Kohler Cv23 breather in prestige

[B112_son 14]

I've got a prestige with 23 ho kohler command. While mowing yesterday I suddenly had white smoke pouring out the exhaust. Well I shut it down and looked under the hood and it appears the breather that goes into the valve cover on the right side as sitting on the tractor is pouring oil down the engine to the exhaust. I have not taken everything apart, but I looked up the parts breakdown on jacks and found I can buy a whole breather assembly with new breather and rubber grommet etc for 46$. Or I can just get the rubber grommet connecting the breather and valve cover for 4$.

I guess my question is what would you do? Does the breather go bad? All indications are the grommet is the problem but then I ask myself what caused it to fail. The engine has 700 hours on it. Any help is appreciated.

[BLT 718]

I had a CH 20 do that to me. Turned out reed plate in breather box failed. Parts were reasonable but to get to it was a chore. Don't know on the CV how hard it is to get to.

[B112_son 14]

Thanks BLT. The breather is a piece of cake and right on the outside of the engine. Looks like taking off the hood would make the job easier but maybe not necessary. I was thinking since it's going to have to be taken apart replace the whole breather makes more sense.