Kohler engine spewing oil

lastcowboy32

Well-known Member
My neighbor has a 2006 Troy Built riding mower. She stopped using it last spring for various reasons:

-It was throwing the deck belt often...which I figured out was caused by a mechanic of hers replacing one of the deck spindles with one that had an undersized pulley on top. I replaced the pulley and...no more belt throwing.

-It wasn't starting...which I tracked down to the solenoid being shot on the carburetor...I replaced the whole carb (should have seen the gunk that came out of it)...and boom engine starts

-Once I got it running, I checked the oil (OK) and took it out for a test mow on her lawn. As I worked it, the deck ran fine. High fives! But wait.

The damn thing started leaking oil like a sieve. After I parked it, I checked the carburetor, and found oil in the intake.

It still starts and runs.

Did this thing just plain blow the living snot out of its head gasket? Do they get brittle or prone to failure if they sit around too long?

The head gasket kit with bolts and such is about 45 bucks at repairclinic.com

Before ordering that, what should I disassemble and inspect?

The engine is a Kohler SV590-0017, if that helps.
 
Does it have a hose that runs form the block to the air cleaner or some place in or close to the carb. If it does where that hose hooks to the block it is likely to have a PCV valve that has gone bad and so the vacuum of the intake is sucking oil into the intake. Common problem on many small engines
 
I believe that is a Courage engine. Check top crankcase cover for loose bolts, and crack in block just below top crankcase cover. Google the Kohler Courage engines for known issues with them, and some. I learned the hard way when I discovered an oil leak to find out the crack in the block. I was so ticked off that I immediately loaded it up and traded it the next day for a $4500 mower with a Kawasaki engine in it. That was my first and last Kohler. Hope this is not the problem on this one, but would be first place to check.
 
If its leaking oil outside the block, look for a crack in the block in the curved area of the block just ahead of the starter. That spec. number tended to crack there. I have also seen some of them lose a bolt out of the counterweight and then it pushes a hole in the block opposite the cylinder.

For oil in the intake, remove the valve cover. make sure the drainback hole that lets the oil back to the sump is open. (I have seen one head where they failed to drill the hole.) I don't recall seeing a blown head gasket on one of those engines, but anything can happen, I guess.

There is also the possibility that so much combustion is going past the rings the crankcase breather can't handle it and that is why its putting oil in the carb. throat.
 
It's a Courage engine.

I didn't see an obvious crack upon first inspection. If it was a crack in the block, how would my intake get so loaded with oil. There is a puddle of oil in the carburetor throat.

The ring explanation sounds plausible. Maybe the rings set up from sitting so long.

My hopeful side likes the PCV valve explanation. There is indeed a tube that enters the air breather just above the carburetor throat. The tube runs to the valve cover with no visible PCV. Would the PCV be under the valve cover?

In the mean time I'm going to check repairclinic to see if they even offer a PCV for this engine. Sometimes just looking for and at the suspect part is a clue.

Thank you all for your inputs so far.
 
If the tube goes into a part that bolts on that is the PCV but who knows what it may have since now days things are for screwed up. By the way to may not be called a PVC it could be call many other things but it all boils down to being a PCV
 
Exactly what happened to my 20 hp single cylinder Courage at just over 300 easy hours. It's in the trash pile now and a nice $700 with free shipping, 20 hp BS Vanguard V twin is occupying that position. Smooth as silk.
 
Was looking at Husqvarna 46" mowers yesterday and an Ayers pops up too, looks like the same machine. Interesting that the new
ones listed didn't have the 20 hp single Kohler Courage engine (we're bashing here) offered any longer. You could get a BS 656 cu
in 20 hp Vanguard V twin or a Kohler Command 19 hp single for less money on the 46. Looks like they learned their lesson. Good
riddance!!!!!!!!!!

The BS engine listed is what I put in my Husqvarna 46 when I threw my Courage in the trash. I have the same engine on a larger
machine at 22 hp. The difference is the throttle linkage. They limit the max rpms to 3300 on the 20 and the regular 3600 on the
22. So if you have a 20 and want a 22, just get the 22 linkage.....scanning a parts list should identify the different part number.

The BS is really smooth on my little 46. I really like it also because with 2 blades and a molded deck, I can mow wet grass and have it
exit without getting stuck in cracks and crevices like my 2 ZTs; constantly having to put them on the jack and get under and scrape
it out and no water jets don't work. I put 2 on my larger ZT and it was a waste of time, unless you stopped every 5 minutes and
washed the deck out. I just leave them parked unless it's hot and dry.
 

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