Common problems found on Kohler Courage single cylinders 

I must have the unicorn. Have a 17HP Courage in my Bronco. Not sure how old it is, I'm the second owner. Take exceptional care of it. Change the oil with synthectic 2X a year, and the filter every other oil change. Ck the level each time I use it and never have to add. Just started using non ethanol gas. Use Stabil in the fall and have never had carb problems. Granted I only mow 1/2 an acre, and it is always inside,. Only problem I ever had was wiring problems one Winter when the mice decided to gnaw on them. I've seen other videos where the mechanics said the single cylinder Kohlers were better than the twins. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I have a Kohler courage 19 and I have had it since 2007. It’s a Troy built bronco. But it has been a good riding mower for me.

Had mine for ten years, changed oil, filter, clean or replace air filter often keep it in the shed, maintenance is the key. Clean gas only! I did replace the valve cover gasket today

I’ve had my ToroZ4200 with 19 hp. Courage engine since new 2008. The only mechanical/electrical issues was a failed regulator and leaky valve cover gasket. Regulator gave out a month ago and leaky cover gasket 2 years ago. I do regular oil, filter, plug changes. Along with belts, pulleys, blades and batteries as needed. Think I’ve been lucky so far with the performance of the engine and mower as a whole. Never use anything but ethanol free fuel in it. Thanks for your video.

15 year and still going on a SV470 courage, annual services and acknowledge the rocker cover did leak slightly until I applied some Locktite 515 to the original gasket.

Kevin....excellent tips and comments:-) I run all 2000 series cubs and the hour meters are 1350 on my Onan 14, 695 on my Kohler command 16, 1175 on my Kohler command "V" twin 18, and 1109 on my Kohler 18 hp boxer! Zero problems and they were all bought used and abused, but regular oil changes, using Lucas and MMO in gas and oil, religiously cleaned them to run like new. Using these hard in a ranch setting to mow pasgures has shown their metal, so I like the older technology.

"After fire solenoid" is a fuel shut off solenoid and this is for a positive shut off to keep fuel from flooding the crankcase and deluting the oil and future engine failure.What was found is that the needle and seat would not shut off fuel completely when sitting over period of time.

I've had a courage 19, for 8 years. Use it almost commercially. Never had a problem with until a year ago. It got to where I had use jump starter to get to crank. Kept charging and replaced two batteries. Same problem, until one day starter when up in smoke. You're right my friend, took starter apart, looked like water had been pouring in it. Armature rusted out, and one of the 4 magnets cracked and all had been scraped to a shine. Guess I'll try my luck with el cheapo aftermarket starter. Maybe start throwing a tarp over it when not in use. Thanks for video.

The thick rubberized cork gasket is the problem because the thin sheetmetal valve cover distorts. When the gasket hardens and shrinks after a year, they all leak. The bolts don't loosen until the gasket shrinks.

These Kohler engines have a neat thing. They are called oil dip stick. Use them to check amount and condition of oil. Very simple carb. Very easy to clean and maintain. Perhaps you should buy some goats. Of course they take a certain amount of care also

I agree with some of what you say.I have a 2009 toybilt with an 18 hp,single cylinder courage.Valve cover i permatexed twice with the high temp stuff.Leaks & smokes for the first 3 minutes,then thats over with,burns no oil.Runs great,First couple of times I use it every year,have to shoot gas in the carb to start it or it will just crank forever.Headbolts have never loosened up.Belts are a PIA! to change but under the tin,their all MTD,so I just deal with it.Owners manual say"s "Scrap it after 7 years".That ain"t happening as it replaced a Wheel Horse that was 42 years old.About 3 hours use a week during the mowing season.That stupid solenoid on the bottom of the carb,I cut off years ago,problem solved.

Thanks for the tip on the solenoid corrosion.

It's unfortunate that I didn't see this until after I got one of these engines.

I have a 19hp courage on my ariens tractor..10yrs still going strong. yearly wrenching .never ethanol.

Not to mention the pto cover, if it can be called that because it is under the flywheel, the bolts will come loose and hit the flywheel. Also I have seen many of these engines with a crack in the crankcase next to the cylinder on the muffler side. Or don't forget the counterbalance weights on the crankshaft inside the engine loosening up and destroying itself. I owned one of these personally and had two out of three of these things happen. These are serious design flaws. It didn't happen from either abuse or lack of maintenance either. I myself am a small engine and lawn equipment mechanic. I do know a thing or two. About maintaining an engine .

