# Cub Cadet 2186 free to me



## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

Have a Cub Cadet 2186 with a leaking front oil seal offered to me for free. Haven't seen but looks very clean in pictures. What am I getting into? Any advice?


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

They were made from 2000 to 2003 and have 18 HP. It's a garden tractor, built to do more than just cut grass. I'd be taking it for free, The hood seat, wheels and tires are worth $$$$ if you want to part it out.


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## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

Thank Joe. I think it is a 18hp Kohler. I am told they quit using it 1.5 years ago because of a front oil seal leak. YouTube, Google and I should be able to figure it out. I am retired, looking for ways to stay busy at home during these times.


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

From what I can see of it, that machine looks well kept! If the rest of it looks that good, I'd fix it.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Take it, how hard is it to replace an oil seal, wish I could get some free offers like that.
there was a Cub Cadet on FB here a few week back and didn't have a deck, but they were still asking $1500 AU for it.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

It's a shaft drive Cub Cadet and those are some of the best Cubs ever made. Probably runs a CH18, horizontal, V-twin, Command Pro Kohler(great engine). PTO side of the crankshaft is coupled to the driveshaft for ground movement. Flywheel side of the crankshaft runs a "stub shaft" and an electric clutch is bolted to it to run the deck. Deck belt turns 90 degrees at the front of the mower through a double-pulley "drive mule". People tend to over tighten the deck belt and load a lot of stress on the flywheel side, which in turn makes the crank seal leak.

Changing the front seal is not a complicated job, but it does take some time. You don't have to remove the engine from the chassis, but you do have to remove a lot of parts.... Hood/side panels, deck drive mule, electric clutch, blower housing, flywheel, and stator. The seal itself runs about $8.

It takes me about a 5-6 hours for the job depending on how many fasteners are rusted up and how stubborn the electric clutch is to get off.

Under the flywheel, the stator is probably going to be an oily mess and need to be carefully cleaned. I'd check to make sure the battery is charging *BEFORE* I started tearing anything down. That will save you the grief of going through the entire job and finding out the oil soaked stator was shot and should have been changed while you had it apart. Ask me how I know....

Pause at about 7:11 in this video and you'll get a good idea of all the components that have to come apart to get at the front crank seal....


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## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

Picking it up this morning. I asked about price and he said free. He also has a compact tractor he wants to talk about. No details on tractor yet. I put an ISO ad on nextdoor.com for my area and got several interesting replies. Thanks for the very useful help from everyone.


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## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

Picked up the 2186 and the front end is relatively clean with heavy oil on the back end. I am about to start cleaning and looking for leak. Not going to assume rear seal until I know more. It has been over a year since it ran so I want to clean it up and get it started before I search for leaks. Any engine cleaning tips? FYI, the tractor is a JD 650 with lots of implements. Giving him $1500 and $75 per implement. I will probably post in that forum about the JD.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

For cleaning..... I always get it hot, spray it down with HD Easy-Off Oven Cleaner, let it sit a 1/2 hour, and then hit it with the pressure washer. Works as well as anything I've found over the years and it runs about $4 a 14.5 OZ can at Dollar General.

Oil Leaks..... I use UV Dye (NAPA #BK 7652661). Drop a 1/2 OZ in the oil and run it until it's hot. Then shine a UV light on it and the leak shows up fluorescent. You can leave the dye in the engine, it doesn't hurt a thing.

*NAPA UV DYE $7.49*
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7652661

*UV Light (Lowes) $14.95*
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fleming-Supply-Fleming-Supply-51-UV-LED-Black-Light-Flashlight/1002619816

*Using UV Dye & Light to find oil leaks*


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## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

Thanks, Bob. Never would have thought of those things. The left rear of the engine is oil covered and looks like long term. The dye will help. Still working on old gas problems to get running before searching for oil leaks. But it was free so I am happy.


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

That is a pretty sweet deal on the JD 650!!!!


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## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

Right Joe, and he insisted on replacing the front tires. I would like to assure everyone I pointed out the value of the Cub Cadet and the JD and he was OK with it. Also, 7 or 8 implements for the JD at $75 each is like digging up buried treasure. Sometimes you get lucky.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

I have several fuel tanks I've taken off various mowers. I always start anything I've worked on with my fuel, from my tank. I drop some Sea Foam in my shop gas can every time I fill it up. With fuel demand way down because of the covid, fuel is sitting in storage a lot longer than usual. Both Briggs and Kohler say ethanol fuel starts to breakdown starting at about 60 days.


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## Royholder (Jun 10, 2012)

Bob Driver said:


> I have several fuel tanks I've taken off various mowers. I always start anything I've worked on with my fuel, from my tank. I drop some Sea Foam in my shop gas can every time I fill it up. With fuel demand way down because of the covid, fuel is sitting in storage a lot longer than usual. Both Briggs and Kohler say ethanol fuel starts to breakdown starting at about 60 days.


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## Royholder (Jun 10, 2012)

I enjoy following these threads on articles like this. I am beginning to make some notes on the hints & information available in these posts. This is a great distraction from the endless political and convid news. Thanks again.


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## Steve Urquell (Nov 11, 2019)

I bought a 3240 awhile back and it had a heavy left side oil leak. Kohler Command. Had been leaking for a long time by all the crud build up on it. Oil filter was about to fall off.

Hoping yours is as easy a fix.


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## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

I did the oil dye test and it quickly showed oil leaks around the filter and oil drain. There was a fine speckling of oil around the front seal. The seal leak looked to be minor but had been going on long enough that there was a heavy build up of oil and dirt reinforced with grass clipping. I pulled the engine and did a good cleaning and replaced the seal. Not as much trouble as it sounds.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Check that area "around the filter" real close while you have the dye in it. There is a passage that goes between the pan and the block right behind the oil filter that seals with an o-ring. That's the main oil galley that feeds the pressurized oil into the upper block from the oil pump/filter. That o-ring gets hard from the heat and leaks. It looks like it's coming from the filter/base, but it's actually coming from where the pan/block seal and the oil galley o-ring is leaking.

Note that the crankshaft seals only seat flush with the machined bosses. There's return drain holes behind the seals that you'll block if you install them to deep....

The dye/light is the only way to go if you're seriously looking for an oil leak


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## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

Thanks for the information. The oil drain fitting was loose and leaking and the filter turned easily by hand about quarter turn before seating. I have already replaced the filter and oil. I will keep an eye on things and add dye again if necessary. I appreciate the extra education.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

This may be to late but..... I personally would put a torque wrench to all the pan bolts. There are two pan bolts right under the oil filter mounting. For some reason, those seem to like to work loose and that doesn't help those o-rings to seal. The one toward the back of the engine is a "plated bolt" and it particularly likes to work loose

Torque setting is *216 INCH LBS*. The torque pattern is on page 11.7 in the service manual attached to this link. They make mention of the "plated bolt" in paragraph #6

https://www.tractorforum.com/manuals/kohler-ch18-to-ch25-service-manual.265/


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## Stobor (Jun 1, 2020)

Thanks for that information Bob. Everything appears to be OK but I might make the effort to check that area. Other than a few dings this seems to be a good machine and I want to everything to be right.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Here's a link to a site where you can download the Cub Cadet 2000 Series Factory Service Manual. I'd post it to the manuals section of this forum, but the file is to large. 

https://www.mymowerparts.com/pdf/Cub-Cadet-Service-and-Repair-Manuals/


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