$250 Toro Zero Turn with one BIG issue! Toro SS4200 Flip Part 1

This week I picked up a Toro Timecutter SS4200 zero turn mower for just $250! Too good to be true? Well maybe so. Turns out it has a pretty bad oil leak that I will need to fix. I'm going replace the valve cover gasket, but do I need to replace the head gasket as well? If so I'll have to learn how to replace the head gasket on a Kohler Courage single cylinder engine! Come along for the story!
Welcome to Garage Story!
I'm in the business of hunting up old lawn mowers and other small machines, and either parting them out, or fixing them up and selling them for profit. Come along for the ride with my weekly vlogs, and how-to videos.
Music from KZbin Audio Library

[@freedommowers420]

Excellent video as always. Thanks for the shout out on the seat repair. Bummer on the valve cover but you went the extra mile to make sure this mower is 100%. Look forward to part 2

[@garagestory]

Thanks for sharing about the seat hack! I think I need you to make a tutorial on how to do it… I don’t think I did a great job😬.

[@donaldspinks7436]

YOUNG MAN, "YOU" have impressed this 82 year old. You are using your mind intelligently in restoring cast aside equipment from those who tend to toss, rather than "WORK". My hat is off to you.

[@garagestory]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@trudyburns86]

Your videos are getting better and the music is good, Lewis

[@garagestory]

Thanks!

[@trudyburns86]

Hello, Nice to see you are getting some good mowers , Lewis

[@ljmproductions1]

Great vid! Great story! Looking forward to part 2!!

[@garagestory]

Thanks!! Part two should be soon! I just sold the mower right about when this video went live.

[@jaya.0069]

I have the exact same mower with the same oil leak, it gets hot and oil dripping on muffler is so bad you can't see the house for the smoke. A friend recommended a product called AT-205 reseal, I put some in and let it run for 30 minutes at high idle, now it doesn't leak or smoke at all. This stuff is amazing! Glad to see what's involved to repair it in the future if needed.

[@garagestory]

Wow, I hadn’t heard of AT-205 reseal before, but I looked it up and it seems to have thousands of good reviews on Amazon. I may have to give it a try. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@MrZimmaframe]

I have watched quite a few of your older videos, and have to say your video editing skills and music choice has massive improved, good job man.

[@garagestory]

Thank you! It’s my editor, LJM Productions (that’s his KZbin channel name).

[@jonoliver1986]

Great video man! Glad to see you're back at it. I have stopped using factory valve cover gaskets for years. I apply a small even layer of gasket maker on valve cover, let dry completely and apply another very small amount and stick onto head. This would also take care of your air leak. Never have had one leak in almost 15 years using this method. Good luck! Keep on with the stories!

[@garagestory]

Thanks!

[@MrZimmaframe]

You could say “let’s go bang a wrench” 😄. But great video

[@Rein_Ciarfella]

Consider purchasing a leakdown tester. That way you’re not guessing about where a leak is. I’m not all that convinced this tractor actually had an internal head gasket leak.

[@garagestory]

Yes, I might add one to my arsenal of tools. Thankfully this head gasket wasn’t too hard to change!

[@kevinspahr6632]

It might be clean underneath the dipstick area because whoever was the previous owner more than likely sucked the oil out through the dipstick tube with a Mighty Vac. That's what I do also.

[@tombell5879]

Any time you have a metal valve cover like that where the bolt holes are pushed in like that the best way to fix it is to take a socket a little bit bigger than the hole on the flat side of the hole and use a small hammer and pean the hole back out flat.

