Maintenance Instructions CLEANING63Engine Cooling SystemCooling Air Intake SystemTo prevent engine overheating and possible enginedamage, clean grass clippings, chaff, and dirt fromthe rotating engine cooling air intake screen afterevery 8 hours of operation. In certain mowingconditions (dry grass, leaves, tree “cotton”, etc.), itmay be necessary to check and clean the screenseveral times each day to prevent engine overheat-ing. Also, visually check inside cylinder head shroudand between cylinder head fins for material packedin this area which would prevent cooling airflow; re-move shroud and clean as required.CAUTIONOperating the engine with a blocked airintake screen, dirty or plugged coolingfins, and/or cooling shrouds removed willcause engine damage from overheating.Cylinder Head Cooling FinsIt is essential for performance and longevity of theair-cooled engine to keep the cylinder head coolingfins clean and free of obstruction. After every 8hours of operation, check the performance of thecooling system by starting the engine, holding ahand adjacent to the cylinder head, and feeling thecooling airflow. If there is little or no airflow, cleanthe cooling fins as described below.DANGERMake sure to keep hands clear of exhaustpipe, muffler, and moving parts whenchecking airflow.Every 100 hours, inspect and clean the cooling fins(more often when operating in extremely dusty, dirtyconditions). Remove the two (2) cooling fin accesspanels in the engine shroud and clean the coolingfins and external surfaces using compressed air.Make sure to reinstall the access panels before op-erating the engine.NOTE: If dirt is packed into the cooling fins it maybe necessary to remove the engine shroud in orderto thoroughly clean the cooling fins.Kohler EngineShroudEngine CoolingFin Access PanelsRotating CoolingAir Intake ScreenKeep Rotating Cooling Air IntakeScreen and Cooling Fins CleanIMPORTANT: Yearly, it is good maintenance prac-tice to remove the engine cooling shroud and cleanthe cylinder head cooling fins thoroughly to preventoverheating and extend engine life. Make sure cool-ing shroud is reinstalled properly. This procedurewill require removing the engine from the chassis.