FR691V Kawasaki Engine Vs. FX691V Kawasaki engine

[Nwatson99]

Have you ordered the FX engine yet or what? :laughing:

 

[Mad Mackie]

Mackie, Thanks for the lead. I looked at the owners manual on the 750FX , and three things stood out to me. A good looking , large aircleaner. The "oversquare" pistons must be a spillover from Kaw's motocycle design (piston dia larger than stroke). A bit surprising when torque is the object. Last an OIL COOLER!. I could not see any fan so perhaps some blast is provided from the fan. If B&S would put on oil coolers I bet their field failures would drop 30%. Maybe they need the turnover, but bad PR. motoman

Kawasaki engines larger in displacement than the FX 730 are called "big blocks" and some of them are having problems. I'm not sure which big blocks specifically, but a check on line would tell you. Briggs is now installing oil coolers on some models and my 30 HP Pro Turf engine has an oil cooler along with the Cyclonic Air Filtration System and so far I'm pleased with this engine. I installed it when my 26 HP Briggs Intek started giving me problems at 470 hours. I also have a Hustler X-ONE with a Kawasaki FX730V engine, great engine!! I had considered a Kawi FX engine when I repowered my Scag Tiger Cub, but at 2 1/2 times the cost of the Briggs, I went with the Briggs which was a direct fit. With the Kawi I would have needed new control cables and a muffler at $200!!!! Scag now installs Kawasaki FX engines on some models of their Tiger Cat line of machines and Briggs on their Freedom Z line. If it happens, my next machine will have a Kawi FX engine. My Hustler X-ONE is used for cemetery mowing, it is rear discharge and a mowing crew operates it most of the time. The Hustler has a 60" deck and at times is used in the new portion of the cemetery when a local farmer doesn't get in to hay it off. The Kawasaki FX730V has never lacked for power while mowing grass that sometimes gets 24-30" tall and at 5 acres does take some time to get thru, the first pass around the perimeter is a bear!!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

 

[RaptorSD]

The FR has cast iron cylinder liners, I think the differences are mostly external such as the air filter, carbs, starter...

 

[motoman]

Thanks to each and everyone that's contributed to this thread.

Until recently, I didn't know there are so many different Kawasaki engine models powering ZT mowers on the market.

I naively thought that if a Kawasaki engine is powering your mower, hoo whee, you were good to go. Yeah buddy, First class engine all the way! Not realizing there are many different quality levels within Kawasaki engines.

Now I wonder if an FR is light years lower in quality than an FX and is maybe on par with a B&S Intex, but the Kawasaki name goes a long way in marketing to the public...?

Or, no, even an entry level/basic quality Kawasaki engine is still way higher in overall quality than say a B&S Intex (or equal)?

Zero, Good questions and ones I cannot answer . By that I mean I am just locked into my one experience with Craftsman/Inek of which only the Intek has been a problem. And once (er, make that twice) fixed is still serving me with my 1 acre of grass. But I can not shake off the bad taste even though only the head on one cylinder was a problem and nothing else has been a problem with the Intek. If you stand way back industries tend to have all the "trade" secrets at their disposal and if the ads were devoid of make you probably could not tell B&S from Kaw, so maybe it's quality systems that are the difference. For instance , if Intek had a supplier with bad aluminum (wrong alloy or heat treat) and the part snuk through to my tractor it is a vendor quality problem which B&S did not handle. I have seen two such quality issues (head and sump tube) while the air cleaner is a design issue (later changed by B&S, I believe). I may be in the market for a "garden" tractor and looked at the Craftsman ($3060) and the Husqy $3300 with limited slip). I just am repelled by the Intek even though it's not called that anymore and Mackie says they are better now. So as I chatted up the Husqy dealer , imagine my displeasure when he volunteered that the commercial Kaws do push valve guides!!! WTF , is nothing sacred?? I noticed in today's local paper that Kubota is pushing a "sub-compact " (BX) tractor, but I guess it's 4 times the cost of the troublesome air cooled units (or even is AC). Like many have said there is probably an element of luck in any purchase. PS One remaining issue I forgot to mention. We should love hydraulic lifters, good to 7500 rpm, so are they vanishing in ac tractors? I notice the midrange Kaw still wants valve adjustments of .005," just like my Intek. motoman

 

[Zeroturner]

Nwatson99,

No, not yet.

Currently, I'm doing my "due diligence" before my next ZT mower purchase. (assuming I buy another as they all seem plagued with one kind of problem or another)

And thanks Motoman and Mad Mackie for your input.

It seems there's no one greatest ZT.

If you look at all the problems discussed on the various threads, it would appear they're all problematic in one area or another...

There are no "Rolls Royce's" that stand out as "THE" ZT to buy...or if there is, it's so outlandishly expensive as to be affordable by only the very wealthy and the very wealthy don't cut grass - they let someone else cut it.

 

[Nwatson99]

Nwatson99,

No, not yet.

Currently, I'm doing my "due diligence" before my next ZT mower purchase. (assuming I buy another as they all seem plagued with one kind of problem or another)

And thanks Motoman and Mad Mackie for your input.

It seems there's no one greatest ZT.

If you look at all the problems discussed on the various threads, it would appear they're all problematic in one area or another...

There are no "Rolls Royce's" that stand out as "THE" ZT to buy...or if there is, it's so outlandishly expensive as to be affordable by only the very wealthy and the very wealthy don't cut grass - they let someone else cut it.

Well tell me what are you looking at and what problems are you finding with the ZTs', have you looked at the John Deere Ztrak R series?

 

[7394]

The FR has cast iron cylinder liners, I think the differences are mostly external such as the air filter, carbs, starter...

I agree with that as Kawi even confirmed that on the phone, as well as their website: Engines | Kawasaki - Engines, Replacement Parts, and Power Products

Plus the FR engines have internally vented carbs with fuel shut off solenoid..