View Full Version : Opinions on Kohler Courage motors
09-11-2008, 08:49 AM
I know its a single cylinder engine but I'm just looking for opinions on using this motor for ~4-6 acres per week, a light duty profesional lawn service so to say.
Hawg City Lawns
09-11-2008, 11:08 AM
single cylinders are really not the best thing to buy for a riding lawn mower, i really like the kohler engines but make sure to get a v-twin
09-11-2008, 11:56 AM
Perhaps someone else can enlighten you on the issue but my opinion on the courage engines is that they are garbage from what i am seeing. I know i have seen alot of the courage single cylinders lose a cam in the cub tractors with less than 100 hrs on them. The cams are nylon i believe and just snap under heavy load. aparently kohler hasn't mastered using a nylon cam like honda. I think the camshaft is a known problem though. It is a easy fix though if you know what your doing. They also have probelms with the flywheel keys. i wouldn't use that engine for use like that.
09-11-2008, 01:07 PM
What makes you say they are singles? I have a Kohler Courage 23 on my Gravely mower. I've been using it on 10-15 yards a week for the past two seasons and I haven't had a lick of trouble out of mine, save for one thing. Ever since I bought the mower, there was a bit of hesitation on start up. I always thought it was peculiar to that engine, and didn't think much of it. Well, about two or three weeks ago, my mower wouldn't start. I initially thought the starter had gone out in it already, but it just turned out to be a bad ground connection. Apparently, the eyelet that the bolt goes through was tweaked and weakened at the factory and it has had an intermittent ground since new. I replaced that eyelet when it came apart in my hand while troubleshooting, and now the mower starts up perfectly every time. I hardly even need to use the choke anymore.
09-11-2008, 04:13 PM
Im just saying the single cylinder courages are garbage, i have no idea about the twin cylinders. they still are one of Kohler's inferior engines though regardless what people say.
09-11-2008, 06:16 PM
they still are one of Kohler's inferior engines though regardless what people say.
They were not made to be a Command Pro engine, they were made to be a lower priced engine based on the Command engine and provided to OEMs as a different engine to use to compete with the Briggs Intek engines. It's not an inferior engine in its intended purpose and use, it's just not built to the level of the Command and Command Pro.
09-11-2008, 10:59 PM
I put 250hrs on a 15hp Courage motor and sold the mower. They don't like it cold and the carb doesn't like the ethenol in the gas. If it was below 45 degrees with 5W30 used I still used ether to start it. I would not buy another one again.
09-11-2008, 11:48 PM
Good homeowner engine, not commercial. They are easy to repair though. The crank case splits up top so you dont even have to pull the engine when the cam does go.
DT Lawn Care
09-12-2008, 01:06 AM
get a Command
vBulletin® v3.8.6, Copyright ©2000-2015, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.