88 414-8

[AHS 1,476]

Ok, this Wheelhorse has really impressed me!! It’s the cash mower, that I mow two lawns every two weeks... 1 of the lawns is good size. It’s been hot out... 85-90 degrees... and it’s still mowed. The Kohler M14😀👍💪It’s had two oil changes and 1 tranny fluid change. I believe it’s time for paint this fall.. and decals!! This winter it’ll see the tall Shute snowblower!!

[ebinmaine 69,187]

Great dependability. Time to spiff it up!

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

Great model.Lots of power.I've got one that I use occasionaly.Don't make it too pretty.You won't want to use it.

[The Tuul Crib 7,338]

Ditto that! My 414 runs strong and 

long! Dont know what l would do  with out 

it!!

Edited July 21, 2020 by The Tuul Crib

[Rob R 970]

No Trailer Queens here!  

[peter lena 8,931]

AHS , great to hear that you actually change oil and trans fluid, what a concept !. rotella 30 wt oil has the extra zinc these engines love . in the mean time you could feed the paint and stop surface rust with a regular rubdown of penetrating oil or mmo, on a clean rag . it will add a patina and a solid base for painting. take the time to regularly drop the deck and clean out any build up, lucas RED nd tacky grease IN THE DECK SPINDLES , does a very good job. pete 

[lynnmor 7,442]

Kohler now puts the extra zinc information right on the label, no need to run diesel oil or the SN government approved stuff.

[Tractorhead 9,065]

Nice Rig, great to have a solid worker aside.

 

Good decision to keep the fluids changed regulary, 

regular maintanance give you mostly a Longterm troublefree Seattime.

 

Have longtime Fun with it!

 

 

[AHS 1,476]

10 hours ago, Rob R said:

No Trailer Queens here!  @Pollack Pete 😀

[AHS 1,476]

12 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Great dependability. Time to spiff it up!

Yup!! I wanted to make sure the 414 was a good worker...a little smoke when I first got it... but in the past oil changes there has been no smoke to speak of!! I’ve been paying close attention to the magnum series vs the K series, they seem to be awful close... except no coil on this one. Every time I go out there and start it up.. it only turns over once before it’s started!! 😀 like a Kohler!!💪. 

[D_Mac 8,919]

Love the Magnum engines. I have a 1988 416-8 that I just finished up " refreshing " . Its condition was in similar shape to yours. Check out my post in the Restoration section to see what I did to mine. A little bit of paint and a lot of elbow grease and a new set of decals will go a long ways.

Edited July 21, 2020 by D_Mac

[AHS 1,476]

1 hour ago, D_Mac said:

Love the Magnum engines. I have a 1988 416-8 that I just finished up " refreshing " . Its condition was in similar shape to yours. Check out my post in the Restoration section to see what I did to mine. A little bit of paint and a lot of elbow grease and a new set of decals will go a long ways.

NICE NICE NICE!!!! 416-8.... that’s my dream machine right there!!

[Redneckdavis 308]

Also in addition to diesel oils. Any "break in" oil or the Valvoline VR1, have the zinc the flat tappet cams need. . Or you could use whatever oil you have/like and put the zinc additive in. That's what I was doing with my vehicles before I swapped to vr1 and rotella

[Cabintime 3]

New to the site this morning.  Picked up a 414-8 1989 yesterday and will begin evaluating soon.  What is this need for zinc mentioned in the oil?   Looking forward learning and appreciating the Wheel Horse.

[peter lena 8,931]

the kohler engines are an old design and from a different era,  before emissions , they also have flat tappet cams  calling for more zinc  to make them operate efficiently and quieter. while you are at it , try and change your oil after thoroughly getting it hot , for a more thorough drain out and deposit removal. use a straight 30 wt oil , like rotella in the hot weather , and a 5 - 30  oil , also rotella in the winter . we all have our own favorite oils , if nothing else , get a zinc enriched oil for best results. drain your transmission , by lifting the front end to increase its discharge. with front end lifted , grease your front axle , 3 fittings . transmission oil , 75-90 0r 75-140 . check your shifter boot , its probably cracked or torn , replace it, easy to find on line. remove boot with a razor blade install with grease on the shifter lever and boot center hole . this is just basic lubrication maintenance. let us know how you are making out , pete    

[lynnmor 7,442]

47 minutes ago, Cabintime said:

New to the site this morning.  Picked up a 414-8 1989 yesterday and will begin evaluating soon.  What is this need for zinc mentioned in the oil?   Looking forward learning and appreciating the Wheel Horse.

