Kohler lawn mower engine info needed

[Jimmy9190]

I need a new mower, had bad luck with a mower I bought a few years ago with a Briggs 5.5 engine. The grass here is pretty dense and thick, I believe it is St. Augustine. My old mower with the Briggs engine bogged down in the grass a lot and was not very good at mulching. I had to rake the yard after mowing, and I hate to rake anything.

I am considering this mower, it is the only push mower I have seen with a non-Briggs engine.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/huskee-21-in-2-in-1-149cc-push-mower

I am looking for info and opinions/reviews, I have never owned a Kohler engine. I appreciate any help.

Thanks,

 

[boom10ful]

Parts like carburetor are more expensive and a bit harder to find. Other than that, I think they're ok. I miss Tecumseh; healthy competition is good in a niche market.

 

[bubbatime]

Avoid like the plague. Kohler push mower engines are Chinese garbage. Parts are hard to find and expensive. Briggs carburetor= $15-20. Kohler carburetor= $45-50. That one linked has a 149cc engine, which likely has less power than a flat head Briggs.

Not sure what your issue with Briggs is. They are well made, well supported, and the OHV engines have good power (flat heads, no longer made, were low on power)

Best course of action? Get a used QUALITY mower on Craigslist. I regularly buy mowers on Craiglist for under $100 that originally sold for $600-1000. Running. Some in decent shape, some needing a 5 minute repair.

https://orlando.craigslist.org/grd/d/cub-cadet-kawasaki-self/6552415930.html

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Avoid like the plague. Kohler push mower engines are Chinese garbage.


Absolutely.

They sold out..

Kohler "Command" = VERY well made (and expensive) engines that last 30 years.
Kohler "Courage" = chinese garbage that lasts for 30 minutes

I don't think Kohler builds an engine under 20 HP that is worth owning anymore.

Your Briggs from years ago obviously had the "saftey" (Thanks, stupid Tort lawyers) governor spring.... any GOOD small engine mechanic can defeat it and get the proper amount of engine power you paid for.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime

Not sure what your issue with Briggs is. They are well made, well supported, and the OHV engines have good power (flat heads, no longer made, were low on power)


Personal injury Lawyers made them run slower so they were safer.

It's easy to turn them up where they are actually a useful mower.

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: Linctex
Your Briggs from years ago obviously had the "saftey" (Thanks, stupid Tort lawyers) governor spring.... any GOOD small engine mechanic can defeat it and get the proper amount of engine power you paid for.


Briggs mowers (usually) have a tab that the governor spring goes to. Bend the tab to increase the RPM and power of the mower. Just last week my mom was telling me that her mower was way down on power. I bent the tab, raising the RPM, and she said its like a new mower.

Originally Posted By: Linctex
Kohler "Command" = VERY well made (and expensive) engines that last 30 years.


YES! I have a 13 year old Kohler Command on a Craftsman riding mower. I will never sell that engine. If the mower falls apart around the perfectly running engine, I will remove it and put it in another mower that has a blown engine. Heck I would probably install that Kohler command into a brand new riding mower and save the new engine on the shelf for a spare. I LOVE that Kohler command!

 

[Speak2Mountain]

We got a Kohler Command on a JD

16 years old and stills runs great

 

[Lubener]

Your best bet is to look at the product reviews for that mower on TSC's site. Those are actual people who own that mower. Here, you are getting opinions only.

 

[DuckRyder]

Honda makes push mower. It will cost you more though.

https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrs216pka

Home Depot did cary them, but appears to have stopped caring this model.

 

[carviewsonic]

I bought a Honda mower 2 years ago

Really mulches well with twin blades and a high deck. Blade stop lets engine run without blades spinning, really handy. Only negative, Honda OHV engine needs higher revs to run smoothly, compared my old Tecumseh. More revs than needed sometimes when lawn isn't too tall. A bit pricey, but gets lots of use over hopefully many years.

 

[ragtoplvr]

When you are mulching you have to mow very often and set up the height so there is plenty of room for the mulched grass. 3 to 4 inches minimum.. If you are cutting off more than 1 inch of grass, you can not mulch it successfully and you must have sharp blades. A very healthy population of night crawlers (worms) will eat most of the mulched grass.

Rod

 

[Jimmy9190]

Thanks for the info. I may look into a Briggs mower now, I had no idea the new OHV engines are better. I know very little about lawn mower engines. I had a mower with the Briggs "5.5" engine, got it at Walmart a few years ago. It ran OK but still bogged down in high grass. Last year we paid a yard guy to cut our grass so the mower sat in my garage for a little over a year with an empty gas tank.

This year I am trying to save money so I am cutting the grass myself. I tried to start it yesterday, no joy. Took it apart, cleaned the spark plug, sprayed TB cleaner (I had no carb cleaner on hand) in the gas lines and in the carb, cleaned the air filter, still no start. It would start and run a few seconds if I sprayed TB cleaner directly into the carb. Took it apart again, found nothing wrong anywhere but I am no expert. Reassembled it again, put gas back in it and the gas started leaking out the air filter housing. I read online that is a sign of an internal problem with the piston. I drained the tank again and put the mower back together one last time. Thought about having a local small engine shop look at it but changed my mind. Even if it was "fixed" it still was not a very good mower for the thick grass here. I washed the gas off it with a water hose and put it out by the street with a "free mower" cardboard sign. It was gone this morning.

