Kohler Air Filter (14 083 22-S). Lawn mower air filter

Kohler Air Filter (14 083 22-S)

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315 in stock (can be backordered)

Product Description

Kohler Air Filter

Genuine Kohler Air Filter ( 14 083 22-S )

White element with Blue Trim is the latest air filter for XT Series Kohler Engines

Please verify dimensions of your original air filter before ordering

Approximate outer dimensions 4.25 x 3.625″

Prior models use a white filter with orange trim

Fits Toro Recycler models

Special Note: Verify serial number before ordering. The air filter is unique to serial #315000001 higher

20378 (Serial numbers 314200001-999999999) with XTX675-3013 or XT675-3071

20377 (Serial numbers 314200001– 999999999) with XTX675-3013, XT675-3088 or XT675-3071

20371 (Serial numbers 316000001 – 999999999) with XT675-310 or XT675-2101

20370 (Serial numbers 316000001 – 999999999) with XT675-3102, XT675-2101 or XT675-2087

Fits Kohler Engines

Weight and Dimensions

No Hassle Returns

You may return parts and products for any reason within 30 days of the delivery date. All products must be unopened and returned in sellable condition. Return shipping including the purchase of shipping labels is the responsibility of the buyer. For your convenience, we offer the option to request a shipping label (the cost of shipping will be deducted from refund). The Mower Shop provides prepaid return shipping labels in the following cases: carrier damage, lost packages and incorrect items.

Lawn Mower Air Filter Soaked in Oil: Reasons and Solutions

The problems causing lawn mower air filter soaked in oil can include the mower’s positioning, oversaturation, maintenance, or issues with other parts.

In this complete guide, we will delve into each of these issues and provide easy solutions to prevent an oil-soaked lawnmower air filter from happening again, so read on to learn more!

• Why Is the Air Filter In Your Lawn Mower Soaked in Oil?

• – Tilting of Lawn Mower
• – Overfilled Crankcase
• – Blown or Worn-out Head Gasket
• – Mowing on Sloped Land
• – Incorrect Maintenance Procedure (Dirty Filter Cleaning)
• – Oversaturated Air Filter
• – Internal Engine Problem

• – Tilt Your Lawn Mower
• – Always Check the Oil Level
• – Replace the Head Gasket
• – Find Alternatives for Sloped Land
• – Replace Lawn Mower Oil Filter
• – Squeeze Out Extra Oil From the Air Filter
• – Bring Your Mower to Professionals

Why Is the Air Filter In Your Lawn Mower Soaked in Oil?

The air filter in your lawn mower is soaked in oil because it was flipped over on the wrong side, the crankcase is overfilled, the head gasket is blown or worn out, you are mowing on sloped land, or the air filter is oversaturated, among other reasons.

Here are the most probable reasons why the air filter of your lawn mower keeps on getting soaked in oil.

– Tilting of Lawn Mower

One of the most likely reasons why the air filter of a lawn mower can be drenched in oil is that it was flipped over on the wrong side. While turning the lawnmower on its side to do maintenance like adjusting, sharpening, or replacing the blade, there are both proper and improper ways to do it.

Tilting it in the wrong direction risks having an oil-soaked air filter because the oil leaks from the engine and can accumulate over time in the air filter until it is completely soaked.

Even though the location of the air filter depends on the brand and model of the mower, it must always face upwards when you turn the mower on its side. If the air filter is facing downward, then it will most likely catch the gas and oil that leak due to gravity.

However, air filters do become greasy with time, so if the issue is not persistent, your filter probably just needs to be replaced.

– Overfilled Crankcase

The majority of lawnmowers used for residential purposes have small crankcases. Typically, it only needs a fraction of a quart of oil. Therefore, the likelihood of oil flowing out of the crankcase will be significantly higher if it is filled up above the recommended level.

Even though the excess oil will frequently reach the cylinder, it can sometimes find its way into the carburetor and exit through the air filter.

– Blown or Worn-out Head Gasket

If, in addition to an oil-soaked air filter, your lawn mower also won’t start, the most likely cause is that the head gasket is blown or broken, which can result in the spark plug suffering.