It's pronounced "sell-a-noid." My SV470 Kohler Courage engine on my Toro mower has over 2000 hours on it in 15 years. I had the first problem ever two days ago when the governor gear broke inside the crankcase. A very good engine, in my case.

My Kohler Courager has been great. I just left some crap gas in too long with Sta-bil additive and it messed up my carb I think. Other than that it starts up great every time. Had my Troy Bilt Bronco going on 10 years and I love kohler engines but I do the maintenance. My father in law on the other hand has been through a John Deere, Simplicity, and now a Husqvarna since I bought mine. He does no maint.

Yeah. I have a 2011 Cub Cadet with the 20hp courage. I have 150 hours on it. My valve cover gasket did go out and I put Permatext on it. I haven't had any other problems thank God. I change the oil and air filter every spring, I run Seafoam in my fuel. I've been fortunate so far. The next rider I buy will have a Kawasaki Engine

This video is 100% true! I have never seen such a poorly designed engine before. I mean like there is no way you can push 20 hp out of a lawn tractor single cylinder engine, just can't happen without a fiasco. I didn't notice the casual crack these crappy bucket engines develop the fastest. I heard the carbs on the 18- 20 singles are the same, its a piece of plastic that changes the flow of fuel and gas into the head. The starters are by far the worst product on earth, ive had nothing but trouble with any kohler starter. Im 13 and i have been working on tractors since 2012 and ive came by 6 of these and only 2 had no cracks on the bucket seam. I will always use a briggs or tecumseh engine, easy to find cheap and NOS parts, kohler's parts are through the roof high prices. Great video.

I guess I got lucky. I have a 19 hp Courage from 2006, I believe, on a Troy-Bilt. I do have a valve cover leak issue, but minimal and I just replaced the original carburetor solenoid. No other repairs have ever been made. Regular oil changes with quality oil, including filter, a new air filter and spark plug each year and it's never seen rain. I'm expecting several more seasons before I replace it.

Everything he points out here is true, although I keep mine in a garage and it never gets wet, so I've never experienced the starter problem. However my LTX1040 is now 12 years old, and until now I've only had to replace belts and one of the cutting deck rotors. But this year I had to replace the carburetor, and it does NOT like the cheap replacement I got. I'm also finally getting around to replacing the valve cover gasket. that thing started leaking after about 5 years. I used to park it with the front wheels rolled up onto a couple pieces of 2x6 just to get enough tilt when it was sitting so that it wouldn't leak all over the muffler. But at 12 years, I worry this thing is near the end of its run.

I must have gotten lucky. I have a 2004 Cub Cadet with a 19HP Kohler Courage engine with over 600 hours. All I have done to the engine is change the oil, filters, and spark plug every spring. It still has the original starter.

I've got one 10 years old and have never had any problems at all with it.

Very helpful and informative video and I thank you a lot for this! Man...I wish you lived down the street from me!

I like the older Kohlers with the o-ring in the valve cover, Kohler is not my favorite engine, but I do like the Kohler command engines, right now I have a 26 hp Kohler command vtwin engine and it runs great, but I still love my older Briggs ohv engines (2004 and older), there bulletproof.

I guess I have been lucky !! I have a 2011 LTX 1040 Cub Cadet with the 19hp Kohler Courage engine. I have 136 hours on it. I have had to replace the valve cover gasket and I used Indian Head gasket sealant but I am still getting smoke when I first start the engine. I have tightened the bolts once already , looks like I'm going to have to do it again. I'll keep you updated.

I just want to add that I have run a courage 16hp single cyl without issues for 7 years now. Only doing routine maintenance (+ the cam cover seal) and lawning a 4500m2 lawn with heavy slopes with the jonsered lt2115. But I have removed the cam cover and sealed it to avoid the oil leakage, it was just to remove the cover, clean it and add some kind of tube gasket together with the fitted gasket. The mower is 2nd hand, from 2005.

Ive ran my kohler courage for 200 hours and ive had oil issue, all you have to do is every 30 to 50 hours take the shroud off and tighten the valve cover and the bolts under the flywheel, so far ive had no engine trouble except for the auto fuel shutoff valve in the carb went out. I put a shutoff vale on the line and it works just fine. Just run the carb dry if its gonna set more that a hour.

