Kohler 7000 Series Engine Specs
Article by Mark Trotta
Primarily seen on Cub Cadet and Craftsman zero-turn and riding tractors, the Kohler 7000 series of twin-cylinder engines include the KT715 (20hp), KT725 (22hp), KT730 (23hp), KT735 (24hp), KT740 (25hp), and KT745 (26hp). Although there are slight differences in power ratings, all are vertical shaft and all share the same engine dimensions.
Kohler 7000 Engine Specs
- Displacement: 44.2 cubic-inches (725cc)
- Engine Bore and Stroke: 3.3" x 2.6" (83mm x 67mm)
- Compression Ratio: 9.1:1
- Horsepower: 20 to 26 (depending on model)
- Gross Torque: 40.4 to 54.8 ft/lbs
Engineered and assembled in the USA, Kohler 7000 series engines are designed for non-commercial consumer use. The block is made of alloy with cast-iron cylinder liners. They are all four-cycle, air-cooled, twin cylinder, and feature overhead valves.
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Kohler 7000 Engine Oil Change
The owner's manual recommends changing the oil and oil filter at 50 hours on new machines, but many people think that's too long an interval. There's certainly no harm in changing it sooner, and it should increase the service life of your lawn tractor. But at a minimum, oil and filter should be changed once a year.
I did the first oil change on my Cub Cadet XT1 at 20 hours, and the second oil change at 40 hours.
Replace Oil Filter
Oil filter removal is easy with an automotive-style cup wrench and 6" socket extension.
The oil filter wrench pictured is a 76mm 14 flute cup-style that accepts a 3/8" ratchet. It fits a lot of other vehicles - Hyundai's, Suburu's, Mazda's, and my 1997 Harley Road King!
Shop: Oil Filter Cup Wrench
The oil drain cap twists off by hand.
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Oil Capacity and Recommendations
All Kohler 7000 series engines have an oil capacity of 2.0 quarts. This includes the KT715, KT725, KT730, KT735, KT740, and KT745 engines.
For the first 50 hours of use, the manufacturer recommends conventional (non-synthetic) oil. This is to help the piston rings to seat properly. After that, you can switch to synthetic oil if you choose to.
Recommended Oil Viscosity
- Above 50 degrees: 30W
- Below 50 degrees: 10/30W
- Below 30 degrees: 5/30W
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Use Proper Oil
Small engines require oil specifically designed for air-cooled equipment. Most automotive oils manufactured after 2009 do not meet these specifications. This results in higher operating temperatures and reduced engine life.
Shop: Small Engine Motor Oil
Best Oil Filter
The Kohler 12-050-01 oil filter is recommended, but any major name brand filter will do, such as Napa, Fram, Wix, etc.
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Spark Plugs and Gap
Recommended by Kohler are Champion XC12YC (982) for non-commercial use, and Champion RC12PYC (3071) for commercial use.
Spark plug gap for all models is .030". Socket size is 5/8".
Remember to order two spark plugs (one for each cylinder).
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Air Filter
The air filter on my Cub Cadet XT1 is housed under a plastic cover on top of the motor. To remove it, the two flip-out wings turn out and the cover lifts up.
The original air filter from my Cub Cadet XT1 was stamped 32-083-09-S. Kohler gives it a service number of KH32-883-09-ST. Dimensions are 6.6" length by 2" height.
The Pre-Cleaner wrap is cleanable and re-usable, but if needed, the part is 32-083-10-S. The air filter I bought included a new one.
Shop: Kohler 7000 Air Filter and Wrap
New air filter installed.
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Kohler 7000 Filter and Tune-Up Kit
This popular kit gives you all tune-up parts in one kit - air filter, oil filter, fuel filter, and two spark plugs.
Shop: Kohler 7000 Filter and Tune-Up Kit
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Starter Motor Replacement
Kohler 7000 starters saw a design change, and original part # 32-098-08-S was superseded to 32-098-10-S.
When you take your old starter out, it will have have either a 9-tooth or a 10-tooth gear. The 9-tooth gear is the newer design. Both starters are interchangeable with each other.
Shop: Kohler 7000 Starter
If you're replacing the starter solenoid, you can buy one here.
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Lawn Tractor Engine Swaps
Kohler 7000 motors have become a popular choice for lawn tractor engine swaps. Since engine mounting patterns are the same, they can be used to upgrade from a single-cylinder motor. Another common engine swap is replacing a lower horsepower twin-cylinder engine to a higher horsepower model.
They can also be retrofitted to non-Craftsman/Kohler machines, as the bolt mounting pattern is the same as other popular brand motors (Briggs & Stratton, Kawasaki, etc). Usually just the throttle and choke cables need to be switched or modified.
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Kohler 7000 Valve Clearance Specs
Intake Valves .003"
Exhaust Valves .003"
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Powering our Cub Cadet XT1 lawn tractor is the 22hp KT725 engine.
Along with changing the oil and filter once a year, it's a good idea to replace the fuel filter once a year. The air filter replacement interval is 50 hours, that's about two years for our Cub XT1.
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