Kohler Courage puffs smoke

[pinebank]

I just purchased a Craftsmen GTS 5000 54" cut with the 26hp Kohler Courage V Twin since my Toro Groundmaster 72 died and is up on jacks.

It runs and cuts great but every now and again while going downhill with the tractor slanted to the right it will let out a puff of blue smoke, which I assume is burnt oil. It doesn't do this all the time but will do it in the same spot as I do a circular cut. This is with the blades engaged and the engine running at full throttle as per instruction. The tractor has 10 hours on it. I changed filter and oil at 5 hours.

Can it be loading up a cylinder as the engine acts as a brake? Does an oil ring need to seat, is it coming through a valve guide? And why only downhill to the right...maybe twice in an hour?

 

[RandyT]

could it getting oil in the crankcase breather and getting sucked into the engine throughj the carb, due to the downward and right facing angle of the engine.

 

[jgrinn]

Check the oil. I would bet money that it is overfull! Drain a little out and it will probably go away.

 

[pinebank]

Oil level is correct. I thought about it getting into the carb but haven't sat down to figure out how that would happen.

 

[Highbeam]

It'll get into the carb through the crankcase vent. The vent line is routed to the intake so if oil goes into it then there's your burn.

The oil level range on these dipsticks is small. Something as simple as locking down the oil cap vs. leaving it set on the threads can seriously affect the perceived fill level.

You know it's oil burning.

 

[jgrinn]

Oil level is correct. I thought about it getting into the carb but haven't sat down to figure out how that would happen.

I would still try draining some out and see what happens.

 

[pinebank]

After changing the and filter i dumped in 64 oz. as per book and it didn't fill it up to the fill line on the stick, so I dumped in a little more. Didn't blow any smoke last time I mowed but am not sure it is quite up to the full mark on the stick as I didn't want to go hunt up my glasses.

I'll keep an eye on it.


thanks.

 

[jda1961]

check the head gaskets, my 1998 kolher 25hp did same thing when it was new, both head gaskets were blown due to a manufactorers defect, sears replaced both plus the head bolts free, no problems since.

 

[Tennessee 8n]

I agree with the head gasket diagnosis. My 25 HP (2005) gt5000 smoked just as you described since new. Everything I read blamed it on the engine design with horizontal cylinders and the oil ring gap ending up at the bottom bla bla bla. Recently though it really fouled the plug on the right cylinder and even after changing plugs it would foul again almost immediately so I did some more research and found info about these motors coming from the factory with bad head gaskets on that cylinder even though mine had a build date after the supposed problem. I did a compression check and the right side was considerably lower than the left and there was oil below the cylinder/head junction. I ordered a gasket set which came with new bolts and tore her down. sure enough that gasket was blown, replaced the gasket and put it back together and ran a compression check again. This time both sides the same. Then I fired her up and no smoke but the spark seemed weak on that side, ended up needing a new coil on that side too but the gasket
WAS blown and the engine runs better than ever with no smoke at all now. So I guess my coil went bad which is what drew my attention to the totally oil fouled plug and the rest is history. If that coil hadn't failed I would still be out there smoking up the neighborhood blaming that darn engine design. It smoked since new basically and doesn't smoke anymore. Check your compression. The right side will be low. The damaged gasket area is between the oil passage and the cylinder.

 

[Gulfcoastdude]

I'm having the same exact problem! I bought a brand new Cub Cadet 42" ztr with the 22hp Kohler Courage engine and used it for the first time today. Everything was going fine until I went up the slope down near the road, as soon as I got to the top of the slope and turned around a HUGE cloud of blue smoke erupted from the engine. This smoke was so thick I couldn't even see my hand in front of face, probably blinded motorists passing by too. It stopped almost immediately after. I also noticed a couple more puffs at other times (mostly sharp turns), but not nearly as bad.

If I can't even use this thing on a slope I just assume take it back for a refund. Has anybody else had this problem besides the OP (and me)? I never had this problem with a Briggs.