Sears Craftsman LT 1000 Briggs and Stratton 16.5hp OHV Engine Model 311707 Type 0125-E1 oil level good

Thanks Walt! I am beginning my reassembly now. By the way, I did all of the cutting on the pulley with a Dremel tool. Actually a black and decker wizard with the wand attachment and a 1.5" as well as a 1" cut off wheel. It might have taken a little longer, but I was able to get closer to the sump without worry of cutting into it. I had to bend open the pulley in places to get the tool deep enough to cut through the thicker middle section of the pulley but that was eased by the cutting to the holes the guys at the machine shop drilled in order to use a wheel puller on it.

We purchased a Gravely Z252 commercial mower with a 24 hp Kohler mower in 2006 figuring it would be the last mower we would ever buy. A few weeks ago, while my wife was mowing she noticed the (650 hour in 12 years; 50 hour annual use) commercial engine sounded "funny" . When I pulled the oil dip stick it was dry. My wife commented there was no puddle of oil under where the mower is parked. Consulting the business from which we purchased the mower we learned that a significant number of the mowers purchased around the time we bought ours had catastrophic oil loss and "blew" engines when the inadequate Kohler head gasket failed. Supposedly, Kohler has redesigned its head gaskets with a metal rim on the gasket like auto engine gaskets. The gasket on our 2006 mower had no metal rim. I asked the business from which we purchased our mower why Kohler didn't send out an advisory to be vigilant in monitoring oil levels or even offered a replacement with the newly engineered gasket. Apparently, the business was aware of the gasket problem but neither they nor Gravely alerted us to the potential failure of the poorly designed gasket on our $10,000 Gravely commercial mower which was only used to mow around our home. I bet commercial mowers have 50 or more hours put on them weekly during grass cutting season. I realize the mower's oil level should have been checked before every start. However, my wife who loves to mow probably would not have taken advice from me. Had Gravely, Kohler or the business from which we purchased the mower had alerted us, my wife would have probably heeded their advice. During an election year, politicians are exceptionally responsive to constituents needs. I plan to craft a letter to Maryland's Governor, Comptroller and Attorney General. Depending on their response to my letter, there is still the option to sue Kohler and Gravely in Maryland Small Claims court. Incidentally, our new Kohler Command Pro CV742 25hp engine cost over $3400.00 installed. The upper limit for small claims lawsuits in Maryland is $5,000.00. Even if a company is headquartered outside MD, it is subject to suit it if it sells its products in MD. I will let you know how things turn out. Yes my wife is religiously checking the oil in our new $3400.00 Kohler engine. Thanks, Centreville Bill

wheely boy I thought you were smarter than that!!!!!!!!!! hee, hee. Nothing like bringing some skeletons out of the closet! I bet your more observant now when you change or check the oil??? specking of oil changes, if anybody has there oil changed at the quick service stations (jiffy lub, Quacker state ect...) I would check the oil before I leave. Some think every car holes 5 quarts and they are so quick they don't check it. As me how I know this????