This is because, aside from sealing the combustion gases inside the cylinders, one of the functions of the gasket is to help prevent engine oil from leaking into the cylinders, piston rings. carburetor, and other areas.

– Mowing on Sloped Land

Even though it does not frequently happen, it can still be a reason why the air filter of your lawn mower can be soaked up in oil. Mowing on an extremely sloped lawn can cause oil leaks. Because of the angle of the mower’s position, the oil will begin moving out of the crankcase and toward the air filter.

– Incorrect Maintenance Procedure (Dirty Filter Cleaning)

Air filters are typically replaced once every season or after you have used your mower for 25 hours. If you are using a paper air filter, replace it. However, if it is made of foam, you can wash it in hot water with a bit of dish soap and then wring it out.

Before being placed back in the mower, it should be saturated with engine oil and wrung out with a cloth. Although that is contrary to what we are trying to prevent, air filters are really meant to be oily but not clogged, soggy, or dripping with oil.

Sometimes, the carburetors must also be cleaned as a dirty carburetor that is not functioning well can also contribute to the problem of the air filter.

– Oversaturated Air Filter

As previously mentioned, the air filter of a lawn mower is meant to be applied with a little oil because it improves the ability to capture dust particles. However, it loses its effectiveness if you oversaturate it with oil.

In addition, the oil coming out of air filter may also leak into the filter box or the carburetor, thus also reducing efficiency. Worse, the engine might sustain significant damage.

– Internal Engine Problem

If you checked out all six of the probable causes in this list and found them not to be the root of the problem, then the culprit may be the engine itself, especially if your mower is pretty old, which means your air filter can be covered in oil.

This is because the oil that leaks in the wrong direction and reaches the air filter could be caused by a blown head gasket, a broken cylinder, or worn cylinder rings. If this is the case, then you will need the assistance of a specialist to repair the engine.

Also, because repairs can be costly, you should consider whether it is still worth repairing your mower or you would be better off purchasing a new mower.

What Are Some Solutions ?

Some solutions for lawn mower air filter soaked in oil include tilting your lawn mower to the correct side, always checking the oil levels, replacing the head gasket, replacing the filter, squeezing out extra oil from the filter, or bringing the lawn mower in for repairs. You can also try to clean your lawn mower’s air filter before following the solution below.

Now that we have discussed the most common reasons, here are the solutions that you can apply to solve this air filter problem.

– Tilt Your Lawn Mower

Oil spills on the air filter can be avoided by tilting your lawn mower such that the carburetor is facing the high side. There is another way to choose how to place your grass-eating machine if you do not prefer turning your lawnmower on its side or if your particular model cannot be turned. Although it was suggested to turn the mower on the correct side, tilting the handlebars to the ground is also a good alternative.

– Always Check the Oil Level

As advised by manufacturers, it is best to put very little oil on your lawn mower. To prevent overfilling the crankcase, use a dipstick to check the level. Keep adding small amounts until you reach the recommended level. The safe range of oil level should be above the “Add” mark but not beyond the “Full” mark on the dipstick. If oil is coming out from your lawn mower’s exhaust there are some easy-to-follow solutions for you.

– Replace the Head Gasket

The only solution to this is to replace the gasket to stop the oil leakage and prevent a sudden loss of engine power. Bring your lawn mower to a mechanic to diagnose the problem and replace the head gasket for you if you don’t have much experience with mowers.

– Find Alternatives for Sloped Land

If your lawn is situated in an area with extremely sloped land and you are using your lawn mower, you should be very careful and always check to see if there will be oil leaking into your air filter.

It is also best to assess if it is worth using a lawn mower with all the given risks, or if it is time to look for alternative solutions on how to attend to your sloped lawn without using the mower.

– Replace Lawn Mower Oil Filter

The simplest solution is to periodically replace the lawn mower foam air filter oil and air filters. Make sure to maintain it in good condition as well. Leaving it dirty and saturated with oil will cause the oil to leak through the lawn mower, eventually coating other engine parts.

So if the air filter is not always replaced, your lawn mower will eventually break down due to the oil in it. Ideally, air filters should be changed once per season or when they get clogged with dirt or debris.

