs.
 
My buddy said his is a Kohler Pro in a Craftsman Z Turn. 26 HP. Both heads had blown gaskets. The shop said the original head gaskets were a problem Kohler learned about and redesigned the gaskets. He said the original gaskets were about a 1/4 " wide, the replacements were at least twice as wide. He says it runs like a top now.
 
sean donato said:
And a honda
Click to expand...
Had 4300 hours on Kohler 25hp on a 2003 252 before selling it. Currently have 3185 hrs on a 2013 292 w/ the Kohler 26.5 EFI. Had to replace gasket on output shaft cover and one coil, prob uses 1/4 qt of oil between 100 hr changes, using AMSOIL. So far I'm sold on Kohler small blocks anyway.
Haven't ever had a big block.
 
stumper63 said:
Had 4300 hours on Kohler 25hp on a 2003 252 before selling it. Currently have 3185 hrs on a 2013 292 w/ the Kohler 26.5 EFI. Had to replace gasket on output shaft cover and one coil, prob uses 1/4 qt of oil between 100 hr changes, using AMSOIL. So far I'm sold on Kohler small blocks anyway.
Haven't ever had a big block.
Click to expand...
Yeah the small blocks seem decent. It's just been the 999cc big blocks. I have several small blocks that haven't given issues. Mostly command engines.
 
The old 25/27 hp commands were pretty stout and reliable. Parts are offense expensive. Known for blowing head gaskets and noisy lifters. My 27 on the garden tractor gets noisy lifters when hot out.

I was at the local lawn equipment dealer last week dropping off some saw parts for a guy that works there and they have a dump truck load of junk big blocks (Kohler and Briggs) they are robbing parts off of out back. Guy says some run hot and cook, others have plastic cam gears (WTF) that are problematic. Buddy who works there says they burn oil from day 1 and Kohler has a spec on that as previously mentioned. For what they cost it sure dosent appeal to me. Manufacturers are all building trash and laughing all the way to the bank.
 
I built my log splitter with the cheapest 8 hp Briggs engine I could buy no liner in the cylinder. Splitting 50 + cords per year it lasted me about 3 decades, but after every 8 hours of use I change the oil. Plus when my two stroke mix for the saws when the can ran low the mix I put in the splitter.

Only two problems the block rear cover gasket blew out, the ring gap lined up and killed every bug around. It was still running when I sold it.

I restore older cub cadet tractors and run them. The k series kolhers are awesome.
 
Can only speak for my CH980 that replaced a Ch740 on the stumpy. It ran only 250hrs so far but oil consumption is not noticable, no smoke, full power.
 

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