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How long does a 20 hp kohler command last?

Geo-TH,In

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member
I'm wondering how long the Kohler lasts. They seems to be well built, hydraulic lifters, roller bearings on crank. I've seen one with 2200 hours. Mine has 1950 hours. When mine begins to use oil after 50 hrs, I change it.

So how many hours have you seen on a Kohler?
 
I've got one on a bench, driving what used to run a wheeled weed whacker. Carb is goofed. Main vertical seal (crankshaft) is still leaking - been there for 8 years, I change the newspaper every now and then - crankcase not completely empty yet - so 8yrears x 356 hours = ??.?
 
18 year old Troy-Bilt Kohler Command 23 HP mower. 1100 hours. Regular oil / filter changes, runs like a champ, very powerful, does not burn oil. The rest of the mower is pretty beat up, many things have fell off, but the engine is a champ.
 
Funny you should ask. My 2004 Simplicity Prestige with a 20 HP Kohler just lost oil pressure faulty oil pump and head and piston repair
It has a 1000 hours on it.

I still think it?s a great engine
 
I am glad some people have had good luck with those motors. I have bought 3-4 mowers that had Kohler Command motors that had internal issue with under 500 hours on them. The latest is a JD 687 zero turn with 385 hours on it. Local fellow owned it, Super picky on maintenance. Oil ring broke on right piston. It will burn a quart of oil an hour. I will have to have that cylinder sleeved as the broke ring cut the wall over .100 deep. I would not buy one to keep for the long haul myself.
 
same model, same engine, same problem. third kohler with same problem. will NEVER go kohler again. I have a 1989 18hp craftsman with a B&S eng. never had an eng. problem.
 
There was about a 25 hp Command came through the shop a few months back that the other mechanic 'thought' had over 5,000 hours on it. He said he had personally put a new cylinder head on it at over 3,0000 hours. (So there were some major repairs.) The hour meter no longer works, though. Of course, its using oil now.
 
I'm not a fan of any of those little engines. And I never had trouble with the BS engine starting since they never run or start anyway. Dad has a Kohler on his Troybilt tiller that seems ok I just till his garden for him this year since he is going in for a new hip in September. It starts if you choke it cold or if it sets for a few minutes.
As for the Briggs there is a reason they are nicknamed a BS engine.
 
I saw a kohler command under 400 hours off a cub cadet drop a valve seat. Wasn't the engine's fault the cooling fins were packed with grass clippings and a mouse nest.
 
I get around 2000-2500 out of them on a toro or exmark Z. I change oil every 50. I?ll get another 1000 or more out of a liquid cooled Kawasaki or FI kohler. Staying cool or the right amount of fuel must be the ticket! As a side note, I like Kubota?s, but never had good luck with a diesel one in a Z. Actually had better luck with a Briggs/daihatsu.
 
My 17.5 Kohler in my JD lawn mower started making noises, like a rod going out at 540 hours. oil was changed every 50 hrs. Haven't opened it up yet, but stuck a Briggs in to replace it. Ron MN
 
I have 2 Kohler Commands. A 18 HP in a 1995 Woods 52?? zero turn with 1500 hours. Runs great,uses very little oil. A 25 HP in a 2004 Woods F25 zero turn with 525 hours. Runs great, uses very little oil. Both mowers I keep the cylinder fins blowed out and the air filters clean.

Jury still out on how long that 25 HP will last in that F-25 because it works hard for a living pushing that 72 inch mower deck.
 
Got a 27hp on a grasshopper at work, over 3000hrs. One cylinder head was replaced just shy of 3000hrs for a crack. Doesn't burn oil. We do have a pretty good maintenance schedule. I'm pretty impressed with it, didn't figure it would last this long.
 
Back in 1972 my dad got a Troy built tiller that had the Tuschumsi SP engine on it., He wore that engine out in just a couple years. He had me put a Kohler engine on it for him and it is still on it. I have done very little it over the years to keep it running and I changed it back in the late 70s and I still use that tiller every year
 
Just be glad you don't have a single cylinder Kohler "Courage". Most of them have a half life measured in minutes.
 
I have a single cylinder kohler on an old 42 inch craftsman mower. It was made when mowers had a standard transmission, a gearbox. I removed the worn out mower deck. Put bar tractor tires on it. I use it to pull an ATV disk. Pull a pallet to level dirt in new flower beds. Pull special mower I use to mow flower beds after frost. Makes a good pulling tractor. Goes places a lawn mowers and a large tractors can't

Perhaps the key is it's old and back then they made things to last longer. Engine doesn't use oil, runs great. No hour meter.
a275544.jpg
 
Thanks for your reply. I've been concerned that I may be buying a new motor soon. My replacement motor is around $2k. Small engine warehouse is usually sold out.

I was told the kohler had head gasket problems too, so I don't shut mine off until I let it cool down. Don't shut it off if I plan to restart it minutes later, just let it run.

When I service it every 50 hours, I take air compressor to blow the dirt cooling fins and motor.
 
(quoted from post at 04:04:49 08/02/18) Just be glad you don't have a single cylinder Kohler "Courage". Most of them have a half life measured in minutes.
Click to expand...

They call them "Courage" because it takes it to own one. They tend to grenade in the 250-300 hour range, because of the over-complicated vibration damping system. Up until recently, Kohler would provide you with a short block assembly, but you had to pay to have it installed.
 
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