Onan vs Kohler

[pacer 3,159]

Wiring -- Kinda drifting off topic here, but, hey its still about our horses, and is every bit as big a factor as engines!

 

And as all you old hands know almost any of the older WH's (say, thru 80's?) that the wiring is almost always a mess. In my experience, it seems to start with a safety switch giving probs and it gets jumped or removed, then another, and etc and during this time some other circuit is tied in and it gets cobbled and on and on til the wiring is a mess! The last several I have re-furbed I will basically just start from scratch and wire in a simple on/off /light setup.

 

The one that really blew my mind was a .... shoot, my memory cant just pull the exact model, a early/mid 80's C series I believe. Anyway it had the row of mini lights on the dash that all had to be just right to operate - geez what a nightmare, and of top of that the head lights would only work if the motor was running!! For sure all that went in the trash replaced with a plain ign switch - and a 15 amp system. Other than the wiring mess, it turned out to be a nice tractor otherwise, well worth $150.

 

 

[tom2p 2,393]

1 hour ago, pfrederi said:

Why anyone would spend $5,000 plus in 1990 dollars for a Garden tractor and leave it parked outside I do not understand....But they did/do and that is why there are no electrically complex 520's in my future...

same thoughts here 

 

smh

 

I've seen a number of 520's sitting outside - never could understand that 

 

[onanparts.com 178]

A look inside a "Modern" Kohler Twin. Just a few things to compare with the Onan Twins. The Kohler  "Aluminum engine block" is the bearing surface for the cam and crank. Unlike the Onan, there are no replaceable bushings, bearings or sleeves etc. None! When worn or damaged, you toss the Kohler engine in the scrap pile to be recycled.

 

When the plastic geared Kohler aluminum oil pump fails, it most likely will take out or damage those cam and crank bushing surfaces, and the crank and cam too. Since the Kohler is a disposable toy engine, no need to worry about getting parts for it....The Onan engines are rebuidable and made to last thousands of hours between rebuilds. The Onan engines are long term quality investments. The Kohler Twins end up being a loss at some point since they are not rebuidable. Pictures are worth a thousand words they say.....

 

 

 

 

[lynnmor 6,762]

I recently had a P220G Linamar (Onan) that was wasted, I never saw anything like it.  This was in a very nice low hour Steiner that was bought from a shady dealer.  Upon disassembly I discovered evidence that the engine was previously blown and a broken rod hammered the block. The shady guy slapped it back together and sold it for a high price.  What made it not rebuild-able was the cam thrust surface was greatly worn despite a plastic thrust bearing.  There was what appeared to be brass fines in various places inside.  Not blaming the manufacturer because there is no way to determine what caused the failures or where the brass originated.  @Onanparts.com, do you have any ideas?  This is the second engine with the Linamar label that I am aware of that had a mysterious failure, I wonder if they had quality control issues just before production stopped.

[clueless 2,898]

7 hours ago, Tgalo said:

Just thought Id add my 2 cents... I have a 418 with a 18hp Kohler and a 520 with a 20hp Onan. Both with between 500-600hrs. Seems I'm always working on the 520 but the 418 never needs anything but gas. To be fair I don't know the history of either tractor so theres that but I do take good care of them now. No matter how tall the grass gets I cant hear the 520 bog. Never seems to run out of power. But I think I would prefer the Kohler if I had to pick...

T

Nuff Said.

[richmondred01 2,203]

37 minutes ago, onanparts.com said:

A look inside a "Modern" Kohler Twin. Just a few things to compare with the Onan Twins. The Kohler  "Aluminum engine block" is the bearing surface for the cam and crank. Unlike the Onan, there are no replaceable bushings, bearings or sleeves etc. None! When worn or damaged, you toss the Kohler engine in the scrap pile to be recycled.

 

When the plastic geared Kohler aluminum oil pump fails, it most likely will take out or damage those cam and crank bushing surfaces, and the crank and cam too. Since the Kohler is a disposable toy engine, no need to worry about getting parts for it....The Onan engines are rebuidable and made to last thousands of hours between rebuilds. The Onan engines are long term quality investments. The Kohler Twins end up being a loss at some point since they are not rebuidable. Pictures are worth a thousand words they say.....

 

 

 

 

I thought this discussion was about performer onans vs Kohler magnum and kt twins?

 

[Greentored 3,196]

Day (week) late to the party but had to toss an opinion in here.

My first Horse ever was a 520H with 1300 on the clock. Found out real fast about loose intake seats and poor previous maintenance, and what a pain in the rear they are to work on. Getting the tins on and off to clean, removing the exhaust manifold, to remove the intake manifold, to remove the covers, to do a valve adjustment. Trying to access bolts to remove and properly clean a carb that will plug up and surge if you look at it the wrong way. Two piece, sheetmetal intake that leaks.

However, when I busted into this thing, there was ZERO bore wear, zero 'slop' in clearances, and once I cussed and swore my way through this learning experience, whatta engine!  I'd take another 'junk' Onan in a heartbeat, but only if I planned to rip it partially apart and 'fix' everything right out of the gate.

