Kohler SV-601 - Fresh soot around crankcase closure plate

[sgkent]

In general, crankcase gases include carbon monoxide, unburned gasoline vapors, and other flammables. Lots of systems have some form of filter, or plate, that keeps the flames in a carb backfire from flowing into the crankcase, igniting those gases. If there is a filter inside or on the line, it sometimes gets plugged up, and needs to be cleaned once in awhile, or the path for those gases to escape to the engine intake to be burned, gets blocked.

 

[hlw49]

Hello C.,



Hello H.,

I think this was found while cleaning the cooling fins.


These are known as "bucket" motors because of the top closure plate design. This is not "soot" it is dirt that has collected onto oil migration due to weak assembly RTV sealing.

Clean the area and tighten the bolts down and see if at least slows down the problem.

I don't see this being a serious enough problem to disassemble the engine reseal the case but keep your oil level full.

Modern designs like this are not made to last like the older engines.

I have never seen a bucket Motor. Motors are electric that use electricity to operate. Engines on the other hand run on gasoline to operate. I have seen and worked on lots of bucket engines. Matter of fact the Kawasaki FX921 and FX1000 engines are bucket engines. I like the concept of bucket engines. Bucket engines don't leak around the oil pan. They don't have one.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Hello H.,

"Bucket Motor" is a slang term that I have heard quite a few people use to refer to this engine design with a top cover plate.

Metaphorically, all the parts were dumped into a bucket, and the lid was put on.

These engines do eventually leak around the top seam from metal expansion and contraction over hours of use of use. The leak is not nearly as bad as it would be on a bolt-on sump design.