Engine choices?

[RustyBoy]

Just something I don't like about the Kawasaki engine. Back in my earlier snowmobile years, snowmobiles were using Kawasaki engines. I can recall replacing a lot of cylinders and pistons in the Kawasaki engines because they would destroy the pistons. Also it seems like when ever I need to buy parts for a Kawasaki engine the parts are way overpriced. Of the two engines I will say B&S.

If the Kawi is questionable and the Briggs low end replaceable, is the Kohler better???

 

[Ric]

Briggs does the same thing. What people need to understand is that Kawasaki doesn't make any small HP engines as Honda, Briggs and Kohler do. Kawasaki engine options on all brands of machines are more expensive than other brands. This forum doesn't cover as many commercial operators as other forums do and as result the lower HP engine manufacturers get discussed here more often which makes their failure rate out of proportion relative to other small engine manufacturers. I assure you that on other forums where commercial operators frequent more, you will find many comments about Kawasaki engine problems, to the point where one will question what is it with Kawasaki small engines!!! Already owning a Kawasaki powered Hustler X-ONE, I wanted to repower my Briggs ELS powered Scag Tiger Cub ZTR with a Kawasaki FX730V. When I priced out what I needed to repower with a Kawasaki, it was more than twice the cost of repowering with a Briggs Commercial Turf Series engine, so I went with the Briggs engine. Both engines had a 24 month warranty as a repower and in the long run I can repower with 2 and 1/2 Briggs engines to one Kawasaki FX engine money wise, so tell me the difference.
Briggs has all HP ranges covered in their line, Kohler does the same, Honda is there also, but Kawasaki has stayed away from the under 10 HP engine coverage and this is OK. There is no doubt that Kawasaki generally makes a great engine, but those who had purchased several Kawasaki liquid cooled engines models in the past to fairly recent, know that their failure rate was very high and are not happy with these engines and Kawasaki in general. Locally to me are several Scag ZTRs for sale, two have been repowered with liquid cooled Kawasaki engines. I made offers on several of these machines and was turned down. I told these folk that they would have better offers from me had they not repowered these machines with liquid cooled Kawasaki engines. These machines have been for sale since last season. I can finance new machines thru Scag 48 month zero interest program, order the engines that I desire, have a 36 month engine warranty and make out better than buying a used but repowered machine.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

About the Kawasaki staying away from engines under 10 hp you would be wrong. They Make the FJ 180V and the FJ180V KAI engines that are Commercial engines and the best small engine I've every run. They have them on the Exmark 30" Toro Turf-master and the Toro 21" commercial mowers. They also have two residential models.

http://kawpower.com/engines/fj/fj180v


http://kawpower.com/engines/fj-kai/fj180v-kai

 

[motoman]

tom-ky, You will be baffled by the different opinions. A lot of these forum members are pro's and have better weighted answers than me because of numbers of machines they have known. Nevertheless, I would never buy Briggs again after the problems I had with a brand new 2004 Intek 24. Right or wrong my next will be Kaw-powered due to their apparent expertise with motorcycle engine manufacture. I have asked forum members to tell me how the so called "Platinum" Briggs engine is improved. No one has answered, and the Briggs brochure appears to be fluff and "badge" engineering. :2cents:.

 

[Carscw]

tom-ky, You will be baffled by the different opinions. A lot of these forum members are pro's and have better weighted answers than me because of numbers of machines they have known. Nevertheless, I would never buy Briggs again after the problems I had with a brand new 2004 Intek 24. Right or wrong my next will be Kaw-powered due to their apparent expertise with motorcycle engine manufacture. I have asked forum members to tell me how the so called "Platinum" Briggs engine is improved. No one has answered, and the Briggs brochure appears to be fluff and "badge" engineering. :2cents:.

I can honestly say I do not have a favorite brand of engine. When I buy a new mower I look at everything but what brand engine it has. My feeling are every engine has or has had it's flaws. I just don't have engine problems. Maybe it's luck of the draw maybe it's because I obsess over maintance.

 

[motoman]

That's what hurt on the Intek 24. It had very careful maintenace and then bit the hand that lubed it. Check that. It mangled the hand that lubed it.

 

[Ric]

If the Kawi is questionable and the Briggs low end replaceable, is the Kohler better???

I don't see the Kawasaki as questionable and as far as Briggs like someone else mentioned they use those on the cheap stuff, basically the throw away stuff. The Kohler is a great engine and has been around seems like forever. The Kohler Command is an excellent engine as well as the Courage. I've run the 20 and 22hp courage engines on ZTR's and put a lot of hours on both and never had any issues. At the moment Kawasaki and Kohler have the commercial market, Briggs keeps trying to establish itself in the commercial end but they just keep failing with their attempts. Honda also tried the Commercial end with a V twin, in fact Hustler ran there V Twin Honda for a while but it didn't seem to do well, I don't know if that was a cost related thing or just the engine itself not doing well. At any rate you wont go wrong with either the Kawasaki or Kohler engine, both are strong and reliable engines.

 

[Mad Mackie]

About the Kawasaki staying away from engines under 10 hp you would be wrong. They Make the FJ 180V and the FJ180V KAI engines that are Commercial engines and the best small engine I've every run. They have them on the Exmark 30" Toro Turf-master and the Toro 21" commercial mowers. They also have two residential models.

FJ180V | Kawasaki - Engines, Replacement Parts, and Power ProductsFJ180V KAI | Kawasaki - Engines, Replacement Parts, and Power Products

What is the HP ratings of these engines?

 

[Mad Mackie]

I don't see the Kawasaki as questionable and as far as Briggs like someone else mentioned they use those on the cheap stuff, basically the throw away stuff. The Kohler is a great engine and has been around seems like forever. The Kohler Command is an excellent engine as well as the Courage. I've run the 20 and 22hp courage engines on ZTR's and put a lot of hours on both and never had any issues. At the moment Kawasaki and Kohler have the commercial market, Briggs keeps trying to establish itself in the commercial end but they just keep failing with their attempts. Honda also tried the Commercial end with a V twin, in fact Hustler ran there V Twin Honda for a while but it didn't seem to do well, I don't know if that was a cost related thing or just the engine itself not doing well. At any rate you wont go wrong with either the Kawasaki or Kohler engine, both are strong and reliable engines.

I've seen and heard of more Kohler Courage failures than others, Kohler Commands that blew out the oil gallery plugs, some twin Briggs Inteks/ELS engines had problems, liquid cooled vertical Kawis FD 731s that cooked and failed.
Mad Mackie in CT:smile:

 

[Fish]

That's what hurt on the Intek 24. It had very careful maintenace and then bit the hand that lubed it. Check that. It mangled the hand that lubed it.

If you bought it new in 2004, that was 10 years ago. It bit/mangled the hand that lubed it??? So the failure was lube related?


Let me guess, one of the cam lobes got wiped out?????

Just curious, not wanting a fight.....

 

[Ric]

What is the HP ratings of these engines?

There running any where from 5 to 7 Hp. The Fj180v is 6 hp residential unit and the FJ180V Kai a is a 6 hp Commercial unit. The Kai is what's on the Exmark 30" and the Toro Turf-master 30" and the 21"