I'm probably one of the lucky ones I guess. My Kohler is now 11 yrs old. Cant really complain. Engine is actually outlasting the toro Z4200 frame!! lol. Valve cover indeed did have a 'slight' leak for years. I think I may have tightened the cover bolts once. No longer an issue. Haven't had any starter problems -- yet-- and it gets rained on alot. However, right now, I an having a carb problem. This year (2019) had to clean my tank, new fuel lines (original lines lasted a whopping 11 yrs!), but now I gotta dig into the carb again to figure out why it won't start without starting fluid. But WILL run for a couple minutes after that. Then, it just shuts down. Clipped off that little anti after fire solenoid thing years ago. Too expensive to replace and not really necessary. Just went with the inline cutoff valve. Already took the carb apart once and cleaned it inside. ...the bowl, that little plunger with the rubber tip, used air compressor with WD 40 to blow out the little holes. I can see the gas going thru the new clear gas lines when its turning over. New plug. So I guess there's something else going on in the carb. Maybe bowl sticking -- idk. Time for a hammer I guess.

You’re not kidding Kevin. Kept smelling gas in the garage and sure enough that solenoid in the carb was bad, so the gas kept filling up whatever. It would spit raw gas out when I started it. I bought a $20 carb online and it fixed that problem, but it’s damn near impossible to dial in so it runs right. No more Koehler courages for me. I’ll stick to Briggs.

i used to have a briggs 13.5hp with that style starter, it had a plastic cog lol, you can imagine how long it lasted.

My neighbor had a toro z5000 zero turn riding mower last year he left it out in his yard. This year he went to start it and it only clicked. He got discouraged and gave it to me. I said thanks and gave him a 3 1/2 inch branch mulching machine which starts every time. After I looked at the engine, I found the starter had gotten wet and seized. I ordered one last week and it should be here in the next few days. Maybe I got a good riding mower or maybe there is more things wrong with it. Your video could save me some trouble shooting time. Thanks for the tips about the Kohler Courage motors.

My neighbor bought a Troy bilt 19 hp courage about 12 years ago. He mowed about 3/4 acre every week about 9 months of the year for about 7 years. The only problem he had was the Head bolts were coming loose and he had to re- torque them every year or so. I bought the mower from him 5 years ago for $100 and cut about 1/2 acre every week. I re torqued the head bolts twice the first and second year. After that they did not loosen anymore. We got so much use out of this engine that the muffler pipe rotted near the flange and I welded it, and kept cutting. It still does not burn a bit of oil. I saw on these video's that the crankcase bolts were coming loose and hitting the flywheel and breaking the block. But none of these bolts have came loose. The loosening ones were probably rush assembled with the worthless workers not torqueing them properly. If you are worried just take the crankcase bolts out and use blue Loctite. Now I recently bought another fairly new Troy bilt with an 18hp courage for $150. It had caught on fire, because the head bolts had loosened up and it was leaking oil from the bottom of the gasket, plus the valve cover was leaking. I cleaned it up, and started it up to see the problem, and it caught on fire again. I took the head off and saw that the head gasket was still good. I cleaned and painted the gasket with aluminum paint which will melt when hot and make a good seal. I put some blue Lock Tite and torqued head bolts to 25 ft lbs. I am going to fill the valve cover gasket recess with RTV silicone and press it flat against some thick gasket material. Then when it dries I will cut the gasket out to form so I have silicone on one side and a gasket on the other that is formed flat. Then I will put more silicone on the gasket and tighten the valve cover bolts snug and let it dry. After a day of drying I will take the bolts out one at a time and apply Lock Tite and torque the valve cover bolts. That should work better than this cork gasket that smashes out or breaks and loosens up. The plastic shroud and air breather housing melted when the motor caught on fire. It is the same on the 19 hp. So I took the plastic off it to put on this newer one. This 19 hp is still good and I never changed the carb or the coil. So I guess it is the luck or un luck of the draw as to whether you get your money worth. Other than routine maintenance I only spent $100 on one and $150 on the other. So I already got mine. many times over. Hey guys you got to check your engine every so often to see if you have any problem with loosening bolts, and be aware that you may avoid some of these problems if you look for them and remedy them before they harm your motor. Of course with the thousand or so that you pay for them you really shouldn't have to worry about this crap. Kohler really just don't seem to give a damn if they make crap and get a bad rep. When people stop buying them maybe they will do better. BS stands for Briggs and Stratton not bull shit. By the way the motor to frame bolt pattern is usually the same for Kohler and Briggs. So you can change the motors out if you have one laying around. If you have trouble with the wiring you can just jump start the starter with the key on and be ready to go.

