pt425 (Kohler) oil capacity

[Kaon99]

I did my first oil change this past weekend. The manual for the Kohler engine (mine at least) says the oil capacity is 2.1 quarts, counting the filter. Including the oil in the filter, I put in 2 quarts and checked the level. Much to my surprise, the stick showed a level WAY over the full mark. On Monday, I talked to Terry at Power-Trac and he said they put in 1.75 quarts in the Kohler 25 hp engine. I told him that my manual says the capacity is 2.1 quarts. He said to drain some oil out and he would check and get back to me. I haven't heard from him yet and would like to hear from other pt425 owners as to what their Kohler users manual says. I am surprised that something as basic as oil capacity could be wrong, but the dip stick doesn't lie. I would also appreciate hearing what your actual oil capacities seem to be for the Kohler 25 hp engine.

Thanks. Ken in Mississippi

 

[duane]

Ken,

Just a thought. In my other lawn tractor that has a Kohler, the manual says to check oil level without screwing the dipstick all the way down. It is suppose to just set on top. Makes quite a difference. Not sure if yours is the same.

I do not have access to my kohler manual right now. Check out Kohler's website, it may have that info. Good Luck!
Duane

 

[pajoube]

The Craftsman 25 hp Kohler Pro uses 64 ounces at oil change. I would assume the 425 would be the same.
PJ

 

[Bob999]

Here is information directly from Kohler:

<font color="red"> ENGINE DIVISION, KOHLER CO., KOHLER, WISCONSIN 53044

Specifications
Model: ................................................ CH18 .................. CH20.................. CH22 ................. CH25/CH26
Bore: ............................... in. (mm) ... 3.03 (77) ............. 3.03 (77) ............ 3.03 (77) # ................... 3.27 (83)/3.27 (83)
Stroke: ............................ in. (mm) ... 2.64 (67) ............. 2.64 (67) ............ 2.64 (67) ............ 2.64 (67)/2.64 (67)
Displacement:................ in 3 (cm 3 ) ... 38.1 (624) ........... 38.1 (624) .......... 38.1 (624) # ............... 44.0 (725)/44.0 (725)
Power (@3600 RPM): ..... HP (kW) ... 18* (13.4) ........... 20* (14.9) ........... 22* (16.4) ........... 25* (18.4)/26 (19.4 )
Max. Torque: ........... (ft. lbs. @ RPM) ... 30 (41) @2500 ..... 32 (44) @2500 .... 33 (45) @2500 .... 39.5 (54) @2400/41.6 (56.4) @2200
Compression Ratio: ......................... 8.5:1 .................... 8.5:1 ................... 8.5:1 ................... 9.0:1/9.0:1
Weight: ............................. lbs. (kg) ... 90 (41) ................ 90 (41) ................ 90 (41) ............... 94 (43)/94 (43)
Oil Capacity (w/filter): .. U.S. qt. (L) ... 2.1 (2) ................. 2.1 (2) ................. 2.1 (2) ................ 2.1 (2)/2.1 (2)
Lubrication: ................................................ Full Pressure w/full Flow Filter

*Horsepower ratings are established in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers – Small Engine Test Code – J1349
GROSS. Kohler Co. reserves the right to change product specifications, design, and standard equipment without notice and
without incurring obligation.

# CH22 engines with Spec. Numbers of 765xx have bore size of 3.15 in. (80 mm) and displacement of 41.1 in 3 (674 cm 3 ).

</font>

Due to width some of text for 25 HP did not copy. However, Oil capacity with filter is shown as 2.1 qts.

 

[marrt]

I also found 2.1 quarts to be too much. I put 1.9 quarts in (the other .1 quarts went into the filter before I screwed it on) and found, to my surprise, that it was slightly over the full mark. I thought that maybe the filter had not absorbed the oil completely. I ran the tractor for 2 hours and checked it the next day. Same level...slightly over full. Not enough to drain out so I left it alone. I don't understand how the 2.1 quarts that Kohler uses can be right.

 

[MossRoad]

My guess is that all of the oil does not drain out when we pull the plug.

 

[Kaon99]

Mossroad,

There may have been some oil trapped somewhere in the machine, but I doubt that much remained in the oil pan. When I drained the oil I had the wheel opposite the drain plug (driver's right rear) raised about 4 inches to make sure all the old oil drained out. Also, Terry said at Power-Trac they put in 1.75 quarts. Terry said an over full oil system puts excess pressure on the seals and may blow them out. I intend to drain sufficient oil so that, with the dip stick fully inserted, the measured level is at or below the full mark. I put this post in just to satisfy my curiousity and to possibly save newbies like me the hassle of having to drain out oil on the first oil change. I guess I am still puzzled. I will try to get an answer out of Terry and report back. - Ken in Mississippi

 

[Bob999]

Marrt's comment about adding some oil to the filter causes me to ask this question: Is everyone using a Kohler filter, or are you using a different brand that is a cross reference.

The reason I ask is that some filters have valves to prevent drain back and others don't. If Kohler uses such a filter and the one you are using doesn't you might get the kind of variation being reported. I have a 25HP Kohler horizontal shaft engine on a ZTR mower and the filter is mounted horizonitally so that it will drain back if it does not include the valve.

 

[hk500]

I contacted Simplicity about this problem. They contacted Kohler. Kohler reponse was that the dipstick that I have in the tractor is correct. Kohler said that the oil cooler does not drain completely and that Simplicity specifies the short filter which holds less oil. The crankcase also holds some oil according to Kohler. In short, they gave every stupid excuse imaginable as to why they can't specify how much oil to refill the engine. They claim that the CH730 will take 2.1 quarts when new, to fill the crankcase, but can't specify a refill amount! Thats strange, every other engine powered equipment that I have ever owned has always specified the refill amount. Add that to the fact that the engine had one porous valve cover and one leaking along with improperly torqued valve cover bolts and I have to conclude that new Kohlers are one sorry piece of equipment!

 

[toy]

I have only changed oil in mine one time to. When I got the filter from the local kohler place according to the numbers in the manual, the filter was shorter than the one that came on the machine so I went to pt and got a filter from them to fit it when I got home it too was shorter than the one that came on it so I went ahead and changed it with the shorter filter so I expected it not to hold as much oil as the y said it would. When I filled it up I stayed short of 2 quarts but it was still slightly overfull. I figure that the difference was in the size of the filter. I saved my old filter letting it drain, and intend on taking the numbers of f of the old filter and buying a replacement filter using that number since that was the original filter that came on it. I kept both filters from the service job and intend on cutting them open to see what kind of contaminants is in them, I am curious since on an earlier post someone talked about finding slag in the hydrolic oil tank.