Kohler Courage Single Cylinder Engine Fuel Solenoid Problem

I was taking my old Kohler Solenoid apart. I just wanted to find out, why it failed.
Kohler has a Solenoid Repair Kit for Courage single cylinder engines. It contains a heat shield. I guess the solenoid overheats, and the shield and a new solenoid is supposed to fix this issue.
If that is the case, then almost every Courage single cylinder engine should experience this problem sooner or later, unless of course you run this engine at the North pole.
Anyway, I took it apart and there are weird things going on in there, but see for yourself.
Let me know what you think, write a comment, and rate and share if you like.
I just wonder, when this is a design issue, why I have to pay for this now? My lawn tractor is out of warranty, and I have to pay a hundred for the service place to pick up the tractor, and then another hundred for the solenoid, and then like seventy to put it in.
Just because they didn't think this trough, when they engineered this carburetor, or the solenoid.
If you want to know, how to repair this, then watch my repair video here: • How to fix the Kohler ...
If you like to see how the repair kit looks like, then look at this video here: • Unboxing Kohler Soleno...
Thanks for watching!

[@JoeJoe-gu7fk]

Ich hatte das Problem auch seit einiger Zeit. Irgendwann ging das Ventil gar nicht mehr, weil sich die Lötverbindung im Inneren gelöst hatte. Auseinander gebaut, gelötet und gefreut. Doch es ging nur schwer und blieb immer wieder unten hängen. Den O-Ring habe ich auch gesehen, aber mir nicht vorstellen können, dass er das Problem ist. Zum Glück habe ich über die Teilenummer dieses Video gefunden. O-Ring raus und es funktioniert! Viele Dank!

[@karlfowler420]

Thanks for taking the thing apart. I found with mine that there was build up inside the magnet. I ran a 22 caliber rifle cleaning brush thru it with carburetor cleaner on it a few times and it freed it right up. Put it back together and it worked like new. Mine seemed to go up and down continuously after the repair, not just up or down but it runs great and no longer leaks fuel until the tank is empty. Thanks again for your video.

[@mikespain8655]

Nice breakdown showing the simple operation of it. Dirt is often the cause of it sticking. Try carburetor cleaner and compressed air to clean it first before replacing.

[@dougmiller1460]

Nice find 👍 Replaced my used 2008 Kohler after gas leaking thru the air filter. Noticed a small portion of the butterfly valve was rusting. Suspect E10 (or higher) gas had sat for an extended period of time without running. Water was able to form from the use of ethanol and poor material properties of the butterfly valve. Also suspect the rubber ring could have expanded on the solinoid due to poor material properties.

[@gbnomore3918]

This is great info thanks! The old solenoid this probably just weak from the heat exposure.

[@davidg813]

On my tractor and 16hp Kohler I had gasoline in my oil and also coming out the muffler!! DAGEROUS! This should have been a RECALL for sure. My solenoid was not stuck,, it was an electrical failure. Voltage to the wire but the connection of the pigtail on the solenoid was so rusted and worn where the wire goes into the bottom it literally fell off in my hand while examining it. I'm not jury rigging mine,, I'll spend the bucks now for a replacement. A back fire on a small engine can cause serious damage to the internal engine parts,, mess up the timing or damage a cam gear. Take care of your engine and it will take care of you! Mine lasted 20 years.. I cannot complain about replacing it now!!!

[@edwardrilliet520]

Also install a gas shut off valve between the tank and carb.shut the valve off when you are finished with the tractor.let it run dry to stop .That solenoid can leak again mine did had to change the oil 3 times.It Beats blowing a whole through the side of the engine.

[@carlthornton3076]

Very Good!

[@48retrop]

I found a problem existed when I hit the starter to start my Husquavarna lawn tractor. The engine turned over about 1 turn and sounded like it locked up. I suspected that raw fuel had run through the carburetor and filled the combustion cylinder with enough fuel that it locked up. I also smelled a strong odor of gasoline. Sure enough when I pulled the spark plug out and hit the starter the raw gas shot out ten feet which confirmed that indeed the fuel had leaked down into the cylinder. Since the purpose of the fuel shut off selenoid is to shut off the fuel when the engine is not running it did not take a rocket scientist to suspect that the selenoid was the problem. Since the gas tank on this lawn tractor is much higher than the carb, some shut off device is necessary.

[@mygiguser]

yes, a manual fuel shutoff valve is much better, if you don't forget to turn it off.

[@xavierpierce2598]

bill smith your saying the solenoid isn’t a factor when the engine is off? This one my boss has leaks when it’s off from the carb out through the intake cover. So this would have something to do with the float assembly/ seal/ needle?

[@schneider1492]

So is that o-ring what seals gas in, or is it just to keep dust out? Could you just remove the o-ring or drill a small breathing hole?

[@knuckle12356]

So I see all these great details exposed with the case removed from the solenoid. How did you separate the casing from the guts? Is it possible to pull the guts out and put them back together AND still have the thing work? Or did you break the outer housing to show us the insides since you had a replacement part ready? I want to pull this solenoid I've got here apart, but I don't want to destroy it in the process...

[@mygiguser]

I used a saw, and i had the new solenoid already installed. This video was just to show, that you can't fix a broken solenoid.

[@briand1025]

Hey, how do you open this thing up? Is it serviceable so to speak, can I open it and then close it back up? I ask because mine started shorting out because the wire frayed due to vibration and one edge of the opening being bare metal, so I’d like to open it up and run a new lead.

