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12 hp Kohler


Ronald Hribar

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Started taking starter and tinwork off 12 hp Kohler. Went to take head off 3 bolts not very tight. One extremely so, snapped that one off. Expected to see bad piston, but just extremely carboned up. Valves move properly. Took pan off. Thought I would see something bad there . everything looked good. Okay maybe there is something wrong with rod. removed it from crank shaft. looked like new inside. popped piston out of cylinder looks really nice also. Trying to take flywheel off. guess I will have to bring home a legimate puller. I should have changed oil and gas and checked for spark. I'll bet my free 212 with blown motor was runable. The person I got it from was moving to Paris Texas and because he has been travling for last 3 months, just bought another Jd. I thought he knew what he was talking about. But I should have checked also.
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Maybe it was a Kohler owner that was used to hearing that Kohlers blow. No matter what I have learned a lesson $80 in parts that will be going in, 2 broken bolts to repair and trying to get motor back in it's basket spot in tractor.
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It is amazing how many times I have purchased or been given engines that were supposedly "worn out" to the owner. Like the 12 Hp Kohler that was replaced because it was "worn out" (which I purchased complete with carb, starter, and charging system for $50). One look at it told me the head gasket was blown. New head gasket and new air filter, and it went on a tractor. Ran great.
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Sometimes it just pays to know what to look for from having messed with motors, tractors. We need to remember most folks ownly know how to put in gas and maybe oil, turn on the key if it starts alright. If it doesn't they don't have a clue what maybe wrong. Beter for us, right.
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Here is my Kohler story. I was buying some AC stuff from a guy who was cleaning up his junk. He had 10hp Kohler from a AC710 that he thought had a broken rod (you could give the flywheel a spin and it would rotate freely). I wouldn't buy it because I had no use for a 10hp (now if it was a 12,14, or 16 then I would have interested). By the time I had the stuff loaded he threw in the 10hp just to get rid of it (of course I won't refuse a free engine even if it is a 10hp). Some weeks later I took the head off; 3 head bolts were very loose the rest barely beyond finger tight. Full of carbon, after cleaning off the carbon I found a recently overhauled engine with no ring ridge .010 over piston and can still see the cross hatching on the cylinder. Put is back together (now with good compression) and it runs great but smokes bad. Maybe the oil rings never set, will probably put in new rings, but it is a 10hp and I may just sell it as is. But something bothered me in that the engine seemed to sit to tall for a 10hp (not owning one, I had nothing to compare to). Then I remembered that Kohler has the engine number in the casting by the PTO shaft. K301 - IT IS A 12hp! Even though all of the labels and spec. #'s on the shroud say 10hp. I have not put new rings in it yet, unless someone has a idea on how to get it to stop burning oil. I heard a suggestion to put non-detergent oil in it and run it hard for awhile and this may set the rings. The same guy said that he has seen this when people put synthetic oil in an engine too quick after overhaul. Mike
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Did you check the crankcase breather. On my magnum 20 the oil rings were stuck and the crank case breather was bad. Dealer said breather is common problem on Kohlers
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Ron, you are right on with the boxer twins they have had an issue with the breather assemblys. Not as common with the singles. Yes I went through the breather. I am drawing a vacuum in the crankcase (good compression ring), very little play in the valve guides, but a nice steady fog coming out of the exhaust pipe.
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