I have this engine in the Cadet. 107 hours. As you said, the needle failed in the carburetor after one year. It was replaced and hasn't failed since. After ten years, it's start to make a mechanical rattle, stopped, backfired and died. Now I have get it fixed or buy something else. I'm think ten years and kept outside with a tarp has served me. Seems like all my yard equipment is failing at the same time. Must be a shelf life.

Common sense says check your oil before you use the mower. The oil leak sucks but sealed properly won't be an issue for years. In fact I got a 1042 for free only 100 hours on it because the owner never fixed the leak and started a fire. $75 later for plastic parts and I have a great mower. Guy even stored it in a garage for me so it looks new. Thanks last guy that couldn't be bothered you saved me a lot of money. The starter I'm not sure what your issue is. Mine started acting weird not engaging. Oiled the Bendix and it works perfectly. Basic maintenance goes a long way. Bad frame? The frame is shared by other brands I never had any issues and if I did is simply plug my welder in and make it better than new.

I have 180 hours in 3 years and I have had every problem you noted. Bolts holding the muffler vibrated loose, carburetor replaced, vlave cover leaking etc. It is in a Cub Cadet LTX1045 and that combo just doubles the problems.

1st and last Kohler engine I ever buy again! Everytime I need to mow or clean up my yard that POS would not start or was a real pain in the ass to crank. After 2 years I had enough and sold it as is. Purchased a Bad Boy Mower with a Kawasaki engine and have not looked back since! 3 years into the Bad Boy and not a single issue. The engine starts instantly no matter the weather! I run Mobile One Synthetic oil since purchase. Kawasaki has my loyalty for now. Kohler & Briggs IMO are junk. Briggs Vangaurd is pretty good, but you only find it on top of the line commercial equipment. As far as home owner made mowers I have had no problems out of my Bad Boy MZ 48". You will not find the MZ( Home Owner Model) with a Kawasaki except through a Bad Boy Dealer. The chain stores like Tractor Supply Bad Boys have Kohlers. To each their own brand, but as far as Engine I will not touch another Briggs or Kohler:P I have heard how good the Command engines are, but after the Courage fiasco I would not trust anything that company makes.

I've put my Husqvarna mower with a 20 hp kohler courage through hell. Cleaned the carb a few times and for the most part it's held up. 16 years and I bought another used Husqvarna with the 21hp kohler courage. After talking to the guy that I bought it from, I think I'll try to get a new carb to see if I can get my old mower going again

Also the engine case cracking issue See it alot in my shop I have a few Kohler K 241 motors on my IH cubs 40+ years old still going strong

I may be one of the only persons that likes these engines and their personality.

I have been a mechanic for over 40 years " I'm 59 years old now " just recently got a Husqvarna LTH 1542 it was sitting out in a yard for a little over a year , gas was bad in the tank and gas lines stopped up with remains of mushy rubber gas line and the carburetor had varnish and old gas in it ! Well when I raised the hood guess what was under it ? Yep the Kohler courage 15 horse motor ! Hey no worries , just half way cleaned carb and replaced gas line from tank to carb with some old used ones drained old gas out of tank put in fresh gas checked oil it was clean and full so I tossed a new battery in it and after turning the key a few dozen times to knock the rust off the solenoid's contact point inside the solenoid it started turning over the engine and waa laa it came to life !!! No smoke no knocking just ran a little ruff but like I said I didn't even spray the carb with carb cleaner just some gas swished around in it an clean the needle seat out so "" after discovering the drive belt pulley was cracked and preventing the mower from moving except for a slow crawl forward and reverse , I grabbed a used pulley off a parts mower and long story short ,, that husky was rolling smooth with the electric PTO working blades chopping leaves and dead grass and hydrostatic transmission working great even had a slight breeze blowing on me when I had the forward speed control all the way forward !!! Love um and treat them right and KNOW YOUR ENGINE and what it's short comings may be , and service it , change the engine oil and GREASE THE MACHINE ,,, MAINTENANCE PEOPLE DO IT and I will go over this mower real good before I put it back in service but bottom line it crank an ran after sitting outside for over a year with minimal work done on it ! Wanna good saying to remember ? I think I counted this one myself ,, this is how Kohler got it's COURAGE !