 

It is an anti-wear additive used for 3/4 of a century that will lessen wear in any kind of engine, not just the flat tappet engines.  The government wants the ZDDP out of the oil so we now have most oils with the API SN designation that is not a good thing for your Kohler.  The thing with flat tappet designs it that the failures are catastrophic instead of just long term degradation.   Click here for more information.  Know that just using additive can be a problem because you may not mix in the optimum amount, too much is just as bad as too little and the original amount may not be known.  Many complain about ethanol in their gas, soybeans in their diesel fuel, but don't realize what is going on with oil.

[AHS 1,476]

This is what I use, 1/2 a bottle.

[lynnmor 7,442]

37 minutes ago, AHS said:

This is what I use, 1/2 a bottle.

 

 

Nearly all oil contains ZDDP, just less than what was used in the good old days.  This STP additive has a trivial amount and will actually lower the PPM of your oil.  My opinion is that it is just another snake oil.  Here is a video that includes an oil analysis.

[ebinmaine 69,187]

41 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

 

Nearly all oil contains ZDDP, just less than what was used in the good old days.  This STP additive has a trivial amount and will actually lower the PPM of your oil.  My opinion is that it is just another snake oil.  Here is a video that includes an oil analysis.

Interesting watch.

Thanks for sharing that.

 

I've never been much of a fan of most additives though I realize some do better than others.

 

 

[AHS 1,476]

42 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

 

Nearly all oil contains ZDDP, just less than what was used in the good old days.  This STP additive has a trivial amount and will actually lower the PPM of your oil.  My opinion is that it is just another snake oil.  Here is a video that includes an oil analysis.

Well that was a good speak. I dunno if I’m gonna use it again... I would never use it in the winter!!

[ebinmaine 69,187]

Back about 30 years ago I worked with a fella who was self admitted 3 weeks older than dirt.

He's been messing with cars trucks tractors etc since the 1930s.

He told us one time of why he didn't use STP.

Before the days of detergent oils there would be a residue in the oil pan bottom that was just another part of regular maintenance to clean out.

He worked on a customer's engine that had seen PLENTY of STP over it's years.

It lost oil pressure and quit.

When they disassembled it to determine the cause they found the oil pan nearly full of old oil/STP sludge cut exactly to the shape of the spinning crankshaft.

 

Sort of a gel...

[AHS 1,476]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Back about 30 years ago I worked with a fella who was self admitted 3 weeks older than dirt.

He's been messing with cars trucks tractors etc since the 1930s.

He told us one time of why he didn't use STP.

Before the days of detergent oils there would be a residue in the oil pan bottom that was just another part of regular maintenance to clean out.

He worked on a customer's engine that had seen PLENTY of STP over it's years.

It lost oil pressure and quit.

When they disassembled it to determine the cause they found the oil pan nearly full of old oil/STP sludge cut exactly to the shape of the spinning crankshaft.

 

Sort of a gel...

WOW!! The YouTube video of STP made it seem like it was plenty thick during engine running; I was thinking it was not!

[kick 72]

I’m a broken record but the single kohler 8 speeds are some of the best horses ever made period. 

[AHS 1,476]

7 hours ago, kick said:

I’m a broken record but the single kohler 8 speeds are some of the best horses ever made period. 

I haven’t found one YET!!😀

[953 nut 56,340]

On 7/21/2020 at 9:59 AM, lynnmor said:

Kohler now puts the extra zinc information right on the label, no need to run diesel oil or the SN government approved stuff.

That is a 10 W 30 oil. there is information in Kohler owner manuals that warns you to only use 10 W 30 in cold conditions in splash lubricated engines.