– Squeeze Out Extra Oil From the Air Filter

If you accidentally pour too much oil onto the foam filter, you can remove it by wrapping the filter in a paper towel and squeezing off the excess oil. Squeeze out the extra oil using a foam air filter or foam pre-filter.

– Bring Your Mower to Professionals

The biggest problem on the list can only be solved by repair. Depending on the severity of the engine problem, it is best to call in professional help to solve it rather than try to do it yourself, especially if you are not that familiar with repairing small engines.

Conclusion

Problems with your lawn mower happen when the air filter soaked in oil. Thankfully, we got that covered here, along with how to fix oil in air filter lawn mower.

Let us recap what we have learned:

• Tilting your lawn mower when doing maintenance and mowing on sloped land will cause oil to leak from the air filter generator.
• A faulty part like a blown or worn-out head gasket can cause more problems like a suffering spark plug. It can also cause the oil to leak into the cylinders and other parts of the mower.
• An overfilled crankcase and oversaturated foam air filter will also cause oil to travel from the air filter housing to other parts of the engine.
• If the mower produces black smoke, then it’s a problem if the lawn mower air filter is soaked in gas. The solution is just to replace the filter.

With the learnings you got from this article, maintaining your lawn will be so much easier as long as your trusty lawnmower is always in good condition.

Where is the Air Filter on a Lawn Mower?

One of the best things about lawnmowers is their simplicity. You can probably remember your grandfather or father having the same old mower for years that always started up on the first pull. Well, regular maintenance was what kept it working. The air filter is a fundamental part of the lawnmower and regular cleaning and replacement helps keep it running. If you arrived here to find out where the air filter is on a lawn mower, I’ve got you covered.

In this article, I’ll go over where the lawn mower air filter is. I will also cover why your air filter is so important and why it needs to be changed, cleaned, or otherwise maintained.

Your Air Filter is Cheap, but Critical to Your Mower’s Engine

The air filter is a crucial engine component. Like all combustion engines, air (along with fuel and a spark) is necessary for it to function.

The filter does exactly what it sounds like it does. It filters the air to prevent debris from entering the engine.

However, air filters eventually stop performing when they get clogged with debris.

As more and more debris builds up, the filter can stop air from passing into the engine. When this happens, the engine cannot breathe and at best won’t function well.

That’s a problem you should never have to face if you practice regular air filter maintenance (which simply means replacing the air filter at regular intervals).

How often you should change the filter depends entirely on how often you use the mower.

You may need to change it during the grass cutting season, as you’ll mow more frequently. Let’s talk about air filter maintenance, where to find the filter on different types of mowers, and the different types of filters available.

Where Are Air Filters Located on Lawn Mowers?

There are different types of mowers, and where the air filter is located on your mower may not be precisely what’s listed here.

It’s worth checking your lawnmower’s manual to see exactly what type of air filter you have and where it is located.

Generally speaking, these are the most common air filter locations for each type of lawn mower.

Air Filter Location on a Walk Behind Mower

The air filter on most walk-behind lawn mowers is within a square plastic case on the side of the engine.

Easy access to the air filter should be something all mowers have, simply because it is a part that needs frequent cleaning and/or replacing.

Walk behind mowers provide easy access and the design for air filter placement is fairly universal between manufacturers.

You may see some slight variations, but for the most part, the air filter on a walk behind mower is located on the side of the engine cover. Where the sides of the engine are exposed, there should be a plastic housing with a screw-on lid.

The air filter is inside this housing. This part of the engine is nearly always exposed to be able to get air and to provide access for maintenance.

It’s easy to change a filter in this position. Simply remove or open the filter plastic cover and you have direct access to the filter.

You can now remove the filter to clean it or replace it with a new one.

Where is the Air Filter on a Lawn Tractor?

Once you open the engine cover you’ll find your mower’s air filter on the top or side of the engine. It’s always on the outside of the engine and easily accessible.

Tractor mowers are a little more complicated, but it is still only an easy 15-minute job to clean or repair the air filter. You’ll need to open the front engine cover to access the engine bay.