Use Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas and you won't have a carb problem. Clean the cooling regularly. Use Synthetic oil with a ZDDP additive and an automotive size oil filter the auto sized oil filter will have the benefit of more oil and greater surface area to cool the oil. This engine seems to oval out the cylinder in high hours so Using ZDDP and Synthetic oil should help with that. The air filter is too small for the displacement IMHO, change it more frequently if you mow in dusty conditions. Lots of it comes down to preventive maintenance. Might not be the best engine but no reason some maintenance shouldn't get 500+hrs out of it.

I've never had much trouble from a kohler. I have one that has 1760 hours on it and all that's wrong with it now its the exhaust gasket that a big chunk blown out of it

Never use ethanol in a small engine! Period!

I can’t get the crankshaft out of mine to save my life. Picked it up from a guy that said it was locked up. Everything looked good while breaking it down. Until it was time for the crank shaft to just “fall” out.

The valve cover will seal and Not leak if you use the gasket sealer ( Right Stuff ). Put a little bead around the valve cover and let set about 5 minutes before putting the cover back on Then only hand tighten down and let set for 30 minutes then torque the bolts. The carburetor problem is the fuel that you're using. Do not use ethanol fuel it will kill any carb. The oil leak I see on your machine at the oil drain needs to be removed cleaned and put back using thread locker. The big problem with these engines is neglect. Twice a year the blower cover needs to be removed and all the junk grass dirt and whatever is on the cylinder fins needs cleaning off . That's one of the reasons the exhaust valve guides push out as the engine is running hot . Heat is your worst enemy. PM is the key to these engines. You take care of it " it will last for years . If the engine has staring problems it's more that likely the exhaust valve seat has eased out of the bore, not letting ACR exspell some of the compression and not letting the engine spin over. Easy fix, remove the sparkplug put your compression guage and compressed air to hold the valves seated and remove the exhaust valve spring . Take a deep socket and Gently drive the seat back in the bore the same height as the intake seat . Before putting the exhaust valve spring back on take a center punch and Gently ping around the bore of the seat making dimples in the head around the seat. The will help the seat to stay in place ! Thing is keep the cylinder head clean and this problem will go away 🙃

I agree with you, I work on many Kohlers, and they are by far the most problem prone engines on the market.

350 hours on my Courage 20 when meter broke. I used it as a replacement for an awful intek engine on a small zero turn. The kohler runs awesome and has lots grunt for a single. Smooth too... did I get a fluke? Only thing wrong with my Courage is leaking valve cove.

Funny, I have the 20hp Courage from 2007 and have no problem. I keep mine in the garage though. 🤷🏼‍♂️

I have a 2007 Kohler Courage single cylinder engine on my Craftsman rider and it Stihl is running strong. I must of got the one that wasn't a lemon. However I did buy the valve cover kit that comes with the extra piece metal to go on the bottom to stop the leak.

Any help with high rev right off the start? Watched a video and someone said make sure the butterfly near the engine wasnt stuck open. Thanks for any help and info.✌️😁

1 year old and having carb issues! I like the engines, just crap carb and valve cover gasket!

Having problems with low vacuum from valve cover fuel pump suction hose? Any ideas? Can suck on line and fuel pump runs properly. Have replaced valve cover gasket, fuel pump with new OEM pump and also cleaned internal filter in valve cover. It’s a Kholer 20 courage motor

I had mine since about 2020 ,I have had mone since then and I have no problem with it starting

The starter problem is self inflicted due to the blower housing being off

unbelievable. I was running my tractor with a courage 20hp yesterday. all of a sudden it starts to....long story short, I find the jet broken and laying in the carb bowl

it takes courage to own a courage

Man, you said to steer clear of the Kohler command. Darn I took one off a 1996 craftsman mower that I wore out a put it on a troy bilt pony that I got from my sister that the engine was bad on. And I ran it till it gave up the ghost may 2020. So 24 years seems pretty good to me, cutting five yards every year twice a month.

Just replaced a twin cam with a 16hp Vanguard single cylinder, easy swap other than the muffler.

