[Snapper Jack]

This rebuilt Kohler 22 HP has approximately 50 hrs and ran flawless all summer long last year. I warmed the engine up to change the oil and filter,restarted and it ran fine. Today I did some rewiring and started it up but now has a loud knocking sound,pulled the V/C's and found no bent P/R's and the lifters do seem to be pumping up as there was no excessive play in the R/A's. Has anyone ever run into this situation just by changing the oil or am I looking at reopening this engine again?

 

[Snapper Jack]

Kohler filter and it's belt drive. It's has a rough exhaust pulse at idle and slightly higher RPM. Both plugs are firing. Is there a oil pressure tap on the block? Vertical.

 

[Snapper Jack]

Without knowing the nature of the electrical work you perfomed...here's a guess...
The only electrical repairs that I can think of that can give you a knock are...

While replacing the stator...the flywheel magnets came loose..making the flywheel out of balance..

While replacing the clutch..the bracket that keeps the clutch assy from spinning with the engine ...wasn't tightened and came loose..
The clutch is banging against everything it can reach...

This stuff is easier to diagnose with mower and engine numbers....

It's not electrical. One of the lifers on the #1 bank won't pump up.Got another good use one and same thing,ran it a few minutes and nothing.
I read all the horror stories of these commands with lifter pumping issues,so now I can officially call these command engines APOS:laugh: Can't believe I dumped all this money in getting it rebuilt but now I know better and will be replacing it with a vanguard. What's the going price for used 22 command with lifter issues?

Thank you all for giving some assistance on this matter.

 

[Snapper Jack]

There is a reason why thousands of pretty smart guys... called technicians.... go to schools year after year.....
The main reason is so that they don't make bonehead mistakes when working inside engines...
On some of the early Command Twin engine blocks...there was an issue with an air pocket forming in the area that feeds the #1 intake lifter..
There is an update kit that solves this problem.....

You will never learn anything ....until you admit that you don't know it all....

This so called bone head bought a Kohler short block and having 35plus years building engines does have some what of an level headed educated back ground of refurbishing complete engines, along with the existing heads and a updated kit was installed for the lifters of which I searched past threads,thanks to Richard Martin for bringing the subject up from his past experience with the Kohler engine. There's plenty of oil finding it's way to the lifter feeding galleries,lifters just refuse to pump up. This engine was running flawlessly until I changed the filter and oil and replaced with factory filter and oil.

 

[Snapper Jack]

Confusing ability with experience usually ends up with a frustrated mechanic..

If you have more than 1 lifter (intake #1) making noise..its not a lifter problem..
Check your oil pressure..sounds like the welch plug or the pickup tube fell out of the oilpump..
If you have about 4 psi oil pressure..thats probably what happened..the pump will pump a good volume of oil...but you dont have enough oil pressure to pump oil into the hydralic lifters..
you should be able to remove the oil sender and install your oil pressure gauge there..

If for some reason the lifters are just plain bad...stranger things have happened...
You can use : MELLING JB817 lifters...accept no substitute..all the other automotive lifters I have tried were a waste of time...

Frustrated? no just pissed that this has happened with mowing season just around the corner. Only the top lifter refuses to pump up and only on the #1 side,no# 2 has no issues. Some how has you said,there's an airlock, as this engine ran fine before and after for twenty minutes and next day oil problems.
If I am able to get this all sorted out,a mechanical( Solid) cam will be replacing this hydraulic cam this coming winter.

If oil pressure is good,I'll attempt to prime that #1 bank and thanks for the tip on the MELLING lifters

 

[Snapper Jack]

I see a few things wrong with this thread, This was asked early on;

And still no numbers posted, READ the sticky above this section people and others can respond with better info !!!

Next..... The engine was "rebuilt" and now it is a replacement "shortblock"......

Engines can be just like tires, Aired up then flat seconds later.....Maybe coincident it started making noise after the oil change..... Who knows ???

If this was a new shortblock install, Does anyone know if adding the breather kit to the new updated block is causing a issue ? I've never been "boneheaded" enough to install one of these kits in the new style block......

Regarding the new short block I purchased, I bought it from a gentleman who had it built years ago to keep in stock and I bought at a decent price but disassembled the SB to assure myself that indeed it was built using genuine kohler parts and all was good. So yes, this bonehead did in fact install a up dated kit to resolve the air locking issues #24-755-135S on this particular block and it worked out till now. The HP rating was posted earlier, highly doubtful Kohler produced it in a single or the K-block which would leave only the V-twin but I can see where there might be some confusion ,my bad.
The oil pressure readings at idle where 40 lbs and 45 lbs F/T,so'I'll be purchasing some lifters and go from there and will never return to this section of the forum for assistance.

 

[Snapper Jack]

OK Mr Jack..... Now we have a OLD rebuilt shortblock, The more information anyone can provide helps US help YOU ...... That includes any numbers when requested, Besides it's you asking for help not us.....

Here's some information for you-all...... A engine SPEC number and SERIAL number tells us.....in the know..... all sorts of info about the engine in question, Remember.....We can't SEE- TOUCH or HEAR this engine. Most all support documentation is filed under SPEC and SERIAL numbers, Sooo.....HP rating doesn't mean nothing in some cases, That's why numbers are requested......

Hopefully a new set of lifters will solve your issue......

Good Luck!

I believe I found the problem,do you know if the gasket for the new separator plate in the up-dated kit can be purchased separately or do I have to purchase the whole kit again?

 

[Snapper Jack]

Thank You! That's the gasket left over in the OH kit. I seem to have misplaced the directions in how the rubber piece is to be inserted into the oil channel,do happen to know that? This part is where my problem lies I believe,not 100% positive but close enough to be handed that "BoneHead"throphy :laugh: If that does turn out to be my problem, how that lifter ran pumped up all last season is beyond me,must of been:sleeping: while assembling that section.

 

[Snapper Jack]

Yeah, I tried that # had to drop the last 4. The way you have the plug insert is the way I installed it and it work great till I changed the oil and have no explanation has to why the top #1 lifter refused to pump up. After dismantling that side and turning the engine over watching for oil seepage through the feed hole,nothing happened. The only way for that top lifter to receive oil using that plug following the installation instructions would be to drop and drill a new feed channel 1/8". What I did was to reverse the installation of the plug to re-open the oil feed and channel the pressured oil along the inside the inner channel rib for the #1 bank in creating a little reservoir for the oil to remain there until restarting thus reducing the time the lifters receive's the oil in preventing the clattering.

The engine is back up and running will all lifters pumped up and clatter free.
Thank You! for your help. I'm a tea drinker myself,so cheers.