Robin Engine Blows Main Seal

[Piedmont3]

My PT-425 Has the Robin Engine, I received it 01/10/05. It currently has 27.4 hours on the meter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I was digging a post hole this weekend when My 9 year old daughter screemed, "DAAAAAD"! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif She was standing about 15 feet directly behind the tractor. I immediately shut down the PTO set the brake and jumped off the tractor. She was pointing at the back of the tractor. I looked and oil was spewing out of the fan on the back of the motor. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
I jumped back on the tractor and headed for the trailer, raining oil all over the yard all the way to the trailer.
Got on the trailer and shut it off. Maybe 45 or 60 seconds from discovery to parked. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
I took it to the Robin Mechanic this morning and he said it looked like the main seal. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
My Question.
This should be covered under the warranty right?

 

[FOURTEEN]

<font color="red"> Not your Power Trac warranty.

Robin should provide an engine warranty, unless it has expired, or they determine that the failure was your fault. The Robin Mechanic should be able to tell you. If not, call Power Trac for info.

Good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

</font>

 

[Piedmont3]

I am sorry I was too vague, I meant the Robin engine warranty. With only 27.4 hours on the engine, and less than 6 months old, it has to be covered under the warranty, doesn't it? The Robin manual says the first scheduled maintenance is an oil and filter change at 20 hours. Which I did. Then at every 50 hours after that. I checked the oil before I started it. It had oil in it about 3/4 of the way to the top mark on the dip stick. The same as when I originally picked it up. It hadn't used any oil.

 

[FOURTEEN]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I meant the Robin engine warranty. it has to be covered under the warranty, doesn't it? )</font>


<font color="red"> I would think, and hope, so!! Call Robin, or a Robin Service Center, and ask!</font>

 

[Gravy]

You should be covered.

If I recall correctly, the engine has a 2 year warranty. I think JackRobin (Jack Gawecki, Robin America's tech rep) mentioned something about an expected service life of thousands of hours. He can be contacted through the Robin website, if needed.

Gravy

 

[Piedmont3]

The mechanic I took it to is a robin service center.
He said it would probably be covered under warranty.
He is contacting Robin to make sure.

 

[BobRip]

Congradulate your daughter on being so observant and letting you know of the problem. She probably saved the engine. It sure would be nice if PT hooked the oil pressure switch (which is on my 422 engine) to a light or something. It's not hard to add one.

Bob Rip

 

[FOURTEEN]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( It sure would be nice if PT hooked the oil pressure switch (which is on my 422 engine) to a light or something.
Bob Rip )</font>


<font color="red"> KOHLER uses an 'Oil Sentry' which shuts down the engine if oil pressure drops below a certain level!! </font>

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Piedmont3]

I thanked her already.
She is a very observant young lady.
She was standing where I told her to, so she would be safe from any debris that may have come from the post hole digger, and she hadn't moved, she just screamed and pointed. She has worked with me enough to know when things aren't going like they should.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> KOHLER uses an 'Oil Sentry' </font>

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Piedmont3]

I talked to the Mechanic Yesterday evening. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
He said, I can come get mt PT today. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
He started taking the engine apart to see what the problem was and found that it was only an oil cooler line. NOT the main seal. It is covered under the Robin engine warranty. NO cost to me, except transportation and time.
By the way.
The mechanic is very helpful, and I would highly recommend him to anyone that is close to the OKC area.
Jones Repair Service
Small Engine Repair
4711 N. Meridian
Warr Acres, OK 73112
(405) 789-3240
His card lists Robin, MTD, Murray, Redmax, Poulan Pro

 

[Clarke]

I have down loaded the Kohler engine manual. According to the Kohler manual when the engine is applied to a vehicle the oil sentry is to be connected to a warning light. On my PT 425 the oil sentry is not connected it is the green wire coming out of the wiring harness near the valve cover on the right side of the engine. If you would connect it as you are posting and you used the machine on a steep hill I'm afraid you would be taking a nice unscheduled ride.. If you would like it to function just install a warning light on the control panel. The contacts close when the oil pressure goes below 3-5 psi according to the manual.

sg

 

[JackRobin]

I am glad you've got everything taken care of, I am sorry I didn't see this post earlier as I have pretty much no time lately to visit this forum. Busy busy busy here for us at RAI during the summer time.

Regards,

Jack Gawecki
Robin America, Inc.
Technical Support Dept.
800-277-6246

 

[Piedmont3]

Thanks Jack !
A commendation to the warranty people they handled the claim quickly, and the results were great. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Thanks again,
Jeff

 

[SnowRidge]

<font color="blue"> (KOHLER uses an 'Oil Sentry' which shuts down the engine if oil pressure drops below a certain level!!) </font>

Wouldn't that be luverly? <Sung to well known melody>

(I'm resurrecting this thread/post because someone linked to it from the one covering ElBubba's current blow-out, and I missed it originally)

After looking at the Kohler wiring diagrams and service literature (what I could find of it), and tracing the wiring on my own PT-425, I have concluded that the 'Oil Sentry' equipped Kohlers come with the means for the OEM equipment maker to provide either a warning light or buzzer, or an automatic engine shutdown function. Power Trac seems to have chosen to do neither.

In other words, it isn't hooked up and doesn't function on a PT-425 -- at least not on mine. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[BobRip]

I hooked my pressure switch on a 422 to a light and sonalert tone generator. Works great.

Bob Rip

 

[SnowRidge]

Can you hear it when you are mowing and wearing ear protection?

 

[BobRip]

I don't know, it has never come on when the engine is running. I suspect it would be hard to hear with the engine running. It does have a pulsing tone which is much easier to hear. My main purpose for the sonalert is to remind me if I leave the key on. This has happened twice and I have added about 20 hours to the hour meter.
The oil light is located where the light switch used to be and I put light switches (qty 4) under the canopy. I can individually control each front light, the backup light and a flashing amber light.

Bob Rip

 

[SnowRidge]

<font color="blue">( My main purpose for the sonalert is to remind me if I leave the key on. This has happened twice and I have added about 20 hours to the hour meter.) </font>

Yep, I am familiar with the feeling you get when you discover what you have done. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[cqaigy]

<font color="red"> flashing amber light </font>

Hey BobRip,

Where did you get the amber light, and if you don't mind, how much?

TIA