Too much HP out of a single cylinder engine, needs a balance shaft to smooth it out, but would cost to much. Twin cylinder engines are so much smoother, don't vibrate their self's apart.

I'd say my mom's Kohler Courage proved itself to be a great engine. Her troybilt lawn tractor will be ready for the scrap pile long before the engine goes. Motorcraft filter and 15w40 Rotella in it.

I use to like Briggs good old flathead but not the new ones I can never get it to run right completely disassembled the carb cleaned it blew air through it and still surges this is on the new OHV Engine

I have a weird problem with mine. The speed control lever moves up and down just fine with all the components underneath. Yet, engine runs at high speed only, regardless where the speed control lever is. In other words, it only has 1 speed, and it is high.

I had a 2003 Jonsered with a Kohler Courage 17 in it never had a problem with it, then again I never used ethanol in it either. I just sold it end of last year the new owner is going well with it. I’m in Australia.

My lx460 with a Koehler engine has been Uber reliable, but stop turning over to start today. I ran for 45 minutes returned to restart and all I get is a click, no turnover. Battery says 11.8 when I turn ignition on,.thoughts?

You forgot to mention the top engine closure plate bolts loosening up where the cylinder meets the block in front of the flywheel. Quite common in the 590's and 600's. This will cause the blocks to crack at the closure plate. quite common. The smaller courage's aren't bad, but the nineteen hp and up are junk. I have had good luck with the Permatex black when applied correctly. Make sure both surfaces are clean and apply a liberal bead on the cover. insert bolts and do not tighten, rather just a bit more than finger tight until it starts to squeeze the Permatex just a bit. let set for a half hour then snug up working from the center outward to the corners. do not over-tighten, just snug up well.

It takes courage to own one

My 2006 1042 after a yr the engine had a knock & oil leaking from cracked block, the dealer said its a problem so they replaced engine @ a cost of 250$ for labor, not happy with the whole Cub cadet junk, kholer 19hp

We bought a Craftsman DYT4000 ,(brand new) back in '04. There's no hour meter, but I KNOW there's 350 hours on it. Other than, air,fuel and oil&oil filters, and probably 2 batteries, sharpening the blades, greasing the zerks,adding air to one tire,(slow leak)....we've never even replaced the drive belt! Now, I admit, it's never been a quick starter,but...we can't kill this thing. I did burn the 10% ethanol gas the first 8 years we owned it. For the last 6 year's I've "fed" it non-ethanol with,( don't laugh)Lucas,Marvel Mystery Oil,Sea Foam,octane booster, and...Stabil. I ordered the 19hp,single cyl. Kohler "Courage" because I didn't trust the modern day version B&S. If I could have gotten a "Vanguard "B&S" I probably would have...wasn't an option. I hadn't heard ANY bad reports on any Kohlers at that time. Though we've been blessed with our Craftsman, if I was buying another mower today, it would have either a Kohler Command twin, or a Kawasaki twin,( not aware of the "Vanguard" B&S being offered in any today, but it would be a consideration). It is a sad day when you remember the beautiful "K" series of old. I agree with you guys...the "Courage",(as a whole) has proved to be a crappy engine...no mater what you compare it to,( except maybe a '73 Vega). Our purchase proves that just as you can "get a lemon "...you can also "get an exception".

to be a master service tec he dont know much, you can by pass that back fire solenoid, put a inline fuel shut off valve into your fuel line turn it to off when engine is not in use to prevent any fuel leakage, vale cover leakage replace cork gasket with a rubber one if you can't get the rubber one make your own takes a little effort and time but can be done, some people just have more education than they do comnon sense.

