Kohler Command Pro Maintenance

The Kohler Command Pro has powered many Argo amphibious vehicles through the years, including the newly updated Frontier series. Here’s what you need to know to keep your commercial air-cooled V-twin running reliably.

Maintenance Schedule

When it comes to engine maintenance, operating hours are more important than miles. You can keep track of service hours using your Argo’s digital display.

Every 25 hours or annually: Replace low profile air filters. Check heavy-duty air cleaners.
Every 100 hours or annually: Change the oil. Remove the cooling shrouds and clean the cooling fins. Clean the oil cooler.
Every 200 hours: Replace the oil filter and fuel filter.
Every 250 hours: Replace the outer heavy-duty air cleaner and check the inner cleaner element.
Every 500 hours: Replace the spark plugs and the heavy-duty inner cleaner element.

Kohler recommends having a service technician grease the crankshaft spline every 500 hours.

Oil

To get an accurate measurement when checking the oil, insert the dipstick into the fill tube, but do not thread it in.

Some versions of this engine have an oil drain valve has an opening for a ½ inch hose. You can drain the oil by connecting a long hose to this outlet to direct oil to a drain pan. Other models have a drain plug. However, there isn’t enough space to fit an oil pan between the drain valve and the hull of your Argo. With either engine, you can use an oil suction pump to draw used oil through the fill tube.

Clean the fins of the oil cooler, located above the oil filter, with compressed air. Not all engines come equipped with this cooler.

The oil filter screws on just like an automotive filter. Apply a thin film of fresh oil to the filter’s rubber seal before installation.

Kohler recommends using gasoline engine oil that meets API SJ oil standards or higher. The company recommends the following viscosities based on ambient operating temperatures:

– 10W-30 above 0°F
– 5W-30 below 32°F
– SAE 30 above 50°F

Depending on whether you replaced the oil filter or have an oil cooler, the engine will hold between 1.7 and 1.9 quarts of oil.

Spark Plugs

Do not clean dirty plugs. Grit left over from sanding can damage the engine.

Each plug should have a 0.03 inch (0.76 mm) electrode gap. When installing, thread the plug in by hand, then torque to 20 ft-lbs.

Air Filter

Depending on your model, your engine may have a low profile filter or a heavy-duty filter. Engines with low profile filters have a flat plastic cover on top of the engine. Heavy-duty filters are held in a tubular air box on top of the engine.

Low Profile Filter Service

To access the filter elements on a low profile filter, remove the wing nut on top of the cover, then lift the cover straight up. A foam pre-cleaner element surrounds a round paper element, which is held down by a metal cover and wing nut.

To clean the foam element, wash it in warm water and detergent. Once it’s dry, saturate it with clean engine oil and squeeze it out.

When removing the paper element, make sure the rubber seals that surround it are intact. If not, replace them. This filter element cannot be cleaned.

Heavy-Duty Filters

To access the filters, unhook the retaining clips on the cap. Pull out the cap and air filter element. Replace as needed. When installing the cap, point the dust ejector valve down towards the engine.

Cooling Fins

The cowl is held on by a set of bolts on the front of the engine. Once it’s removed, clean the engine using a dry rag, a brush or compressed air. Avoid using water, as it can seep into the engine and contaminate the oil.

Storage

If you won’t be running the engine for two months or more, do the following:

Add a fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank. Run the engine for two to three minutes to draw the treated fuel through the fuel system.

Change the oil while the engine is warm. Remove the spark plugs and add an ounce of oil to each cylinder through the spark plug hole. Install the plugs, leaving the plug wires disconnected. Crank the engine slowly to circulate the oil. Reconnect the plug wires.

Disconnect the negative battery terminal.

Shank’s Argo is Your Source for Everything XTV

Shank’s Argo is one of the largest Argo dealers in the East, providing sales, service, and parts for everything from the brand. If you want a fun way to see the outdoors, or you need a serious commercial vehicle that can go anywhere, visit our shop at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA. You can also see what vehicles we have in stock and schedule a test drive at www.shanksargo.com.