We all know that none of the engines of today are anywhere close to the older models. I miss the old K series Kohlers, and Briggs Vanguards, but times change. I've heard, and seen, a lot of bad things about the new Kohler Courage series, to the point that, I wouldn't say I won't own one, but they wouldn't be my first choice. My neighbor has a Husqvarna tractor, one of the Lowe's specials with a Courage 26hp in it. It runs pretty good, but has had some minor problems.. Then one day he changed the oil and everything went wrong. You see, my neighbor is 6'6" and 350+ pounds and doesn't understand his strength. He tightens everything way, waaaaaaaaay beyond their limits, which over the years, has caused him many problems. But this time, it cost him around $800 and many hours of work. He tightened the oil filter on the Kohler too tight. Inside the new Kohlers are two oil pipes, one going into the filter and one going out. The center pipe for the oil filter is plain old iron pipe, and the oil filter mount simply threads onto the pipe, and butts agains a raised aluminum molded boss on the block. The other pipe, inside the engine is plastic, and obviously off center. He tightened the filter so hard, that he unknowingly broke the boss off the block, and twisted the plastic pipe inside til it broke, hence no oil flow. If you're like me, it's this kind of design, that makes Kohler no longer my first choice in engines. But, would you believe they're not as bad as you think? He was able to mow, FOR WEEKS, with almost zero oil flow, and no overheating, and he mows close to 2 acres of hilly ground. Now get the picture, a tractor with little or now oil flow, because the oil pick up line is broken and the oil pump is sucking air, mowing tall grass carrying a 300+ pound man, in hot summer weather and it took probably a month or more to blow up. So, I've got to say, they can't be all bad. When it did go, the cam looked ok, but the crank bearing surfaces were gone, and I do mean gone. The block was toasted at the crank bearing surfaces too. We bought a new short block and put it back together, and it's now happily running along.
The moral of the story is, that these new engines may not be as robust as in the past, that's for sure. Economy of manufacture has made them to be just as cost effective as can barely get by and still do their job, and then only if taken very good care of. But properly cared for and a bit of common sense, and they will do their job. I'm still not a fan of plastic cams and I'd love to see the return of, at least, cast iron sleeves, if not blocks, but they're gone, and they're not coming back, but the new engines aren't quite as bad as we make them out to be. I'll still take and old K series, or even a magnum, over what's out there today, but no such luck.
The moral of the story is, that these new engines may not be as robust as in the past, that's for sure. Economy of manufacture has made them to be just as cost effective as can barely get by and still do their job, and then only if taken very good care of. But properly cared for and a bit of common sense, and they will do their job. I'm still not a fan of plastic cams and I'd love to see the return of, at least, cast iron sleeves, if not blocks, but they're gone, and they're not coming back, but the new engines aren't quite as bad as we make them out to be. I'll still take and old K series, or even a magnum, over what's out there today, but no such luck.
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