Kohler 26HP v-twin problems!!! Help!

[lawman1909]

Yes it has a pre filter. I wash that out every spring and once in the middle of the year/end of the year.

 

[PhilsSmallEngine]

If you're really concerned with volatility (oil usage), this is a heavy duty oil that has a very low rate of boil off and great shear resistance:
Amsoil Premium API CJ-4, SM Synthetic 15W-40 Diesel Oil

It has a 6.8% rate of loss due to boil off so it's extremely stable and it's designed to run some of the hottest diesel and/or gasoline engines around. A quality oil will have a boil off rate around 15% max and the best have less than 10%.

I have customers that run this in their Kawasaki zero turns with great success. With some oil tests, we were able to extend their oil changes to 200 hours instead of 100 hours. An oil change every 3 weeks instead of every week and a half made them happy.

 

[Bror Jace]

A lot of us go overboard here with maintenance, specifically oil changes. While their worth is difficult to prove, I do believe that cleaning the air filter on OPE is something really worth going overboard with. If it is really clogged with dirt and grass, I'd consider doing it almost monthly during the mowing season.

Dirty/dusty air getting past the filter can lead to oil consumption as cylinder liners become heavily scratched by hard particulates.

Check the manual to see whether it is supposed to be oiled or not.

PhilsSmallEngine, I don't doubt the quality of Amsoil's 15W-40. However the same could be said of any 15W-40 in comparison to a 10W-30 ... and many are available locally at a lower cost.

 

[beanoil]

A second vote here for Delo 30 weight. Shell Rotella 30 weight would be a good choice also. That's a little more available. My 21 horse Kohler SV620 has done fine on Delo. 52 ounces, and an FL-910 every season.