Unlike on the walk behind mower, the air filter is not exposed on a lawn tractor mower. Instead, once inside the engine bay, you’ll find the filter on the top or side. It’s the first accessible part.

Again, plastic housing protects it. You’ll have to remove that housing to access the filter underneath. Importantly, ensure the mower is standing on flat ground.

Where is the Air Filter Located on a Rear-Engine Riding Mower?

The location of your engine cover will vary, but once you expose your mower’s engine, the air filter will be accessible on top of or on the side of the engine.

Ride-on mowers look like a nightmare to maintain because the seat essentially sits atop the engine. However, it’s not as difficult as it first appears to access the engine.

Some mowers will keep the engine cover behind the seat for simple access, while others allow the cover to be taken off without removing the seat.

Either way, you must remove the engine cover to access the air filter. It’s still easy enough to do, but not quite as efficient as walk behind and tractor mowers.

Zero Turn Mower Air Filter Location

On a zero turn mower, your air filter will typically be located on the top section of the engine (at the rear of the mower). It should be in an exposed plastic housing that is easily opened and closed.

Often seen as the pinnacle of the mowing world, don’t be fooled by the name of these machines. They are extremely maneuverable by controlling the mower from lap bars in front of the seat.

Zero turn mowers have a dual hydrostatic transmission that moves the rear wheels. Pivoting, acute turns, and an even all-round cutting spread make zero turn mowers excellent.

They are also among the easiest mowers to maintain because the engine is often exposed on the rear. That means you can see and access the air filter housing without needing to remove any other covers.

Air filters are usually located on the top section of the engine in an individual plastic housing that opens and closes.

Where is the Air Filter on a Self-Propelled Mower?

Remarkably similar to a walk-behind mower, the difference here is all in the name. While you need to push a traditional walk-behind, with a self-propelled mower the engine does the moving for you.

Your hands still need to be on the bars, but you’re more of a guide for directions than anything else. These mowers usually have an all-exposed or partially exposed engine, making access to the air filter easy.

Hover Mower Air Filter Location

After removing the engine cover you’ll find the hover mower’s air filter sitting on top of the engine.

Hover mowers are completely unique and mostly associated with one company, Flymo. While they are not as powerful as other mowers, they make up for it with maneuverability.

Sitting inches above the ground on a cushion of air, it’s easy to move these mowers into awkward patches of lawn. That makes them ideal for a low maintenance garden.

In terms of air filter access, these are relatively complicated because you must remove the entirety of the mower cover to access the engine. This involves several turns of the cover to remove it.

The air filter underneath is usually located on the side of the engine motor.

Note: It’s vital to put safety first when changing the air filter on any type of mower. Before accessing the filter, ensure the mower is turned off and remove the spark plug.

Why You Must Maintain Your Mower’s Air Filter

There are several different kinds of air filters, and the kind you have depends on the type of mower you own.

Most people are familiar with the classic accordion style of the disposable paper filter.

This style features folds of perforated paper on a plastic spindle. Another air filter type of filter is made of form and will generally last longer.

Finally, there is also a dual filter that combines the inside paper filter and foam outer paper-filter. You can wash these, and if you clean them regularly, you can use them permanently.

Normal filters can have regular cleaning maintenance to stay clean but eventually needs to be replaced to avoid becoming blocked.

Manufacturers offer their own timeframe for replacing paper filters, usually between 25 and 50 hours. Cleaning these filters in-between involves tapping the plastic to dislodge debris or blowing dust with an air-shooting aerosol can.

It is worth noting that a filter described as permanent won’t really last forever. When any filter becomes clogged it must be replaced.

So-called “permanent” air filters will simply last longer than normal paper filters.

TIP: HIPA offers some nice all-in-one kits with all of the parts you’ll need to maintain your mower (including air filters). Check their inventory here to see if there’s a deal on maintenance parts to keep your mower running its best.

It’s Easy to Change Most Mower Air Filters

Whatever type of powered mower you have, it has an air filter. This essential component ensures the engine can breathe and perform properly.

Air filter maintenance is important, and manufacturers make filter access easy because of this.

Whether you have a paper filter or a “permanent” foam one, regularly changing your air filter can help to ensure optimum mower performance and will keep your mower running for years to come.

