My wish list of mods to my Sovereign

[LMichaels]

So I should have put this up before the oil cooler thing, but here goes. I would like to ad oil pressure and temperature gauges along with an oil cooler, plus maybe a tachometer.

Anyone done these things on Sovereign? Photos? Keeping in mind this is a Kohler Command Pro 20 on there. Would love to get input and maybe photos and write ups what have you on it.

[CarlH]

A Command should have an oil cooler.   Don't know about a pressurized port for the oil.

[LMichaels]

I haven't seen one but I will look again.

[Richard Wright]

My two Commands (CH20 and CH25) both have oil coolers.

 

[Bill725]

1) Oil Coolers - Both my 1998 Sovereign with a CH18 and 2000 Sovereign recently repowered with a CH640 (20.5 HP) have oil coolers. I do not know what exactly is the temperature difference between with and without oil cooler is because I installed them prior to running. But, I am sure they run cooler. When my 2000 was powered with the OEM Triad engine, I initially installed an Autometer 100-250 degree F oil temperature gauge. During hot days it would get hotter than 250. I changed the gauge to 140-300 degree F and during hot days I would shut it down at 270 to cool off. Understand the Triad only has 1.5 quarts of oil whereas the Command has 2.0 quarts. I also use the extra long oil filter, Kohler P/N 277233-S (Wix 51764) which adds approximately 4 ounces of oil.

2) Oil Pressure - On the CH18, there is a NPT pressure port near the oil filter in the side of the block. I have installed a mechanical pressure gauge which can be read from the LH side of the tractor. Both the CH18 and CH640 have pressure switches located in the valley under the air cleaner base. The OEM pressure switch is for the Oil Sentry, which is designed to ground the ignition when the switch sees no oil pressure. I currently have a low oil pressure warning light on the CH640 and am waiting for a Kohler oil pressure gauge kit to come to see if it can be installed in the dash by adding a 2" hole.

[PhanDad]

On 7/11/2018 at 5:59 PM, CarlH said:

A Command should have an oil cooler.

I don't believe an oil cooler was OEM for the 18HP Command in a Sovereign.  Not sure about the SunStar.  As others have stated, many owners have added them.  

As to other late model Sovereign mods, I did two when replacing a Triad with a Command:  Add the older 7100 series power distribution board to the dash tower and add one of BLT's "magic relays" to wire the Kohler "Oil Sentry" into the ignition "kill" wiring so the engine shuts down on low oil pressure (and this feature is not active during starting when there is no oil pressure).  Both modifications are documented in the "Articles" section and also the Tech Tips forum:

https://simpletractors.com/articles.html/articles/engine-repair-rebuilding/kohler-triad-replacement-command-r12/

As to adding an oil cooler, I considered it and decided not to add one since I don't use the Command powered tractor to mow in the heat of the summer (since the deck doesn't cut high enough).  I use my Homelite T-12 for summer mowing (cutting height up to about 4").  So far so good.  

 

[Wilbur643]

You might think about using the extra long filter that Bill mentioned and switching to full syn oil, or a blend of syn and oil. Cheaper and easier than adding an oil cooler. I use the extra long filter, and Rotella T-5 synthetic blend in my still running great Triad, and it definitely run cooler, how much cooler I can't tell you but noticeably cooler and it gets a lot hotter down here than where you are.

[PhanDad]

13 minutes ago, Wilbur643 said:

You might think about using the extra long filter that Bill mentioned and switching to full syn oil, ...

I do run full synthetic but not the longer filter. 

The tractor is now used almost exclusively for snow blower duty since I'm not inclined to remove the snow cab and prefer the 7016H for mowing duty in the spring and fall on my hilly property. 

But the longer filter sounds like a good idea; I didn't know one was available.    

 

[LMichaels]

I did use a slightly longer filter and had to make an ever so slight mod to the hood. I do use Shell Rotella T6 in my air cooled engines (the tractor and my generator with old cast iron briggs 10 hp). My buddy has a Moto Guzzi California motor cycle with a 1200 CC Vtwin. He said the owner's manual specs Rotella T6 for oil. GOod enough for Guzzi good enough for Briggs and Kohler

[Wilbur643]

15 hours ago, LMichaels said:

I did use a slightly longer filter and had to make an ever so slight mod to the hood. I do use Shell Rotella T6 in my air cooled engines (the tractor and my generator with old cast iron briggs 10 hp). My buddy has a Moto Guzzi California motor cycle with a 1200 CC Vtwin. He said the owner's manual specs Rotella T6 for oil. GOod enough for Guzzi good enough for Briggs and Kohler

If you use the extra long filter and T6 you should be fine. A oil cooler is probably over kill.

[LMichaels]

Adding a couple photos. As someone had posted that these engines come out of the box with a cooler. I don't see one on mine

[rich_kildow]

Tachometer is easy, just add one of those hour meters you wrap around the plug wire.  Anytime I do a repower one gets installed, even on push mowers and snowblowers.  The one on my 7122 works great!

[LMichaels]

21 hours ago, rich_kildow said:

Tachometer is easy, just add one of those hour meters you wrap around the plug wire.  Anytime I do a repower one gets installed, even on push mowers and snowblowers.  The one on my 7122 works great!

Tach or hour meter? It has an hour meter already. It's a tach I want to add

[maxwood]

Hello, Here is a tach , called a (tiny tach)

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/i/232597594740?chn=ps

 

Thanks Ken in Mi

[PhanDad]

1 hour ago, LMichaels said:

Tach or hour meter? It has an hour meter already. It's a tach I want to add

The one I have does both; the display alternates between rpm and hours.  Don't know if the newer ones display the same way.  I use it as a tach for setting idle and top rpm speeds so it's not installed on a tractor.  

It's several years old, but the last time I used it, the battery was still OK.  The one drawback is the battery isn't replaceable, it's a sealed unit. 

 

[LMichaels]

OK, I really want to find a decent analogue tach. I pretty much dislike digital things with the constantly switching numbers and LCD's that don't work well in the cold. If anyone has a line on a tach like that please post a link.

[Bill725]

IMHO, do not use Fram.

[LMichaels]

Actually I feel the same way however that particular line of Fram is actually constructed as well as anything else on the market. I did A LOT of research and that particular one is the ONLY Fram product I will use. Though I do so only rarely when I cannot find what I need in my preferred brand(s). But I was posting the photo not because of the filter but because I don't see any sign of an oil cooler