Onan to kohler conversion

[davidn3]

I have an onan 24 in my lt40.  For half the price of a rebuild kit I got a kohler 25.   Any one ever do this conversion.  What extra parts am I going to need.  And looking for some instructions on how it is wired.  I assume I just not use the internal alternator and regulator but not sure what wires go to what and I'd rather not take the loom apart as it looks nice and clean right now.

[D6c]

Seems like I recently read a post here where someone did one.   As I remember it was a fairly easy conversion.   The one thing I remember is they had to ad about a 1" spacer under the new engine because the crankshaft height was different.

[Chuck White]

I did the conversion around 2 years ago!

Simple, only took about 2 hours total!

I ordered the 25hp Kohler kit from Wood-Mizer and the kit included everything that was needed!

The kit included the engine, spacers to raise the engine, drive belt, replacement shield to cover the belt behind the engine!

The change-over instructions were included!

I was out on a saw-job about 8 miles from home and the customer had several stacks of logs and when we finished the stack we had started on, I took the mill home and we did the change-over, which took around 2 hours!

Nothing at all difficult or complicated!

[davidn3]

do you happen to have a copy of those instructions?  I got a used kohler command pro 25.  So all I have right now is the engine.  I'm sure it will be somewhat simple, but just trying to look ahead to see what else I'm going to need and avoid problems like spacing.  Thanks

[sawguy21]

You likely will need to space the engine, the V-twin crankshaft center line will be lower than the old L-head Onan. Are the crankshafts the same diameter so your clutch or pulley(s) will fit? Does the new engine have it's own key switch or do you need to connect to the existing one? The old engine may have battery ignition like your truck, the Kohler has a magneto. You would have to change the key switch and some wiring, you DON'T want to feed 12 volts to the Kohler ignition.

[davidn3]

I called woodmizer and ordered the rest of the kit.  It was a couple hundred.  Wiring haness is what I was really concerned about but ended up needs some new pullies, belts, mount spacers, and throttle linkage.  The onan is also magneto but slightly different than the kohler.  The kohler everything is internal.  Only thing external is a harness plug. 

[Chuck White]

So WM will send you the installation instructions!   ;)   

[davidn3]

Does anyone have pictures of a kohler 25hp engine on a woodmizer?   Specifically the throttle linkage and the wiring.  The woodmizer instructions are too basic.  No real guidance on how to hook things up that were different from the old engine.

[Chuck White]

The throttle linkage is hooked up just the same as it was with the Onan!

[davidn3]

the kohler 25 has a mechanical governor on it.  So the throttle levers aren't as obvious as just hooking the cable to a lever.  There are several levers to choose from with only one being the actual throttle. 

[davidn3]

This what I have so far.  Throttle seems a bit short.  Also not sure how to attach it to the throttle.  Can rig it with some aircraft wire.

[Chuck White]

You might consider using a spring for the connection!

[sparks]

David on the Kohler's we buy the dealer modifies the throttles for us so that they work on our mill.

The ring of the throttle cable connect to the linkage with a Spring, .5" x .08" x 1 3/8" Extension.