Will Mower Run Without Air Filter? (don’t do it!)

Last summer a customer came into my shop with a nonrunning mower, I noticed it didn’t have an air filter fitted. I enquired, and what he told me, made me fear the worst for his little mower. He said, “the air filter fell off about two seasons ago”.

A mower engine will run without an air filter, however prolonged use without the air filter risks damaging the piston and cylinder.

By the end of this post, you’ll understand why running your mower without an air filter is a costly mistake in the making.

Mower Air Filter Function

Sure your mower will run without the filter and if your old filter is clogged with grass, dust, and debris, the mower will run even sweeter without the filter.

The main function of the air filter is obvious, it prevents grass, dust, and grit ingestion.

The filter also settles and uniforms airflow over the carburetor mouth. Even steady airflow makes for a smoother running, more powerful, and efficient engine.

Risks Of No Air Filter

It is very tempting to run a mower without the filter, especially as it may run great without it, but it comes with real risks. Problem is, fine rock particulars known as silica are ever-present in the air. Prolonged mower use without a filter will cause the silica particulars to erode the carburetor, valves, piston, and cylinder.

Silica acts as a sandblasting media, eroding everything it comes in contact with.

Problems won’t arise initially but will eventually take their toll. How much damage depends on silica levels, how much and often you mow.

How Often Should I Clean Mower Air Filter?

A paper filter should be cleaned every 50 hours of operation and more often if conditions are dusty. Replace the filter every 100 hours of operation. Clean a sponge filter every 50 hours of operation and more often in dusty conditions. No need to replace a sponge filter unless it’s torn or disintegrating. Sponge filters usually last years.

Check out my post on mower tune-up, it covers everything you need to know to take care of your own tune-up. Or if you need video help check out the video library, it covers all the common mower repairs and maintenance chores.

Can I Clean Mower Air Filter?

Accessing air filters is easy, all modern mowers use toolless access. The most common type are fasteners are the plastic push tabs at the top of the air filter cover. Air filters come in two main flavors, sponge or pleated paper.

Sponge Air Filter

Sponge Filter – The sponge-type filters may be washed in fresh gas, rinsed, and allowed to dry out. Sponge-type filters are often oiled to help trap dust and grit.

Not all sponge filters are treated in this way, refer to your mower manufacturer recommendations.

Pleated Air Filter

Pleated Paper Filter – Pleated paper filters may not be washed in gas or water. Washing this type of filter will prevent airflow through the filter, even after allowing it to dry out.

The best way to clean a pleated paper filter is with compressed air, tapping it on a solid surface also helps knock heavy debris loose. A clean paintbrush also helps remove grit.

Pre Filter

Some mowers that use pleated paper filters may also use a pre-filter. The pre-filter traps larger particles and helps keep the main paper filter cleaner, for longer. Not to confuse issues, the pre-filter is usually made from foam and so it (pre-filter) may be washed in gas and allowed to dry out.

Pre Filter – Pre-filters are sponges and may be washed in gas. Pleated main filters may not be soaked with water or gas.

Should I Oil Mower Air Filter?

Oiling the air filter using engine oil helps trap finer dust particulars, but not all filters may be oiled. Never oil a pleated paper air filter. Oiling this type of filter will partially or completely block the filter, causing your mower to blow black smoke or stall the mower altogether, a condition known as flooding. Check out the how-to unflood mower engine video here.

Oiling a sponge-type filter is generally acceptable but check with your mower manufacturer first.

Fitting A Mower Filter

Fitting a mower filter is easy, the filter housing is located on the side of the mower nearly always on the opposite side to the muffler.

Most modern mowers use tool-less air filter covers, pressing the cover tabs releases the cover. Remove the old filter and using a clean rag wipe the cover clean and the housing. Replace the filter and fit the pre-filter if applicable.

Hey, I’m John, and I’m a Red Seal Qualified Service Technician with over twenty-five years experience.

I’ve worked on all types of mechanical equipment, from cars to grass machinery, and this site is where I share fluff-free hacks, tips, and insider know-how.

And the best part. it’s free!