Has any PT-owner had a Kohler engine problem?

[SnowRidge]

Snow Ridge,

Is your Kohler mounted all the way to the rear with all three pumps in front, like the Robins? Is that why it had a PT-made muffler?

Mine and MR's are mounted more in the center with the tram pump on the front and the other two on the rear. Ours have a stock Kohler muffler shooting out the center of the hood in back, through the grille.

No, mine is the same configuration as yours and Moss's. It also now has the same Kohler muffler.

The alleged reason for the Power Trac muffler was to help cool the engine compartment. The PT built muffler took in cool air on one side and exhausted mixed cool air and exhaust gasses on the other through a venturi effect. While the exhaust, which was blasted out the right side, was cooler, the muffler shell itself was darn near red hot. Mine got some dry grass on it, which caught fire and was burning vigorously when I caught it. Since the top of the muffler was flat, it tended to collect a lot more dry grass clippings than the round Kohler muffler. It was also extremely heavy.

In my opinion, it did not result in a cooler engine compartment than the stock Kohler muffler, and may have actually made it hotter. It definitely made the engine run hotter.

 

[Mith]

I dont know what model your Kohler is, but as long as it isnt a courage, you'll be fine. I have seen Kohlers on ebay with over 1000 hours on them.
I have a 40 year old tractor with a Kohler on it, runs fine.

 

[SnowRidge]

I dont know what model your Kohler is, but as long as it isnt a courage, you'll be fine. I have seen Kohlers on ebay with over 1000 hours on them.
I have a 40 year old tractor with a Kohler on it, runs fine.

It is a CH25. The series is Command Pro. Lawn care pros, who use a lot of them, are reporting 2,000 hours until rebuild.

I don't think that anything manufactured 40 years ago has much relevance to today's world. Companies change hands, brand names are sold and traded as a commodity, and today's business ethics are rather questionable.

Beyond that, our Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been mandating cleaner and cleaner running engines. As a result, today's engines tend to run much hotter than yesteryears, and probably will not last as long. Besides, we have become a throw away society, and it is reflected in the build quality of many of today's products.

I hope my Kohler lasts 2,000 hours, but I won't be surprised if it doesn't.

 

[KentT]

My brother got 2800 hours on a Kohler Command as a stationary engine on his Woodmizer sawmill...

 

[tlb]

My (PT425) Kohler Command Pro CH25 blew a head gasket. Don't know exactly how many hours since the hour meter quit 2 years ago. Other than that is has been running fine, never failed to start and never "just died" except when I run out of gas. My guess would be 600+ hours on it over a 5 year period.
-Tim