Kohler and fuel flooding oil

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My kohler 16hp(2003ish) would not turn over so I checked oil and smelled fuel.

I drained out the oil(usually 1+ quart) and nearly filled a gallon jug up! I replaced oil.

Two questions
1) it likely will continue leaking some fuel in, does this ruin oil or can it take some? I need to mow lawn 1-2 times to burn off rest of fuel in tank.

2) Is putting a fuel shutoff in a fix? I think it flows into engine when not running slowly due to gravity setup.
 
The old oil is contaminated. Get some fresh oil.

Fix the float valve first. A fuel shutoff will help but it's not the problem. Your float valve is leaking. Gas leaks into the carb and then into the engine.
 
Sounds like a failure in the fuel shutoff solenoid. My 14 HP Kohler has an electric solenoid valve (located under the carb bowl) that shuts fuel flow to the carb when the main power switch is off. If your engine doesn't have that, it may be a stuck carb float.

As a quick fix, you could install a manual fuel petcock in the line from the tank to the carb (but that obviously wouldn't address the stuck float problem).
 
Like R80RS suggested, sounds like a fuel cut-off solenoid issue. I would imagine being a 2003, it has one poking out the bottom of the carb bowl. Normally it's the other way around, they wont stay open and you get no fuel.

Regardless, this is the only negative to a gravity feed fuel system. They'll continue siphoning fuel if given the opportunity.

If you don't want to mess with the solenoid, you can cut-in an inline shut-off valve.
 
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