Here a few tips for y’all. These Kohler Courage valve covers are a poor design but I figured out how to get by with them. Get some Permatex Exhaust Gasket sealer in a tube and take the valve cover off. Degrease the valve cover gasket mating surfaces. Put a good thick Bead on the valve cover and let it set up for about 20 minutes. Put the valve cover on and put heat tolerant thread locker on the bolts and screw them in evenly but do not toque them down just yet let the gasket bead meet up with the other surface and form to the shape and after 24-48 hours you are now able to torque down the valve cover to the specification of torque recommended by Kohler. The heat tolerant thread locker will help the bolts keep from coming loose just Incase. The starters on these are poor design but that’s about it. Also be sure for better performance and to avoid having float valve issues in the Carburetor i found a fix to just run 2 cycle oil in the fuel. Put about 2 bottles of 2 cycle oil in the tank and fill the tank to the full mark. The oil adds extra lubrications to the engine when it burns and doesn’t smoke very much very little at the most and it will keep your carburetor gaskets from drying out and keep them pliable. This will also be a great benefit to your fuel lines as well and if you have an older Kohler engine that uses a mechanical fuel pump the oil in gas method will also be a great benefit as well. Another tip is it’s ok if your engines leaks a little oil or has a little bit of seepage as long it’s not puddles of oil you should be fine. And always remember to check your oil before running the engine! Kohler recommends on all new engines to run them at least 100 hours with non-synthetic motor oil to break in the engine. Afterwards you can run full synthetic oil of your choosing. If your engine is older and is on full synthetic oil and starts to seep oil at different locations you can go to a synthetic blend to help ease the seepage. Synthetic oil is known for seepage problems.

Got a Craftsman YTS3000 with a Kohler SV620-0210 Running super hot. Within minutes of just riding around it gets ridiculously hot. What should I look for first?

I just bought a Toro z4200 it has a leaking value cover gasket. Do you have any videos about fixing that? Torque specs? I was going to purchase a gasket but your saying I should just use permatex?

Well, I guess mine was over looked in the problem dept. My Husqvarna was purchased in 2009 with the 21 hp 610 Kohler Commander and with 710 hrs on the clock, 0 problems. Regular maintenance every season and its stored outside with a tarp.

Info perceived is all a matter of ones on perspective ...Perspective is often determined by a collaboration of facts that can be evident {seen} so a opinion can be a very powerful outlet if other viewers are experiencing the same results .

Any advice on an engine I can drop in an 08 Ariens? Bought a parts mower with a blown engine. The Kohler Courage 19 threw a rod a cracked the block. I presume the valve cover gasket was leaking and the previous owner had no idea

Kevin, I was given a 2006 Toro LX420 with this same engine in it. The guy said it might have puked a head gasket. It was leaking fuel today when I picked it up as well. After seeing your video I am not sure I want to bother trying to fix this engine at all. Is there a good replacement engine I can source? Also, if you were going to buy a good used lawn tractor, what brand, year etc would you be looking for, say around the $500 mark. Thanks a lot Kevin H.

I have a Courage 19,,never had a problem in 12 years,,until the bottom crank seal started leaking :( I've replaced the Seal Twice,,the shaft is in great shape,,no noticeable wear,,and both times the new seal leaks,,I'm talking All the oil falls out in a week,runs down the shaft,fills the upper drive pulley,that over flows in to the deck drive pulley and then it fills the pan under it,,any thoughts on why this won't stop leaking ?

Someone else asked about your recommended replacement starter, bit the question remains unanswered. My 2005 courage 17 has had a cracked block (replaced by Kohler), had a muffler crack off, had the starter solenoid replaced, and now the rectifier seems to be dead on the positive side (fuses look good). The starter also takes a second or two to actually start spinning, and it gets almost too hot to touch if it takes a few tries to start. So rectifier is on order, and I'd like to replace the starter, but don't know if any would be recommended. Will test the stator next.

Curious, and I enjoyed your video. Just got given this Kohler courage 19.0 and it turns over, but no spark. Checked coil and it appears OK continuity wise, but replaced it anyhow, no luck, still no spark. I disconnected white wire, still no spark, is there anything else to check next? The fuel bowl solenoid clicks when you turn it to on, so can oil pressure sensor kill spark even with white wire off coil? Also, it appears the starter bendix is slipping, it turns over with plug out, but weak with plug in? It is starter, I have full 12.67VDC with new battery. Thanks for any help you might give.

Valve cover leaked on mine, used the rtv sealant, it still leaks but it's very very minor so far. I'm sure eventually that will change but it's a good enough temp fix. My carb just went as well and now I have gas in my oil, luckily I caught it in time. No starter troubles so far but yep, had the same problems in my courage 18...it was a free rider so I don't care but id never buy one.

