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Low Hour Kohler CH20 Burning Oil
- Thread starter Morkai
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RandyT
Elite Member
the cylinder walls looks really smooth. Is there any crosshatching left or has it worn off. How bad of a ridge do you have at the top of the cylinder. And what does the other side of the head gasket look like,
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Morkai
Bronze Member
The gasket is the same on both sides, no problems visible. I can see a few of the crosshatching marks still, but most are gone. I don't know what you're referring to about a ridge, there is nothing other than the bevel at the top of the cyl wall. There is no ridge in the wall itself.
If the intake valve seal is leaking will I see any sign inside the intake port?
If the intake valve seal is leaking will I see any sign inside the intake port?
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Morkai
Bronze Member
Pulled the intake valve and the seal looks good from what I can tell. I can feel resistance sliding it though the seal as compared to just inside the guide. I also checked the cylinder bore, if I got my gauge calibrated right, and got about 3.0325 give or take .0005. Looks like it's close to factory specs.
Looks like all I'm left with is the rings. I guess I'll be ordering an overhaul kit and rings, or piston/rings.
Looks like all I'm left with is the rings. I guess I'll be ordering an overhaul kit and rings, or piston/rings.
morkai/Randy - at the risk of perpetuating one of those old wives tales, is the any possibility that using syn oil vs dino oil is involved here? Not too long ago, kohler was cautioning owners to stay with dino for the first 100 hrs or so before switching to syn... as I remember, kohler was concerned about rings not seating..
RandyT
Elite Member
Kohler was saying not to use synthetic for the first 50 hours because they were concerned about rings not seating, but that has been removed from the owners manuals and service manuals in the last 6 months. I think if it was a synthetic oil problem is would be effecting both cylinders.
RandyT
Elite Member
can you move the piston in different directions. Maybe you can see what the top ring gap is and have a better idea of if it is worn rings. You mentioned you thought the intake gasket was leaking on that cylinder, so that can cause wear and effect one cylinder.
If you pull the piston out remove a ring from the piston and then slide it down in the bore, and see what the ring end gap is.
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Morkai
Bronze Member
I do run Mobile 1 10w30 in it, but only after the normal break-in period...can't recall the hours. I think the rings are seated, has good compression and power, and the oil usage came on quickly this last year, I would say before 180hrs it never used a drop. It may be burning some oil in #2, but if it is, it's not enough to foul the plug out bad like #1. Did I mention that it's a 2005 model?
I wouldn't think the top ring would be bad with the compression I was getting. I'm thinking either worn or broken oil ring. I can try and see it though. Not the intake gasket, I was wondering about the intake valve seal, unless that's what you meant. Best I can tell by appearance and sliding the valve through it the seal seems good. I'll get some pics of the seal and valve tomorrow. I did see some burnt marks past the seat and plenty of carbon or something on top of the valve.
I'll definitely check the gaps when I pull them. I thought about popping a new seal and head gasket on it and trying it again and then with heavier dyno oil. If that stopped it I'd know it's the rings. I guess I should've tried that first.
I wouldn't think the top ring would be bad with the compression I was getting. I'm thinking either worn or broken oil ring. I can try and see it though. Not the intake gasket, I was wondering about the intake valve seal, unless that's what you meant. Best I can tell by appearance and sliding the valve through it the seal seems good. I'll get some pics of the seal and valve tomorrow. I did see some burnt marks past the seat and plenty of carbon or something on top of the valve.
I'll definitely check the gaps when I pull them. I thought about popping a new seal and head gasket on it and trying it again and then with heavier dyno oil. If that stopped it I'd know it's the rings. I guess I should've tried that first.
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RandyT
Elite Member
This may seem strange, but here goes. You mentioned that you thought the intake valve stem seal was leaking, I am now wondering if the head doesn't have a casting flaw that is allowing oil to seep down around the valve guide itself, kind of like a crack in the head.
Has a head on a CV23 a couple of years back that was leaking oil externally, but was found to have a casting issue and the oil was seeping through the aluminum from the push rod gallery just below the spark plug. I am possibly thinking a hairline crack next to the intake valve guide. Look it over closely. May only leak when the engine is hot.
It is very unusual for the horizontal engine to have oil usage from around the rings, because they are not that close to the actually oil, unlike the vertical. Most oil usage is from blowby through the intake and would be burned in all cylinders.
Has a head on a CV23 a couple of years back that was leaking oil externally, but was found to have a casting issue and the oil was seeping through the aluminum from the push rod gallery just below the spark plug. I am possibly thinking a hairline crack next to the intake valve guide. Look it over closely. May only leak when the engine is hot.
It is very unusual for the horizontal engine to have oil usage from around the rings, because they are not that close to the actually oil, unlike the vertical. Most oil usage is from blowby through the intake and would be burned in all cylinders.
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Morkai
Bronze Member
No cracks or anything that I can see. It's definitely not the seal, it's good and tight.
The top ring gap looks way out. I don't see how it had good compression, unless the 2nd ring is better. No way to measure without pulling it, but it looks over .050"
The top ring gap looks way out. I don't see how it had good compression, unless the 2nd ring is better. No way to measure without pulling it, but it looks over .050"
