Kohler oil temps.

[Septor]

Hello All:
Now that Kohler is no longer answering emails perhaps I could post my pondering question here.

On my Kohler 25hp vertical twin Craftsman garden tractor:

What are the normal oil temps expected for this engine?
What is the max oil temp for this engine?

Thanks people

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Do you have a gauge? If Not Just use the recommended oil viscosity. Most likely a SAE 30 HD or 10w-30 HD. Most pcmo would not be additised adequately for expected engine hour service life - at least during the first 50 HR "wear in".

 

[FL_Rob]

If theres no response from Kohler ,maybe contact briggs'straton tech guys and ask what comparable temps would be for that engine design ,it might not be exact but close enough?

 

[Bebop367]

Oil from the sump just after 2+- hour run is 250°on our Kohler Courage 25HP on Gravely ZTR. I used Rotella 10w-30 CJ4 since new. No oil consumption. I just switch over to Rotella T5 10w-30.

 

[SteveSRT8]

these engines have a history of blowing up in stationary applications under load. Note that there are oil coolers available for them if not factory equipped.

Good synthetic could care less about 250 degrees.

 

[Septor]

I am running PP 10w30 and my just installed temp gauge is reading 280 - 290 degrees F.

Is that within the normal range?

 

[Cujet]

Normal for aircooled engines is generally below 260F. Ideal is about 220, that way it boils off moisture but it not too thin due to excess temperature.

I generally use Mobil 1 15-50 for my air cooled engines here in Florida. I lost 2 Honda powered water pumps using conventional oils. The reason was, as you noticed, excess oil temperature. The switch to M1 15-50 did nothing to address the excess heat. However, the oil is able to handle the heat and remains in grade while hot.

For engines that don't run as hot, I use M1 5-40 Turbo Diesel Truck. It is ideal for air cooled requirements, with plenty of ZDDP.

As I keep saying, generators here in S. FL fail with alarming regularity using 5-30 oils. And, it's ABSOLUTELY an oil related issue. Thin, modern auto oils are not engineered to run at such high temps and the results are obvious.

Put another way, air cooled engines with plain connecting rod bearings require a certain viscosity. Do you think 5-30 dino oil provides this at 290 degrees F?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: Septor
I am running PP 10w30 and my just installed temp gauge is reading 280 - 290 degrees F.

Is that within the normal range?
Thats PCMO - wrong oil; You NEED HD oils.

 

[boraticus]

Synthetics are for extremes. Be it hot or cold.

I keep an infrared thermometer handy when running air cooled ope. I like to take a reading every so often to gauge how hot the engine get's when running for extended periods. My small Champion generator with the 196cc Chinese clone engine ran around 208 degrees while under near max. load for over an hour. Personally, I'd like to see it a couple degrees hotter but it was a fairly cool day at about 60 deg. F.

I've never had any air cooled engine develop enough heat to cause me concern and I run conventional oil in everything but my snow thrower.

It's important to keep the cooling fins and engine cowling free of dirt and debris. With any grass cutting equipment, it's inevitable that grass clippings will be pulled into the engine compartment or cowling. Each spring, I do a thorough inspection and blow everything out with compressed air. It's surprising how much grass can accumulate in and around the engine's cooling system. I also use my Echo Shred N Vac as a blower to clean the equipment off once a week or so. It helps keep the clipping out of the engine compartments of the yard tractors.

 

[Deltona_Dave]

Originally Posted By: boraticus
Synthetics are for extremes. Be it hot or cold.

It's important to keep the cooling fins and engine cowling free of dirt and debris. With any grass cutting equipment, it's inevitable that grass clippings will be pulled into the engine compartment or cowling. Each spring, I do a thorough inspection and blow everything out with compressed air. It's surprising how much grass can accumulate in and around the engine's cooling system. I also use my Echo Shred N Vac as a blower to clean the equipment off once a week or so. It helps keep the clipping out of the engine compartments of the yard tractors.


+1 on keeping the cooling fins cleaned. I pull the shroud on my mower's engine every OCI (about every 3 months). After use, I let it cool for about an hour and hose down the mower/engine. Then dry with a leaf blower. I have to, with 4 dogs, their land mines get stuck in the turf tire tread....

Dave

 

[JTK]

It's tough to get an accurate read on an OPE oil sump with an infrared gun. Your readings are going to be all over the place. New Kohler twins do seen to run scorching hot. I've got a late model Command 20 V-twin. Combine that with a heavy workload and high ambient temps and it just gets worse. It's not a big issue for me living in NY, but you're going to have shorter engine life in hot climates unless you take precautions. This is why I recommend away from Kohler's 10w30 spec. If you search Amazon or the likes, Kohler does offer a small plug-n-play auxiliary oil cooler kit.

Joel

 

[SteveSRT8]

and don't assume these engines are only used in lawn mowers!

 

[Deltona_Dave]

Kohler's are used a lot on Genny's. Tough engines, especially the Command series. I tried to talk my wife into a Craftsman mower with the Kohler, but she liked the next model up with the B&S, because it had a drink holder. Can't complain, the B&S has been reliable. See my post about Briggs with 1200 plus hours.

Dave

 

[jstutz]

Originally Posted By: JTK
It's tough to get an accurate read on an OPE oil sump with an infrared gun. Your readings are going to be all over the place. New Kohler twins do seen to run scorching hot. I've got a late model Command 20 V-twin. Combine that with a heavy workload and high ambient temps and it just gets worse. It's not a big issue for me living in NY, but you're going to have shorter engine life in hot climates unless you take precautions. This is why I recommend away from Kohler's 10w30 spec. If you search Amazon or the likes, Kohler does offer a small plug-n-play auxiliary oil cooler kit.

JTK, i have the same mower and have talked to you in the past about a few things. GT2544, do you know what the kohler part number for this particular 20hp engine , looks like they offer a few different ones.

Joel

 

[boraticus]

"It's tough to get an accurate read on an OPE oil sump with an infrared gun."

Why? Just aim it at the crankcase. It should be pretty close to the temperature of what's in it. That's what I do. I also take readings of the engine head close to the spark plug. That's a place where there's a lot of heat.

I'm not saying it will give you readings to the exact degree but it will be close enough to let you know if there's a heat issue.

 

[JTK]

Jstutz, the cooler kit is the same for all Command CV series twins. Not sure of the p/n. It goes over the filter mount and grabs air after it blows over one of the jugs. You could mod it with a nifty little E-fan or the likes:

http://cgi.ebay.com/KOHLER-25HP-CV25s-OI...=item3a59bf511d

Boraticus, my thinking on the oil temp scan is just like you say. If you're shooting a big'ol aluminum crancase, the sky is the limit in regards to what temperature you're actually picking up. For all intents and purposes it's going to be close enough.

Joel

 

[Brett Miller]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Originally Posted By: Septor
I am running PP 10w30 and my just installed temp gauge is reading 280 - 290 degrees F.

Is that within the normal range?
Thats PCMO - wrong oil; You NEED HD oils.


That oil will be just fine. In all likelyhood, the engine will outlast the rest of the machine.

 

[Septor]

Well I hope you are correct. Those temps are a bit high for most applications.

My temp gauge is a 25 dollar SunPro so I don't know the accuracy.

Thanks much

 

[Brett Miller]

Do the Kohler twins run that much hotter than the singles? I moved for 45 minutes yesterday with my 16hp Command and I could almost keep my hand on the oil filter.

 

[steve20]

200-220 is what I normally see on a push mower. I have read as high as 290 on an old Snapper rider with 8 hpBriggs <--RIP