On the flip side- the old man's (green thing) 317 with the series 1 KT17 rod chucker. He bought it new, and his idea of maintenance is to fix it when it breaks, after blaming the manufacturer for designing a POS  Coming up on 40 years and one top end rebuild- it leaves a smoke screen and dumps more oil than my 53 Harley, and the thing just keeps going. Hes been ready to upgrade the engine for decades once this one grenades, but it just keeps cutting, fogging the skeeters, and laying down oil to keep the dust down.  ...and it makes plenty of power.

That says a lot to me.......

Edited October 27, 2020 by Greentored

[bc.gold 3,399]

I've been thinking about engine castings for the past year and would like to do an alloy comparison but lack the much needed Kohler specimen. What I need is someone with a junk engine block to break off a cooling fin and mail it to me.

 

I'll then send a sample from an Onan CCK engine block along with the other sample for an XRF analysis to see how the chemical composition differ.

 

I suspect the Onan casting has some nickle tossed into the furnace.

 

Some of you might  be old enough to remember the Chevy small blocks with 010 and 020 were highly sought after.

[Goofey 89]

On 10/20/2020 at 10:48 PM, onanparts.com said:

A look inside a "Modern" Kohler Twin. Just a few things to compare with the Onan Twins. The Kohler  "Aluminum engine block" is the bearing surface for the cam and crank. Unlike the Onan, there are no replaceable bushings, bearings or sleeves etc. None! When worn or damaged, you toss the Kohler engine in the scrap pile to be recycled.

 

When the plastic geared Kohler aluminum oil pump fails, it most likely will take out or damage those cam and crank bushing surfaces, and the crank and cam too. Since the Kohler is a disposable toy engine, no need to worry about getting parts for it....The Onan engines are rebuidable and made to last thousands of hours between rebuilds. The Onan engines are long term quality investments. The Kohler Twins end up being a loss at some point since they are not rebuidable. Pictures are worth a thousand words they say.....

 

 

 

 

 

Says the guy that makes money selling overpriced Onan parts.

 

You could be a good politician. Step 1.Turn the conversation to something related. Step 2. Dig up dirt on that related matter and throw that at the other guy. Step 3. Claim victory on the matter you sidestepped.  Just priceless. Hope the irony aint all wasted.

Edited October 29, 2020 by Goofey

[WVHillbilly520H 10,369]

On 10/20/2020 at 2:40 PM, tom2p said:

same thoughts here 

 

smh

 

I've seen a number of 520's sitting outside - never could understand that 

 

That's how my dealer treated the trade in of his that ironically became my (2cd) low hour "Good Friday" 520 paint all faded wiring was a mess but only 236 hours when I brought it home now its my do all tractor.

[cschannuth 3,795]

I love all my tractors so I don’t want to aggravate anybody but I have a 42-year-old twin Briggs, a 10 year old Predator, two 25-year-old Onans,  and several Kohlers over the years.   All but one of my Kohlers have been rebuilt and all of the other makes are still all original and going strong with nothing but regular maintenance.

[slim67 2,730]

I noticed when I was into the Sears tractors( and still am) that every time my Dad and I would find a parts tractor with a bad engine, it was the twin Onan. He has a GT-18 and a ST-16. He decided he only needs one. It didn't take long for me to talk him into selling the GT-18. The 16 OHV Tecumseh is so much easier to maintain. I not an opposed twin cylinder fan anyways. A V-twin? Oh yeah.

[AHS 1,411]

I would have to say kohler K and magnum series engines. I have had one onan, on a 520. The 520 wasn’t kept up well before I owned it, and I sold it. My best bet would be to use a 520 for snow blowing! 

[slim67 2,730]

1 hour ago, AHS said:

I would have to say kohler K and magnum series engines. I have had one onan, on a 520. The 520 wasn’t kept up well before I owned it, and I sold it. My best bet would be to use a 520 for snow blowing! 

My first school job had Gravely Promaster out front mowers with Magnums. They were smooth running and we cut a lot of grass with them. They still ran great when we upgraded to true zero turns. Pic is of that style of mower.

[WheelhorseBob 1,548]

On 10/20/2020 at 1:06 PM, pfrederi said:

Why anyone would spend $5,000 plus in 1990 dollars for a Garden tractor and leave it parked outside I do not understand....But they did/do and that is why there are no electrically complex 520's in my future...

 But plenty did... 

Edited November 1, 2020 by WheelhorseBob

[WheelhorseBob 1,548]

I own and use all of the above. I like them all. I even had a Work Horse with the 16hp Briggs boxer twin. Great machine. Bottom line is the Kohler K’s and M’s can take neglect better than most. With proper maintenance an Onan is like no other. My 2 cents.

Edited November 1, 2020 by WheelhorseBob

[WVHillbilly520H 10,369]

13 hours ago, WheelhorseBob said:

 But plenty did... 

This is how I bought my 2cd 520H from the same Dealer I bought my Anniversary model new from 18 years earlier and he had took it in on trade about a year later and used it personally until I finally talked him out of it sat outside of his shop nearly 10 years prior.  But more to the point even if it did set outside uncovered it can still be brought back to life... Many muscle cars have been brought back from far worse.

 

Edited November 1, 2020 by WVHillbilly520H