# Kohler twin burning oil



## snofish (Feb 17, 2018)

I have a 5 year old Kohler twin CV680 that burns a lot of oil; approx. 1 pint/hr. If I put Seafoam in the oil, it stops using oil for several hours, then starts up again.
Any ideas?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Hi snofish.....welcome to TSF

What type of equipment is the engine being used on??
How many hours on the engine??
Type and weight of oil??
Maintenance intervals (hours between oil/filter changes)??


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## snofish (Feb 17, 2018)

Thanks SABL. It's on a Cub Cadet Z-Force Zero Turn; About 100 hours on it, issue started around 60 and has gotten worse. First evidence of problem was a puff of white smoke when started cold.
I use Amsoil 5W-30 small engine synthetic oil since day one. Change oil every season and filter every other. Roughly 25 hours between changes; Oil 50 hours.
I mow one acre from May-Oct in Wisconsin.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Ah.....Swisconsin (gotta think cheese). My sister lives in Mosinee.....I think the rest of her clan are in Madison. Last time I was up there was '10......beautiful place but winter can be brutal. 

That oil is for use in 32°F weather or lower.....:frown: I have a CV22 on a '04 Toro Z-Master and use 10W-30 NAPA oil with no problems......synthetic is not used. 600 hours and 0 oil consumption to speak of......maybe a few ounces for an entire season (50 hours). I cut 3 acres and put less than 3 hours on the machine to do it......and I don't baby the mower. 

Try a good 10W-30 oil.....Kohler says synthetic is OK but I use regular detergent oil. Above 50°F you can even use straight 30W.

Page 4.....

https://kohlerengines.com/onlinecatalog/pdf/sm_24_690_07.pdf

Your in luck with Kohler......they share their manuals freely.

**Remove the 's' in https in the url for Kohler......our system keeps wanting to add it......:huh:


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## snofish (Feb 17, 2018)

Why would Seafoam stop the oil usage?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Good question. I don't use additives and stay away from them. Maybe someone will have an answer about the Seafoam. May be a stuck oil ring and the SF frees it up for a short while. 

If you have been using SF from 'Day 1', that may be the problem......it is basically an "engine cleaner".



> 50% light hydrocarbon oil (pale oil);
> 30% petroleum naphtha;
> 10% isopropyl alcohol;
> 10% water.


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## snofish (Feb 17, 2018)

Someone thought it might be a plugged oil sump breather that created pressure, pushing oil into combustion chamber or OHV chambers.
Thoughts?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Could be. The following was copied from the Kohler Service Manual:

Engine Uses Excessive Amount of Oil



> Loose or improperly torqued fasteners.
> ● Blown head gasket/overheated.
> ● Breather reed broken.
> ● Clogged, broken, or inoperative crankcase breather.
> ...


Take note that the wrong oil can cause oil consumption. My own opinion is that any type of oil additive can be a problem. Use the type of oil that the manufacturer suggests and nothing else.

We do have a member that is a qualified small engine mechanic.....it's his career. He will be able to better advise you.


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## snofish (Feb 17, 2018)

Thanks for all your help SABL. I have since checked and found I was wrong...using 10W-30. 
I'm intrigued by the notes about the breather reed, etc.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Seafoam is a pre-treatment to loosen sludge prior to an oil change......not meant to be an additive for long term use. 

Good luck. I hope AVB shows up and puts in his 2¢ worth......he can probably get right to the problem. 

Marc


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## AVB (Nov 28, 2014)

SABL said:


> Seafoam is a pre-treatment to loosen sludge prior to an oil change......not meant to be an additive for long term use.
> 
> Good luck. I hope AVB shows up and puts in his 2¢ worth......he can probably get right to the problem.
> 
> Marc


In this case I would looking more at possible oil leaks. So far of all the Kohlers that I had in the shop haven't had using excessive oil. But I have a lot oil leaks on them which why I use UV dye when I see oil around the engines. Now with the seafoam being in it the engine it might swelling a seal and stops a leak or SABL suggests might be unsticking a oil ring for a short time. As a puff of white smoke at start-up I have seen new Kohlers to do this. Wish I could be of more help but I have just not seen Kohlers using oil and some my customer are approaching 500+ hrs.


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## snofish (Feb 17, 2018)

Thanks SABL and ABV for taking interest in my issue. The reason I put SeaFoam in the oil was to loosen a sticking piston ring, if that might possibly be the cause. I also wondered if the synthetic oil did not allow the rings to properly seat. This of course would not be corrected by SeaFoam.
As for an oil leak, I will check that out in spring, but there is no oil on the floor where it is parked, which would likely show up.
I'm a Kohler guy to the core, so this one really caught me by surprise. My last mower had a 12.5 hp Command single and was over 20 years old and ran like the day we bought it. Only had to replace the ignition coil.
ABV, do you have any experience with the crankcase breather? As noted above, this is one of the potential causes listed in the Service Manual.
Also, be aware this is a commercial model, so it has the large air filter, which I clean every year, but have not seen reason to replace either the pre or main filter elements. This should help rule out cylinder wear.
Thanks!


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## AVB (Nov 28, 2014)

The only real problem I have seen in the breather area so far has been the grommet and hose failures on the Command series, a considering amount of oil can be blown out at the grommet when it fails but this only happens while the engine is running. I this Command engines where the customer has attempted to use tape as patch. As for leaking oil while sitting the engine would only leak if the PTO side seal was steady leaking. I only seen a couple engine where the crankcase to oil pan was leaking because gasket failure; some are only RTV sealant. I currently showing that I have been servicing about 20 Command engines since my new shop software has been the customer equipment since 2014. I also have about 20 of Courage line under my wing too. Now I only started regularly working on small engine in 2008 for others. I admit that I have not seen all the problems possible. That will take time.


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## snofish (Feb 17, 2018)

Thanks AVB! My plan of action this spring will be to change the oil to a conventional 10W-30 and check the breather/other areas for signs of leaks. I can't believe this this few hours and regular oil changes with quality oil, that I have a piston related or valve guide failure.
Do you know what they are referring to in the Service Manual when the reference a breather reed? Maybe that does not apply to this model.
Thanks! Snofish


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