[@MrZimmaframe]

With the Kohler Courage engines, like the 19 and 20 models, the oil is almost always coming from the rear rocker cover gasket, unless the block is cracked on the left side from the bolts being loose. I didn’t Loctite my bolts but probably would help tbh. The second issues these commonly have are sloppy valve clearance issues, due to engine vibration, which if left for too long can cause the engine to not turn over when it reaches the compression stroke, because the loose rocker doesn’t press on the exhaust valve enough, to release the decompression mechanism inside. Normally the engine should spin over freely on startup. .007” gap for exhaust and .005” for intake. Remove spark plug and inset long screwdriver into cylinder and turn the engine over by hand watching as the valves move and the screw driver is pushed out the most. Sometimes it can look like the engine is at TDC but actually it’s on a different stroke. The way to check if it is at TDC is to check the valve clearance on both strokes to find which one has the most slop on both valves, and that is TDC. Also sometimes if the engine has been overheated the valve seals, usually just exhaust side can move, not allowing the exhaust valve two fully compress causing non-decompression starting issues. To resolve this, you have to apply compressed air into the spark plug hole to prevent valve from dropping in the cylinder, and then removing the valve spring to get access to the valve seal, and tapping it in by slipping over the valve stem with a socket, and tapping it with a hammer, to reset it correctly. The only other option is to remove the cylinder head to prevent valves going into the cylinder, when removing the valve spring. Hope this helps someone. 👍🏻

[@garagestory]

Thanks for all the info!

[@MrZimmaframe]

I really don’t want to break a wrench 😄😂.

[@garagestory]

Think of it as like telling a stage actor to break a leg, not literally!😁

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

The only way an air-cooled engine can get vapors into the crankcase is through the piston rings. The head gasket on a water cooled car engine can be a whole bunch of ways. The heads need to be torqued to a specified limit on every bolt.

[@garagestory]

In theory you could have an internal head gasket leak from the combustion chamber over to one of the oil passages. That would allow combustion vapor into the crank case, if I’m not mistaken. Does that sound plausible?

[@bobbylibertini]

Ah, dude, nice work! But I don't think it needed a head gasket. It was smoking because it was overfilled. The blow-by in the dipstick is just minor blow-by, which occurrs due to normal wear over time.

[@garagestory]

I tend to agree. I don’t think it really needed a head gasket. What I saw was probably just oil mist.

[@stevehill666]

hello. i have a Toro TimeCutter MAX 50-in 22-HP V-twin Gas Zero-turn Riding Lawn Mower. i am curious. do you know how to change the hydro oil in the transmission? on both sides, i see what appears to be a torx head screw and i also seen a black plug. yes my zero turn is new, i am only asking just in case i made need to add oil to it in the future. any help would be nice. nice video BTW.

[@garagestory]

Hello, thanks for watching the video! Now, as to your question - well, unfortunately I’ve never changed the transmission fluid on one of these. If it’s new, you should be able to find a service manual for it, maybe on Toro’s website.

[@tombell5879]

That black area on the bottom part of the head gasket is a sign of a leak. It doesn't take much. And it will continue to get bigger.

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

When a valve cover has bolt holes pulled in one must tap them back flat with a hammer. Then don't do it again like someone did before.

[@garagestory]

I ended up replacing the valve cover. You are probably right that it could have been bent back flat again. Interestingly, just torquing the valve cover bolts down seems to bend the cover. In my opinion Kohler could have designed this a little better….

[@iceberg2221]

dont get a new valve cover just use a vise or punch and flatten the bolt hole back to flat

[@garagestory]

Interesting idea! I wonder if the metal would be too weakened for that to work well. Have you done that successfully before? This one I already replaced and got the upgrade with the stiffener.

[@iceberg2221]

@@garagestory i work on mowers and have had 100 percent success withbending them back

[@garagestory]

Nice!! I may try that next time. Thanks for sharing the tip!

[@trudyburns86]

8 ft lbs for valve cover, Lewis

[@PaulHigginbothamSr]

I am 77 years old and Have Never Broke a wrench.

[@garagestory]

😁. It’s a phrase I derived from the expression ‘go break a leg’ which was used to wish a stage performer to do well right before they went on stage.

[@Crusetracking]

Don't buy valve gasket just put gasket maker on there I work better