1863 really annoying me.

[SWilliams]

OK This tractor actually has a few bugs to work out. Most have been PO "upgrades" that were poorly thought out and done. Finally got the wiring straightened out.
Now for the problem.
18HP Kohler Command. Actually runs well (need to adjust the low/high speeds still), Anyway, Right after I got it the flywheel oil seal popped free (made a mess but no real damage). Pulled the engine and cleaned it up, replaced the seal with a new one, replaced the breather element with a new one (old one had disintegrated) New breather gasket and back together.
Mowed with it twice and it ran well. Checked it for blow-by/vacuum in the crankcase and it tested OK.
Started mowing with it tonight and when I started down the bank it blew the same oil seal out again!!

New seal went in nice and even, didn't seem loose in the bore. What should I look for this time that I missed the last time???
I am thinking about maybe dimpling the inner bore, adding some loctite and maybe even staking in the next seal.

[Jlaws]

Steve , I had the same problem with the PTO end of my mag 18 in my cyclops tractor .The old seal was leaking and I replaced it only to have the new seal blow out after a couple of hours use....I tried RTV to hold it in without luck . I eventually lightly staked the case in a couple of places to hold the seal in.....but not so much that I couldn't get it out if I had to replace it in the future.

That seems to be a common problem with the magnum engines and if you try to use loctite or some other sealer the surface area is going to have to be super clean and oil free to work , I'm thinkin .

[Tom Scott]

I would go with one of the Loctite or Permatex bearing and sleeve retainer formulas. Some brake cleaner on a paper towel should get both surfaces oil free enough. Besides not risking injury to the case, the sleeve retainer will also keep oil from seeping around the outside of the seal.

[SWilliams]

I plan on tearing into it tomorrow. Had a fun day today watching my niece jump out of a perfectly good plane for her 18th B-Day...

My current plan of attack is to pull the flywheel, clean the entire thing again, then install a new seal, with a bit of Loctite, then stake it in place with about 8 even spaced stakes. I even considered drilling and installing locking pins across the face of the seal.

If this doesn't hold my next plan is to install the seal with a sledge hammer and stake it with the entire block!!!!!

[jglass]

Steve ya might check the crankcase breather.??

[SWilliams]

Had the breather all apart. The reed works fine and seals like it should. The filter was missing (a couple strands left) so I cleaned it out, made a new element out of the proper material and installed it with a new gasket and a dab of sealer.
When checked it seemed to be working OK. Not a big fan of how they ran the pressurized oil through one side as I would think that could cause problems but I guess it works.


EDIT : Think I figured out why it kept blowing the seal out. Excessive oil pressure puking out the main bearing. The oil pressure was due to a sticky relief valve and a SERIOUSLY over RPM high speed setting (4200!)
Mute point now with the 22 in there though....