kohler courage 26hp vert

[firemanjim]

have a 26 hp courage vert engine that has GREAT spark, its getting proper fuel, and air..... but wont start..... i think maybe the timing gear is out.... was driven into the shop, then would not restart.... valves are good on both cylinders.... what do you guys think i should look at? o yeah, flywheel key is good too..... im stumped. dont want to have to pull it apart to look at the crank timing gear unless i absolutely have to..... any input is appreciated....

 

[OzFab]

You obviously checked for compression, correct?

I bought an engine that did the same thing, started & ran fine but, two days later, nothing; turns out the rings were completely gone... just saying...

Is it possible to switch the spark plug leads? I'm thinking, if they can be, they may be; also, you checked for spark at the plug, not the lead, correct? Maybe dodgy plugs...

 

[Lucky7]

Yes what fabroman said. Try a compression test. Look up how much psi(or bar) they are supposed to make. If it falls under that then like fabroman said it's probably worn rings. And sometimes it might be as simple as a new plug.

 

[firemanjim]

You obviously checked for compression, correct?

I bought an engine that did the same thing, started & ran fine but, two days later, nothing; turns out the rings were completely gone... just saying...

Is it possible to switch the spark plug leads? I'm thinking, if they can be, they may be; also, you checked for spark at the plug, not the lead, correct? Maybe dodgy plugs...

cant swap the plug wires, as then they would not reach. checked spark at plugs and leads. surely it cant be rings. its a v-twin..... both sets went out at the same exact time? doubtful...
i was thinking that its the timing, because i cant even get a back fire out of it. i havent checked compression, cause the engine has run like a top, a racing top , that is... starts up super easy, plenty of power.
my cousin asked me to put this v twin on his zero turn. i took it off of a perfectly running cub cadet. not a lot of hours on it either. the zero turn had a 19 hp kohler, and it blew a new vent hole out the side of the case... (more on this engine later... lol ) after the transplant , we cut grass and played with it for 3-4 hours. i drove into the shop and parked it. my cousin ,later, wanted to go ride it around (its fast...) a bit, but it would not restart.....
a friend told me they have plastc timing gear on the crank, but my lazy but has not looked that up yet. im fixing to do that now.....

 

[rocketkart]

check the oil and see if it has gas in the oil. i had a engine that run good one day and the next day it would not start cus the engine block was full of gas and the carb float was sticking.

 

[OzFab]

checked spark at plugs and leads.

Don't forget that, just because spark plugs work fine at atmospheric pressure, doesn't mean they will work under compression; it may be worth swapping the plugs out, just to rule them out...

surely it cant be rings. its a v-twin..... both sets went out at the same exact time? doubtful...

When you think about it, they've both done the same amount of work so, it's possible but, even if only one set dies, it will put that much pressure on the other cylinder...

I think you may need to eventually open it up, just to rule everything out...

 

[Lucky7]

Wouldn't you have to take the whole engine apart to check the rings besides the compression test? Oh yeah. When you do the compression test. Get a steady number. Then add some oil and if the compression increases from your previous number you have worn rings.