Get the crap off the head, valves, and push rod tubes. If you do not do this as a regular part of seasonal maintenance, the oil leaking from the valve cover gasket will reduce the cooling of the valves and cause the exhaust or intake valves to overheat and fail. That is what happened to my MTD and easily fixed by using a brush, brake cleaner to remove built up dirt and old grass from the engine air cooling system. The same goes for all air cooled small engines, Koehler, Briggs, Honda, and any other brand. Clean is cool. I had to replace the head on my Koehler because the rocker arms were out of spec, no adjustment of valve clearances would fix it. Only $50 for a used head shipped to me, a $20 gasket set, and the engine runs very well for being over 800 hours. I found out the hard way ignoring engine maintenance is very important. Also, it would help to change the oil and filter, and air filter and plugs twice a season. The plug electrode has a lot to do with proper operation, if it becomes worn or chipped due to carbon buildup it will cause other problems. If you have a hydrostatic transmission, changing the fluid helps very much for longevity once a year. Your $3,000 garden tractor will last much longer if you care for it. Also, I am looking at a $2,000 zero turn used 38" mower right now with 1,600 hours on it - we will see how it turns out. It is a Cub Cadet mower just out of warranty, but it may well be worth the price.

Nice to know after 14 years since I bought my MTD with the Koehler Courage 19 engine in it. I was told back then it was the best engine to buy as it had the longest life. Now it sits with no compression, no start, all torn apart trying to find the cause. What would be the best drop in replacement?

Make sure to check exhaust manifold bolts for tightness and or stripped. Impossible to repair without removing the head.

On a Kohler Courage LT1042 19 hp engine which way do I install the coil? kill switch on top or on the bottom ?

Its cool that v twin engines last longer than single engines

valve covers and fuel solenoids are the least of the problems. How about those cracked blocks and broken bolts they all get on the sump cover?

What does big black do

That mower is made by MTD! MTD bought Cub cadet back in the 90s after the garden tractors almost had Cub cadet international out of bissiness. The old Cub cadet international garden tractors we're biult like tanks!

I got a problem with mine 18 hp courage started to crank slow not fast to start engine notice the cranking makeing starter really hot wondering if valves got out of adjustment or maybe battery may just need charged?

Its an "after fire solenoid" not settleoid

Can you please tell me if your heat deflector has the baffle attached to it as one piece or is it two separate pieces?. I have two mowers with kohler courages, one has one piece(deflector and baffle) and on the other one the baffle is separate from deflector. On the kohler parts diagram, it shows both. I ask because I want to know what hp my engine with the single piece(baffle and deflector) is rated for as it does not have any stickers with S/N nor Model Number. The engine that has the separate baffle and deflector is a 20hp. I can not find any pictures on the internet of the deflector with the baffle attached to it. All are separate pieces. You probably know that on of the bolts that secures the carburetor screws on the deflector which is plastic and mine stripped so I need to replace it. My guess is that the one piece baffle a d deflector design is one of the first one to come out and that's the reason I can not find any on the internet. I know this is an old video but any input is highly appreciated. TIA.

Nice video ! I bought mine new in 2008 and had a plethora of troubleshooting to do.. Which engine/ riding mower combination do you recommend in 2021 ? Thanks !

Check oil and pay attention to the cooling fins and leaks

I have a 2012 kohler COURAGE 19hp will not throttle down? have checked governor in correct position.

Where does that green wire go that slide on at on that type engine does it slide on carb

kevin my starter's plunger does not extend so the starter gear is not engaging the engine flywheel. just get a whining sound although the starter is spinning? any fix to your knowledge or is it new starter time? thanks

The 26hp courage plus v-twin in my 2013 craftsman is running good so far but with only 133 hours on it although I'm starting to notice some extremely mild oil seepage out of either the valve cover or head gasket on the right side cylinder 😑 (haven't looked it over close yet that's a job for the end of this mowing season). At least I bought this mower new at a good discounted rate being the last of that years version so I can't be to upset about it I guess. I just don't have the cash for anything better right now.

Just a small FYI, I was chasing down a significant oil leak with my Kohler courage 20 and found that the four bolts closest to the cylinder head in the closure plate that goes under the flywheel to be completely loose and only took the slightest finger pressure to turn the bolts. I loctighted the bolts and tightened them and poof the oil leak is gone.

Just my luck. I just bought a 2012 husqavarna with the 21hp courage motor. I can tell the valve cover is leaking. Would a gasket AND permatex be better or just re seal with permatex? Is there anything else i need to watch out for and keep up on this motor? The toe out was horrible and i shortened and rewelded the left steering rod/linkage and that was my fix for my alignment problem.