So now I need a new mower regardless, seems most of the mowers you can buy now are all powered by a Briggs engine. I thought about this one at Home Depot, I kind of like the bagger idea, but the mower itself gets mixed reviews, seems people either love it or they hate it. Lots of bad reviews saying it has starting problems:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Yard-Machine...BE729/204686133

At this point I am not sure which one to buy. Craigs List is not an option I am interested in pursuing. Thanks again for the help on this. I will keep looking online, may head out to HD and/or Lowe's today and shop in person.

 

[cheech279]

Jimmy, can you get a better deal on a mower at Rural King in Leesburg FL?

 

[Jimmy9190]

Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
Jimmy, can you get a better deal on a mower at Rural King in Leesburg FL?


RK has this push mower, it is cheap at $150.00 but is out of stock in all stores within 100 miles of here. In fact, according to the RK web site they are out of stock on all push mowers around here. It also has a Powermore engine, I never heard of them either. I read online it is Chinese, so it may or may not be good.

https://www.ruralking.com/yard-machines-21-140-cc-push-mower-11abos5700#

I may just take my chances with this Yard Machine mower at HD:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Yard-Machine...BL729/205520067

That is about the best deal on what seems to be the same mower no matter where you buy it. For another $20.00 I can get the same mower with a bagger which could possibly eliminate the need to rake the yard after mowing, but there are numerous reviews saying the bagger is too small and can be a PITA:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Yard-Machine...BE729/204686133

Thanks again.

 

[dwendt44]

Most Honda engines have a provision to raise the RPMs.
One extra hole for the return/safety spring once you've
gotten a few hours of break in.
With a good brand of oil, I don't worry.
Rotella oil for me.
Any good mechanic should be able to raise the RPMs
on any motor.

My 2¢

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
Jimmy, can you get a better deal on a mower at Rural King in Leesburg FL?


RK has this push mower, it is cheap at $150.00 but is out of stock in all stores within 100 miles of here. In fact, according to the RK web site they are out of stock on all push mowers around here. It also has a Powermore engine, I never heard of them either. I read online it is Chinese, so it may or may not be good.

https://www.ruralking.com/yard-machines-21-140-cc-push-mower-11abos5700#

I may just take my chances with this Yard Machine mower at HD:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Yard-Machine...BL729/205520067

That is about the best deal on what seems to be the same mower no matter where you buy it. For another $20.00 I can get the same mower with a bagger which could possibly eliminate the need to rake the yard after mowing, but there are numerous reviews saying the bagger is too small and can be a PITA:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Yard-Machine...BE729/204686133

Thanks again.


As far as engines go I think that the Yard machines are part of the MTD family and most likely uses their Powermore engines. While it's not a lawn mower I have a 2410 Troy-Bilt snow blower with the Powermore 179cc engine. Other than an episode due to ethanol gasoline it's run great and surprising powerful for a small engine in a 2 stage snow blower. It doesn't use any oil and the oil stays golden. This poor snow blower gets flogged to death on my very steep uneven gravel driveway and still runs great, not the most powerful but for it's cc I can't complain.

Whimsey

 

[Astro_Guy]

Originally Posted By: DuckRyder
https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers/models/hrs216pka

I've had one since 2009 that looks a lot like that. The only difference I can see is that mine has a lever with three positions for start, high, and low speed. That GCV-160 is a fine motor. Mine logged enough hours to need two oil changes per season. Effective 2015 it was relegated to a trim mower when a John Deere D140 arrived on the scene. We've got lots of trees and other obstacles to deal with, so it still sees a fair share of use. Recently I replaced the factory original NGK BPR5ES plug at 300+ hours with a BPR5EIX Iridium plug. That original plug looked like it could be cleaned, gapped, and put right back in. Feed a Honda GCV-160 synthetic 5w30 or 10w30 and it should last a long, long time.

Getting back to the OP, spending a little more on a good push mower may be justified if you want to use that mower for more than a few years.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
the gas started leaking out the air filter housing. I read online that is a sign of an internal problem with the piston.


No......... that is the fuel inlet needle.

Nothing else does that.

 

[JLawrence08648]

I work on mowers most everyday. How much money do you want to spend?

Honda makes the best engine. Husqavarna the best frame. Toro is a great mower.

Cub Cadet, Yard Machine, Troy Bilt, Crsftsman, are all owned by MTD, a low end manufacturer.with the inlet

OHV is more powerful, 148cc is too little for your application.

Fuel leaking is a fuel inlet problem

 

[Balrog006]

Originally Posted By: Speak2Mountain
We got a Kohler Command on a JD

16 years old and stills runs great


I have one too, the L130 is 14 years old this year. Still running strong and cutting well.