# Lt 155 tractor problems



## robertzirbel839 (11 mo ago)

I guess this is Robert with a brand new post my dad was mowing with a John Deere L T1 fis L T1 55 tractor with a: engine on it I believe it's a 14 horsepower engine and the tractor just died on him He was cutting the grass and the tractor just died on him I went over to check it out and I can spin the flywheel by hand like no problem so my concern is something broke inside the tractor Knowing to him he did not hit anything it just died on him when he was driving any suggestions on what I should be looking at


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Pull the sparkplug, put your thumb over the hole, and crank the engine. You should feel some compression if the piston is moving. If you don't feel compression, it either broke the rod, or there's a valve problem. 

If you get compression, it comes down to air, fuel, and spark. Post the engine model/type #, it'll help people trying to figure out your problem. Should be a CV15 Kohler.


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## robertzirbel839 (11 mo ago)

OK thank you for your reply I will try to do that if there is no compression I'm gonna have to start with pulling the fly will off I will be using a fly wheelpooler but it's gonna be pretty hard to pull that fly wheel off


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## robertzirbel839 (11 mo ago)

Hi guys I ended up tearing apart the John Deere lt 155 tractor there was a hole on the side of the block the connecting rod was gone and the campshaft was gone my question is why does this happen to these engines It's like the 3rd time that has happened to me now All of these engine blocks are terribly made they're almost like made of concrete or something


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

low engine oil most likely culprit, or revving above the governed engine speed.


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## robertzirbel839 (11 mo ago)

I'm having a hard time finding the piston for this v15 engine koaler that is. Anyone know if it matter what piston I'm to use


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

It is strange Robert that this motor is in good enough condition to rebuild after a blown rod through the side of the crankcase, which usually ends up with stuffed big end journal on the crankshaft, bent cam shaft plus busted camshaft bearing journals in the crankcase and usually the bottom of the cylinder broken also, so how are you going to overcome those problems??.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

robertzirbel839 said:


> I'm having a hard time finding the piston for this v15 engine koaler that is. Anyone know if it matter what piston I'm to use


Both the CV15 (CV490) and the CV16 (CV495) use a 90mm piston. Have you actually measured the bore, or are you just going to slap a new standard piston back in it and hope for the best? Max bore limit is 90.063mm. 

The reason you're having a hard time finding a piston is 
1) It's a 90mm piston -- CV15 & CV16 are the only two Kohler engines that run that size piston.
2) When most people go back with a standard piston, they usually just order new rings, therefore there's not that many standard 90mm pistons available any more. What piston part # are you searching 12-874-07-S?


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## robertzirbel839 (11 mo ago)

So I'm using a used piston on ebay 12-874-07-s I don't want to spend alot of money on this rebuild. I have the block the cam and the connecting rod coming I'm using the old crankshaft and balencer. I have not rebuilt these engines before except that briggs engine I rebuilt.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

robertzirbel839 said:


> So I'm using a used piston on ebay 12-874-07-s I don't want to spend alot of money on this rebuild. I have the block the cam and the connecting rod coming I'm using the old crankshaft and balencer. I have not rebuilt these engines before except that briggs engine I rebuilt.


I thought you may have found a crankcase, the con rod didn't grab the crankshaft big end journal?, lucky you if this is the case.


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