2000 Kohler 15.5hp valve gap adjustments

S

Sears L2000

Member
2000 Sears Craftsman green mower.

15.5hp Kohler.

Never reset valve adjustments.

Question: Having done it with a 2013 B&S engine, realized should do it with old Kohler.

What would the proper intake and exhaust valve gaps be?

Laugh, I know, but it runs perfectly 27 years later. Just figuring losing power from wear.
 
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After 27 years, she needs

1.Valves checked yearly.
2.Cylinder/s de-carboned per your manual. Valve job done.
3.Cooling fins at minimum cleaned yearly if not sooner. Bagging and scalping are filthy jobs if you do those.
4.Probably all new fuel lines and filter.
5.Tires slathered with tire dressing and the deck hit with Turtle Wax.
6.Used oil brushed on the under side of your deck.
7.Blades sharpened and balanced with a precision food grade scale and a block of wood.
8.Head bolt torque checked.
9.Tires aired to proper pressure.
10.Oil ALWAYS ON THE FULL MARK. Not under NOR over even a tick. Check oil prior to every mow.
11.Walk yard prior to mowing picking up trash, log chains, lawn mowers, cars, bicycles, cinder blocks, barbed wire, wood boards and so on.
 
Sears L2000 said:
1999 Sears Craftsman green mower.

15.5hp Kohler.

Never reset valve adjustments.

Question: Having done it with a 2013 B&S engine, realized should do it with old Kohler.

What would the proper intake and exhaust valve gaps be?

Laugh, I know, but it runs perfectly 27 years later. Just figuring losing power from wear.
Click to expand...
Kohler made a 15.5hp? I knew Briggs and Stratton did, but not Kohler. Is it a CV15S because Kohler did make that.
 
CV15S Type 41592

CV15-41592 Serial # 2930108123

Mower 917.271052

Says 15.5 on side of mower.

Manual has 2000, not 1999.

Manual cover says 15.5hp Electric Start
 
This engine was built for Electrolux for sears and does not compute through Kohler like JD does. It was a15 hp with a SAM box on it if I remember correctly and that made it a 15.5 hp engine.
 
Research seems to indicate these CV models used hydraulic lifters and are self adjusting. Having changed oil and filters regularly and leaving the valves alone for 26 years may be why they still work.

On the issue of adjustment, maybe “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies here.

Apparently the hydraulic lifters are for lower rpm engines on cheaper mowers (likely used where little or no maintenance by low tech users is expected.)

This engine starts easily, runs fine, and does nothing stupid.

Various forum thread attempts to service hydraulic lifters seems to induce more problems than ever solved, usually ending in arguments over how to do it.

All the other to do’s are noted especially cleaning.

(No clue what a JD or SAM box is.)

(Item #11 in Post 3 not applicable in WUMC suburbia.)

As much as asking AI irritates, perhaps it is simpler. And seems to not tell the asker, “You are a dumb butt” for asking.

IMG_1270.jpeg
 
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hlw49 said:
This engine was built for Electrolux for sears and does not compute through Kohler like JD does. It was a15 hp with a SAM box on it if I remember correctly and that made it a 15.5 hp engine.
Click to expand...
No it was a 15 HP engine that Craftsman got caught lying about HP and one of the reasons the small engine companies and Sears got sued. Craftsman changing the HP ratings of engines on their products was the primary defendent of the HP lawsuit. And did you know that Kohler was the only company that didn't manipulate the HP ratings. They just settled to avoid litigation.
 
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