'blew' the engine in our john deere, need advice.

compleckz · Oct 15, 2007

so i hadn't mowed in about a month, the grass finally got tall enough, this was to be the last mowing of the year.. instead it was the last mowing the motor will ever do...

i drove the mower to my house from next door (my grandfather's barn).. when i arrived at my house (30 seconds later).. the motor was making a bad knocking sound, so i turned it off and checked the oil, it was lowish and pretty black.. i was able to add about 3/4 of a quart before it was full.

i turned it back on and the noise had not gone away. i let it idle for a minute.. then i checked the oil again and the black oil didnt seem to mix at all with the fresh oil.. i started it back up and the sound was gone.. so i went for a pass, turned it off and checked the oil, it had mixed up a bit by now and all looked pretty fresh. i started it up again and did 3 more passes then BANG.. the motor dies. cracked block it looks like..

engine is a 15hp kohler.. cv15s.. ohv, cast iron cylinder liner, automotive type oil filter, hydraulic valve lifters, full pressure lubrication..

so new replacement engines i've found online are out of the question i'd say... they look to be about 700-1000

what are my options? i really dont know anything about small engines, and i know lots of you guys do. would it be worth rebuilding? we had it serviced by the dealer the first few times.. then i did oil changes every season, (checked it regularly, cleaned the air filter whenever it looked dirty.. drained the gas in the winter.. the whole mower is about 4 years old. im sure i can swap a new one in, im pretty mechanically inclined.. i just did the clutch on my subaru, i lifted my ranger, put some lunchbox lockers in the ranger.. so i might be able to rebuild this, (if blocks are even available separate)...

thanks guys

Ranger5.0 · Oct 15, 2007

Im asuming in the only deere tech hear, i know, BIG asumption, but anyways. Thouse engines are disposable, as are the tractors. What seriese is it, 120? 130? a NEW engine from Deere is like 1700 Canadian. Id say take it in, trade it, and buy a new one. Thats my professional advice, they just arnt worth the money to fix. IF you DO want to fix it, you can look into a short block, and use the rest of your parts, but like i said, its not worth it. We only replaced a few engines, and they were all warrenty jobs.

compleckz · Oct 15, 2007

well the mower cost over $3k new, its an LT150.. and the place my mom bought it is going out of business due to all the 'competition' around here they say.. (i now think they just suck)

this thing was just in there at the beginning of the season because it wouldn't start.. it wasnt getting fuel, thats all i knew, and i didnt have any idea how these engines worked really... my mom had them bring it in, and they replaced the fuel pump..

so yea.. its a relatively new mower, it being a throw away is kind of depressing. i guess what i'd like to do is find a used motor locally and just swap it in.. but im not sure how likely it is i'd find one..

Ranger5.0 · Oct 15, 2007

ok, well im sorry for being depressing, and being an lt150 its a bit higher quality, i just expected a bigger engine in it. The 130's have 25hp v twins now. Seing how you realy want to keep it, i will tell you this: lawn tractors are more or less genaric, find a engine that your like, and make it fit. All you need is a 15 hp koler of the same general production date, and it should fit.

compleckz · Oct 15, 2007

thanks for the info man, appreciate the quick reply.. i'll start browsing the classifieds etc. for a motor, i have all winter to look anyhow..

25hp v-twin ?! looks like we bought in before some major changes to the mowers huh :shok:

i knew right where to go when i had a totally random question, TRS! :icon_rofl:

Ranger5.0 · Oct 15, 2007

haha, ya, icant remember but i think the new 150's have power assist stering..somthing called "power byond" which is remote hydraulics to run acessorys, and a hyd lift/lower for the mower deck

compleckz · Oct 15, 2007

ya know what they need to come up with, a suspension system for the damn cup holder! anything carbonated will go flat in 5 seconds. :dntknw:

Ranger5.0 · Oct 15, 2007

ya, i hear ya, thats actualy a common remark from customers "the thigns great, but man, do somthing about the beer holder"

brendank · Oct 15, 2007

Shouldn't this be in the V-8 conversion forums?

:icon_twisted:

Just like ranger5.0 said, the motors are kind of generic. With a bit of work you can make anything of the same type fit.

Ranger5.0 · Oct 15, 2007

funny you mention the V8 thing, the guy in our parts depo' builds pullin tractors out of lawn tractors. Hes got one with a suzuki samari engine trans and axle in it. Its nuts. he also has one with a 28hp Vtwin in it with stacks painted up green with yello flames

Simple_serf · Oct 15, 2007

Hmm...I like my JD 110... 10HP solid cast iron.

We switched over to a Kubota about a year ago. 3 cylinder cast iron Diesel. The JD now goes to the L+G display at the engine shows I attend.

I can now mow the lawn 5 times on 5 gallons of diesel. Instead of once on 5 gallons of gas and a quart of oil. We have estimated that this Kohler has over 10K hrs on it. The newer ones just feel cheaper. One cool thing about the Vtwins now though, they sound like a harley at cold idle.

Ranger5.0 · Oct 15, 2007

lol, all lawn tractors are made by the cheepest bidder lol.

martin · Oct 15, 2007

that's a pretty depressing thread. the motor on my JD 111 went knock, knock bang last week so it looks like I'm in a similar position. Wonder if I could somehow fit the mower to the b2 while I try to find and fit another motor into the tractor.

compleckz · Oct 15, 2007

so hey ranger 5.0, what do you think caused this? it had plenty of oil when it died.. is there some sort of oil pump?

Ranger5.0 · Oct 15, 2007

hmm, martin, you ever see how they rig up the belt drive to run a snow thrower on a mower? try somthing like that with the BII. I think the 15hp engine holds all of like, hmm. 1.75 ltrs of oil, so 3/4 was pritty low on oil...as far as the lube goes, it has to be some type of pressure lube system to have an oil filter, i dunno tho, we never tear them apart other then to get vearification for warrenty claims

'blew' the engine in our john deere, need advice.

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