Hey guys,
So it occurred to me the other day - what if the reason my K301a started smoking was because of lack of lubrication? I always make sure I've got plenty of clean oil in it, but I do have a lot of hilly terrain that I use the tractor on. I live in the hills of Appalachia, and I will never be able to entirely avoid mowing or driving the 129 on hills.
I did as much searching as I could on this subject, and it seems that there is a mixed opinion. I know that the manual states no more than a 30 degree incline to keep the engine lubricated....but I have heard different, from many others. Some say that the splash lubrication system can handle just about any terrain you can manage to get the tractor to drive on, as long as the oil is full and you don't let it sit and idle there for a long period of time.
My main concern, of course, is to keep the next Kohler I get from smoking like this one does. I want to make sure that I'm taking the necessary precautions. Is it true that the engine's can't handle much of a grade, either front - to - back, or side - to - side? I'm looking for advice from people who have more experience with this engine series than I do. I've always been crazy about maintenance, but maintenance can only go so far if I use the engine improperly.
Thanks guys,
Justin