[@mygiguser]

No you can't close it again, once you open it it's broken.

[@karlfowler420]

I put mine together again and it works. Carefully straighten the cover back by the wire and it slips off the front. When you put it back together use a small hammer and a vise and roll the edge back over the cover cap. I realize your post was a year ago, but thought I would give my answer for the next guy.

[@TheMustangStampede]

Part number for only new solenoid????

[@mygiguser]

I don't know.

[@frazzleberry]

How do i buy a new one? The image of all the ones on Amazon look way different!

[@mygiguser]

frazzleberry yes, they changed the design. The new ones look shorter.

[@frazzleberry]

@@mygiguser still works the same?? I was wondering if j just run the red cable into the new one :)

[@mygiguser]

Yes, they still work the same. And most of the time they come with a little instruction sheet on how to connect them.

[@stoneyswolf]

Mine is slow like that did you test the new one to see if it works fast?

[@mygiguser]

Retrogamer1010 yes, the new one was super fast.

[@stoneyswolf]

mygiguser cool thanks

[@dkevvv]

It makes sense that it was designed that way on purpose. It doesn't need to snap back.

[@mygiguser]

engine doesnt start or run if it doesnt snap back.

[@dkevvv]

@@mygiguser So, if it moves back slow the engine wont start? It takes 1 second to move back slow. By the time you turn the key to the start position the valve is open.

[@calholli]

you can grind a groove down the side of that pointed shaft and it will fix the suction problem. What I did is just cut off the top of it all together and unhook the wire because it is a stupid design in the first place... Just put an inline valve on your fuel line and remember to turn if off when you park it. Done deal.

[@carolinabeacher1558]

that wont work in all situations, some of those will not even turn over if that is disconnected.

[@stevecunningham3475]

Mine works but leaks. somehow fuel is going into the stem of the solenoid and leaking into the solenoid motor. Not sure I can fix that

[@mygiguser]

That's not good. You probably need to replace that one.

[@jeffdowler9130]

put the o ring back on it and grease the mental plunger so it slides easy though the o ring. No gas leak and moves more freely back and forth.

[@mygiguser]

jeff dowler is not going to work.

[@nunyabizness2433]

That was my thought also.

[@gbnomore3918]

That sounds like a first degree burn Fireball waiting to happen

[@DaddyElfMan]

not sure if that rubber o ring is for vacuum or not, but a thought here, if solenoid is engaged (up) fuel flow stops, not engaged (down), fuel flows. NOW, gas flows past the black rubber/plastic cap on the top of solenoid actuator shaft, fuel could potentially flow down and around the 'shaft', with no o ring on that bottom part you pulled out, gas could get to the 'electric' coil and could be a fire hazard. just my 2 cents worth.

[@JonPrevost]

No, that isn't how it should work. Slower isn't necessarily bad. It protects the rubber tip from slamming and prematurely failing. I think it also might seal the solenoid from leaking fuel as the other shafts are not sealed. A common thought that should go through somebodies mind shouldn't be, "that's not how I would have thought it worked" and come to the conclusion that it was a mistake. Instead, try thinking about the extra expense to install the o-ring. It required an extra machining process, an extra part, and consequently, extra cost. Why would they do that? So the pin doesn't fall out during the rest of the assembly process? I don't think so but maybe. I found that a common problem has been the quality of this ethanol gas. It seems to be making everything more difficult.

[@mygiguser]

The new valve works great and it is snappy. The one i show in the video didn't work at all until i took it apart. Not sure what the deal is. The extreme heat it was exposed to, is most likely the problem for this particular solenoid. You maybe right with your ethanol idea. Possible that the o-ring was not ethanol resistant, and is now blowing up like a gummy bear in water.

[@JonPrevost]

Plan of obsolescence or an unfortunate industry scamming the customer normalcy. Give me my old Cub Cadet 107 any day over the new stuff.

[@Moov3619]

Could be there was a faulty electrical connection from the ignition switch is the reason the solenoid wasn't working until you removed it from the carburetor. That was my problem so I fixed the faulty connection which fixed my problem of engine stalling out while mowing.

[@mygiguser]

Bill Gibbs, sr No, it works with the new solenoid. No electrical issues in this case.

[@Moov3619]

Glad the new solenoid is working for you now. I agree with Jon Prevost that ethanol in our gasoline is creating problems. Most any small engine repair shop will agree. I use only ethanol free gasoline for my mower and my other small engines including the 2 cycle ones. Several gas stations in my area stock pure gas. Most all boat owners and motorcycle owners use only pure gas for their engines.

[@thomashoward9806]

Find a new one. I have one on order for 2 months. So far no luck. $57 too damn high for a mini solenoid. Kill the motor in gear. No backfire. Why not a manual shutoff.

[@mygiguser]

In my mower, the gas tank is above the engine. If you delete the solenoid, and replace it with a shutoff, you forget only once and the engine gets flooded with gasoline. They say this Kohler is not very forgiving in that case. Not sure about the price right now, but my solenoid is still working since i installed the heat shield.

[@mygiguser]

A little tip: try to find a new carburator on Amazon ir Ebat, it comes with solenoid and may be cheaper than the solenoid alone. Dont forget to install a heat shield!

[@dougmrak784]

its sticking as old gas

[@dougmrak784]

soak it in sea foam