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A few things I've found working with the Kohler KT17/M18 engines:
Oil Viscosity
In the winter, you'll want to use multiviscosity oil of 5W-X versus 10W-X. These engines like thin oil in the cold. The service manual shows 10W-X going down to 0 degrees F. I promise, if you run 10W-X at that cold a temp you'll have starting and lubrication issues.
Oil Level
I don't care how tight your rings and valve guides are, if you run the oil at the top of the oil level range, you're going to blow oil through the breather. Keep the oil level closer to the lower side of the safe range on the dipstick.
Clean Oil
Do what the manual says, and change the oil every 25 hours. Air cooled engines rely on oil as well as airflow for cooling, so the cleaner the cooler. This interval is especially important on the Series I KT17 engines, as they only have splash lubrication on the crankshaft.
Cooling Air
Speaking of cooling, make sure the intake duct for the engine cooling is installed, as it routes cooler air from outside the engine compartment in to the engine. If you run without the intake duct, you're pulling in super-heated air generated by the brakes.
Keep it Clean
A dirty engine runs hotter. Fix oil leaks before they coat the engine and force your CHT (cylinder head temperature) higher. Air cooled engines need to be kept a lot cleaner than what we can get away with under the hood of our water-cooled car engines.
Fuel Pumps
The diaphragm on the fuel pump WILL fail if the engine has sat for any length of time. If you have an engine that has not ran for more than a year, it's absolutely critical to replace the fuel pump before taking your rig out in the bush. The diaphragm is not available as a part, as the pump is not considered servicable by Kohler. The pump can be replaced with genuine Kohler for under $50 if you browse eBay. DO NOT consider the cheaper aftermarket pumps. They are not worth the $10 you'll save.
Carburetor Mixture
Check the mixture on your carb. You're just wasting gas (rich) or burning hot (lean) if you don't set up the high/low mixture settings on the carb. I have an earlier post on how to set up the mixture on this carb.
Governor
Once you have the carb set up properly, set your governor high speed stop for 3,600 rpm with the throttle and choke wide open. Then set your sensitivity by moving the governor spring to different holes. The goal is to not surge when the load on the engine changes. The governor spring from the factory has the spring located on the governor arm in the 5th hole from the pivot point, and on the throttle control lever it's the 6th hole from the pivot. This engine develops some great torque, but if won't if the mixture isn't set up properly and the governor high speed stop and spring has been messed with.
That's it for now...these are the big hitters on this engine. I love 'em, and sure am glad I have a Kohler in my Argo!
Planter Bob
Oil Viscosity
In the winter, you'll want to use multiviscosity oil of 5W-X versus 10W-X. These engines like thin oil in the cold. The service manual shows 10W-X going down to 0 degrees F. I promise, if you run 10W-X at that cold a temp you'll have starting and lubrication issues.
Oil Level
I don't care how tight your rings and valve guides are, if you run the oil at the top of the oil level range, you're going to blow oil through the breather. Keep the oil level closer to the lower side of the safe range on the dipstick.
Clean Oil
Do what the manual says, and change the oil every 25 hours. Air cooled engines rely on oil as well as airflow for cooling, so the cleaner the cooler. This interval is especially important on the Series I KT17 engines, as they only have splash lubrication on the crankshaft.
Cooling Air
Speaking of cooling, make sure the intake duct for the engine cooling is installed, as it routes cooler air from outside the engine compartment in to the engine. If you run without the intake duct, you're pulling in super-heated air generated by the brakes.
Keep it Clean
A dirty engine runs hotter. Fix oil leaks before they coat the engine and force your CHT (cylinder head temperature) higher. Air cooled engines need to be kept a lot cleaner than what we can get away with under the hood of our water-cooled car engines.
Fuel Pumps
The diaphragm on the fuel pump WILL fail if the engine has sat for any length of time. If you have an engine that has not ran for more than a year, it's absolutely critical to replace the fuel pump before taking your rig out in the bush. The diaphragm is not available as a part, as the pump is not considered servicable by Kohler. The pump can be replaced with genuine Kohler for under $50 if you browse eBay. DO NOT consider the cheaper aftermarket pumps. They are not worth the $10 you'll save.
Carburetor Mixture
Check the mixture on your carb. You're just wasting gas (rich) or burning hot (lean) if you don't set up the high/low mixture settings on the carb. I have an earlier post on how to set up the mixture on this carb.
Governor
Once you have the carb set up properly, set your governor high speed stop for 3,600 rpm with the throttle and choke wide open. Then set your sensitivity by moving the governor spring to different holes. The goal is to not surge when the load on the engine changes. The governor spring from the factory has the spring located on the governor arm in the 5th hole from the pivot point, and on the throttle control lever it's the 6th hole from the pivot. This engine develops some great torque, but if won't if the mixture isn't set up properly and the governor high speed stop and spring has been messed with.
That's it for now...these are the big hitters on this engine. I love 'em, and sure am glad I have a Kohler in my Argo!
Planter Bob
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