My new JD mower has a 25hp kohler command on it. It has 18 hrs on it now. When I first picked it up it smoked at startup. Like a blue gray color. Thought ok don't like that maybe it will stop. Well it hasn't and I am not crazy about it. Had a 20hp kohler years ago did same and never stopped
new kohler smokes
- Thread starter lawnman
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Shouldn't your first contact be to the dealer from whom you purchased the unit? It shouldn't smoke at all, and if it is since it's new it should be covered under warranty.
Quite frankly, if it did it when you first picked it up you should have notified the dealer at that time too.
Quite frankly, if it did it when you first picked it up you should have notified the dealer at that time too.
My John Deere with the Briggs has light smoke on startup. Seems to be related to the choke. No oil usage.
Yup, contact the dealer you bought it from. I once sold a tiller with a briggs on it and it smoked out of the box. told the customer to run it a few hours to see if it broke in. It didn't get any better. Tore it down, and the factory had forgot to put either the oil ring or the scraper (second) don't remember anymore, ring on the piston.
My Kohler Command CV18 I bought new on a JD 130 lets out blue smoke on the first startup of the year. It has done so for 17 years or 600+ hours. It does not use oil throughout the season. Many Commands have valve guide seals on the intake valve, but not the exhaust. As it runs, the exhaust pressure keeps the oil from burning. This can be seen on many engines where the valves are horizontal because sheer gravity keeps the oil from running down the guide / stem. My old Corvair didn't have valve guide seals on the exhaust side. As a result, if it has sat for a while, some oil could weep in there and burn off after the first start from sitting a while. But not enough to see a difference on the dipstick over the course of an OCI.
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Originally Posted By: millerbl00
My John Deere with the Briggs has light smoke on startup. Seems to be related to the choke. No oil usage.
Same here with my craftsman since day one.
My John Deere with the Briggs has light smoke on startup. Seems to be related to the choke. No oil usage.
Same here with my craftsman since day one.
Originally Posted By: rsylvstr
Originally Posted By: millerbl00
My John Deere with the Briggs has light smoke on startup. Seems to be related to the choke. No oil usage.
Same here with my craftsman since day one.
My snowblower with a 305cc Briggs did the same thing since day one.
Originally Posted By: millerbl00
My John Deere with the Briggs has light smoke on startup. Seems to be related to the choke. No oil usage.
Same here with my craftsman since day one.
My snowblower with a 305cc Briggs did the same thing since day one.
My two year old Husqvarna mower lets out a bit at start up also. It has 23 hours on it. I see a lot of riding mowers that do this.
JTK
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I have seen some of these OHV engines smoke on startup in some applications. It's typically on vertical shaft engines. Parking them and letting them sit rocker cover down can cause it. Some are real sensitive to oil level. Lower the oil level to no more than midway between full and low to see if that helps. If not it's something mechanical like said above.
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I'd give it some time to break in. Make sure you mow some thick stuff to put a good load on it and push those rings out. My Kawasaki smoked when it was new at startup, although it only lasted a couple seconds. Are you using the choke? It's already 100 degrees outside, you shouldn't need it I haven't touched mine since the beginning of march.
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JTK
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Different climates I guess. I've owned Kohler K's, Commands and a Courage and could never get them to light off reliably cold w/out using the choke, even in 80+F summer temps.
None of my K series Kohlers will start without choke. It is pretty common for mine to give a little poof of smoke when first started.
I think we need a little more info from the OP.
Is this engine on factory fill oil?
If it has been changed what oil are you running?
Is the oil level dropping and requiring top offs?
18 hours is not much and the engine is still likely breaking in.
Depending if there is significant oil consumption you may or may not have a problem.
I've heard some of the early Command engines had some issues with head gaskets (early 2000's-late 1990's)
but the issue was fixed on the newer engines.
I think we need a little more info from the OP.
Is this engine on factory fill oil?
If it has been changed what oil are you running?
Is the oil level dropping and requiring top offs?
18 hours is not much and the engine is still likely breaking in.
Depending if there is significant oil consumption you may or may not have a problem.
I've heard some of the early Command engines had some issues with head gaskets (early 2000's-late 1990's)
but the issue was fixed on the newer engines.
Originally Posted By: lawnman
Great advice guys thank you. Might be doing slightly better. To answer last question. It did this with the factory fill which was changed out at 10 hrs with new filter. Running 10w30 PP right now.
My 2014 Cub Cadet LTX1045 w Kohler 20hp says not to use Synthetic till at least 50hr mark. I would guess your smoke is from the rings not being fully seated yet.
Great advice guys thank you. Might be doing slightly better. To answer last question. It did this with the factory fill which was changed out at 10 hrs with new filter. Running 10w30 PP right now.
My 2014 Cub Cadet LTX1045 w Kohler 20hp says not to use Synthetic till at least 50hr mark. I would guess your smoke is from the rings not being fully seated yet.
Get rid of the synthetic. Run conventional 10W30, nothing else, for the first 100 hours. When you refill the oil, fill the oil halfway between full and add on the dipstick. If it still smokes your carburetor might be leaking a bit of fuel past the needle and seat while sitting, necessitating a fuel shut off valve.
If I park my command vertical twin slightly down hill,it will smoke at start up. It just takes a tiny amount of oil, to seep past the rings,and cause a lot of smoke.Lots of info about this on tractor forums.
MolaKule
Staff member
Originally Posted By: millerbl00
My John Deere with the Briggs has light smoke on startup. Seems to be related to the choke. No oil usage.
Some thoughts come to mind:
Choke not opening fully (linkage may need adjustment),
Fuel squirt or pre-charge diluting oil in cylinder (normal),
Carburetor not set correctly,
Oil level too high. Make sure oil level is slightly below full mark when cold. Most people overfill thinking more is better.
My John Deere with the Briggs has light smoke on startup. Seems to be related to the choke. No oil usage.
Some thoughts come to mind:
Choke not opening fully (linkage may need adjustment),
Fuel squirt or pre-charge diluting oil in cylinder (normal),
Carburetor not set correctly,
Oil level too high. Make sure oil level is slightly below full mark when cold. Most people overfill thinking more is better.
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