? ON ZERO TURN, Kohler failure

This is why you dont wanna buy a Kohler Command horizontal engine. Mine just quit in 08 one day. I cranked it over and could tell there was no compression. Pulled the valve covers and no valve terrian movement. All this on a customers lawn mind you. Good thing she has a tractor, pulled it to the trailer, got it home and pulled the crankcase cover off. This is what I found. The crank gear, that runs the cam gear split, see the split on the right of the red cap? This gear is pressed on, no keyway. Other problem is no bearings for the crank or cam, just runs on aluminum. So why did the gear just split, know one knows. Put in a new $275.00 crankshaft, 6hrs later it let go again, this time the gear was ok, but the cam, because of wear on the cam shaft ends must have skipped a tooth or got crooked and broke. Broke the cam end, lost teeth on the cam and destroyed the new $275.00 crankshaft, teeth on the gear.
Well I took the motor to the dealer and they really had no explanation why it let go, other than wear on the areas were the cam runs. Any way they gave me a short block for $900.00, $200.00 off the orginal price. At least they helped me out. But you can forget kohler horizontals for me again. The Kohler verticals still have bearings, or so I was told? J

sounds like a bad deal all around, I've not had a horz kohler, but on the two 23 hp vertigal engines one had just over 600 hours, and the one I've got now has 340 something, neither one ever used any oil and had any problems, kept the oil and filter changed reg.

Well I had a Toro Zmaster with a 23 kohler vertical, sold it 2 years ago, had 2700 hrs on it never a problem. My brothers friend bought it from me. My brother told me a few weeks ago he saw his friend, and the kid told him the Toro was still running. So they were a good motor.

Should have swapped a honda into it. Kawasakis are a good replacement for the kohlers, but even they have their problems.

I have 2 Exmark Lazer Z's, one with the 21 kohler and one with the 23, both original engines. I believe the mowers are 99 or 2000 models. I don't pay any attention to the hour meters but do know I have kept them both running so far. Hope I don't encounter the problems you do. If so they will get replaced by a Honda.

Are your 21 23 vertical shaft? If you are ok, as I said I had a 23 kohler command vertical w/ 2700 hrs, still running. I wouldent touch another Honda again either. The Kawai's I have seem really good. just my openion.

I am a retired small engine mechanic. Kohler is a good engine. Better than B&S except for B&S Vangard engine which is made in Japan by Mitsabishi. Kawasaki is a good engine if you keep the fuel clean. The carb is very finicky.

I have a Gravely zero turn with 500 hours on it, no problems.

Pat, one thing I learned is to get the Donaldson filteration system. The Kawasaki filter seems to allow dirt into the carb. I started putting grease on the bottom of the filter were it sits on the base.
I have cleaned the donaldson filter on my kohler 27 and made sure its good. In 5 years, 2200 hours I have not had to replace it. 90% of the lawns we mow are irragited. No dust. Like my brother said,"Pretty sad the air filter last longer then the kohler engine" After the first kohler fell apart, Im not as worried about oil changes, filters ect on this one. I think the motor is only good for 3 oil changes anyway!! 1000 hrs the dealer told me.

I don't know if it is still that way, but used to be that the gear was part of the crankshaft. If the gear got screwed up they cut it off and pressed a replacement on and recut the gear.

Areo

no, the Lazer Z 60 inches and above are all horizontal engines. The 52 inch rider had a vertical. Now it appears exmark has a B&S,kohler and a diesel in the riders.

Same thing happened on two of ours. Toro 2007 or 2008"s with 700-800 hours. No help from Kohler or nothing. I have older Kohlers that went 2500+ hours. I only buy them with Kawaski twins now. I have 12.5hp Kawaski singles on walk behinds from the 80"s that have 10,000+ hours on them and never been apart. They built those right.

yep.I have a old toro 36" walkbehind with with that 12.5 kawasaki from 1990. Great motor.