bertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2014
- Threads
- 64
- Messages
- 24,702
When you look at the 3 engines , FX, FS & FR it is pretty obvious the FX is how it was designed
then when the mower makers demmanded a cheaper engine they looked at ways to make the engine cheaper and cheaper and cheaper .
It is a con job.
Kawakasi originally supplied only the FX to top end commercial mowers, thus it established the reputation of being bullet proof .
Then using that reputation cheaper engines got fitted to lower level mowers .
When he original Victa push mower was designed , he factory realized the air filters were not doing their job so they fitted a snorkel to the next model that drew it's air from the top of the handlebar and that was around 1956
Every subsequent model was fitted with the snorkels either as standard fitment if their own engine was fitted or as a option if fitted with an alternative engine.
This remained till B & S took them over & the snorkels were dropped because B & S wanted the engines to wear out .
Because of competition pressures , all the rest of the locally made mowers also fitted snorkels as did the fully imported Hondas.
Many of these engines are now better than 70 years old and still on original bores because the cleaner air eliminated bore wear .
OTOH I have now done ( well I did one & customer did the other ) re-ring & hone jobs on Timecutters fitted with baggers & Kawakasi engines because the filtering system is badly designed and prone to leaking between the elbow & carb if you are not very careful with them .
So yes a very good idea and a lot cheaper than fitting the Donaldson type filter .
then when the mower makers demmanded a cheaper engine they looked at ways to make the engine cheaper and cheaper and cheaper .
It is a con job.
Kawakasi originally supplied only the FX to top end commercial mowers, thus it established the reputation of being bullet proof .
Then using that reputation cheaper engines got fitted to lower level mowers .
When he original Victa push mower was designed , he factory realized the air filters were not doing their job so they fitted a snorkel to the next model that drew it's air from the top of the handlebar and that was around 1956
Every subsequent model was fitted with the snorkels either as standard fitment if their own engine was fitted or as a option if fitted with an alternative engine.
This remained till B & S took them over & the snorkels were dropped because B & S wanted the engines to wear out .
Because of competition pressures , all the rest of the locally made mowers also fitted snorkels as did the fully imported Hondas.
Many of these engines are now better than 70 years old and still on original bores because the cleaner air eliminated bore wear .
OTOH I have now done ( well I did one & customer did the other ) re-ring & hone jobs on Timecutters fitted with baggers & Kawakasi engines because the filtering system is badly designed and prone to leaking between the elbow & carb if you are not very careful with them .
So yes a very good idea and a lot cheaper than fitting the Donaldson type filter .
