Scag Tiger Cat: Kawasaki or Kohler?

[Pungo]

I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a 61 inch Scag Tiger Cat. I have 6 acres of horse pasture on flat terrain. The Kohler 27 HP Command Pro and the Kawasaki 23 HP FX730 are my choices. I am not inclined to do my own mechanical repairs so long term dependability is my priority.

The Kawasaki was subject to a recall for a fuel filter leak that was a fire hazard. I'm not sure if a new mower would already have this fixed. The Scag models subject to the recall are:
Model: FX730V
Specification: CS06
Serial Number Range: FX730VA13811 - FX730VA48607

Which engine would you recommend? The Kawasaki is $600 less than the Kohler. I'm not sure why it is so much less unless it is related to bad publicity due to the recall. I've read every review that I can find and there is a 50/50split between the two.

I appreciate all comments.

 

[Tom59]

I'm a huge Kawasaki fan so.......its biased and I have ZERO experience with Kohlers higher end engines.
You should be able to compare them at each companies site.

FX730V | Kawasaki - Engines, Replacement Parts, and Power Products

Kohler Engines: Error Page PRO CV740

 

[Pungo]

A website: Small Engine Comparison - Industrial Engines | FindTheBest

Lists the Kohler-Command-PRO-CV740 at 27 HP and 42 foot lbs. of torque.

The Kawasaki is listed at 23.5 HP and 39.9 foot lbs. of torque.

I had read somewhere that the Kawasaki had more torque than the Kohler but apparently not. It is interesting though that although the Kohler has 15% more HP, it only has 5% more torque.

More importantly is that the Kawasaki has a 3 year manufacturer's warranty and the Kohler only 2 years.

 

[Tom59]

A website: Small Engine Comparison - Industrial Engines | FindTheBest

Lists the Kohler-Command-PRO-CV740 at 27 HP and 42 foot lbs. of torque.

The Kawasaki is listed at 23.5 HP and 39.9 foot lbs. of torque.

I had read somewhere that the Kawasaki had more torque than the Kohler but apparently not. It is interesting though that although the Kohler has 15% more HP, it only has 5% more torque.

More importantly is that the Kawasaki has a 3 year manufacturer's warranty and the Kohler only 2 years.

Depends on where in the rpm range it makes that torque it must be usable. My kawi makes peak tq at 2k rpm. Yeah , some kohlers and some B&S make little tq obviously not the command pro series.

 

[Pungo]

My dealer is saying that the difference in HP is due to a change in the way that HP is reported. The Kawasaki HP is being reported under the new standard. Kohler is still reporting HP under the old standard. Under the new standard the Kohler 27 HP is actually the same as the Kawasaki 23.5 HP according to him.

I'm not sure what this does to torque calculations and Tom's point about the RPM levels required to achieve certain torque levels makes a lot of sense.

The actual difference in price is $700 less for the Kawasaki. The story is that Kawasaki is trying to increase its share of Scag business so they reduced their price. Two years ago the Kawasaki was $200 more than the Kohler. I'm already spending way too much and I don't have any hills so I'm going with the Kawasaki.

 

[Pungo]

One other clarification: Both the Kohler and Kawasaki have three year manufacturer's warranties.

 

[Tom59]

My dealer is saying that the difference in HP is due to a change in the way that HP is reported. The Kawasaki HP is being reported under the new standard. Kohler is still reporting HP under the old standard. Under the new standard the Kohler 27 HP is actually the same as the Kawasaki 23.5 HP according to him.

I'm not sure what this does to torque calculations and Tom's point about the RPM levels required to achieve certain torque levels makes a lot of sense.

The actual difference in price is $700 less for the Kawasaki. The story is that Kawasaki is trying to increase its share of Scag business so they reduced their price. Two years ago the Kawasaki was $200 more than the Kohler. I'm already spending way too much and I don't have any hills so I'm going with the Kawasaki.

You will not be dissapointed same goes for the wallet 700.00 buy a lot of gas, oil changes, blades.....and grease. Heck I sold my old tractor for 400.00 it was in great shape. Simplicity Regent -1997 vintage....sold it in 3 hours.

 

[Tom59]

http://kawpower.com/sites/kawpower....aki%20FX730V%20Certified%20Power%20Rating.pdf


If you look over this chart probably the older testing procedure it makes almost 45ft lbs of tq and almost 28 hp......

 

[afoulk]

I was always told that the Kawasaki's gernerally make more torque than most of the other engine manufactures and that's what really helps get the work done more so than the hp.

 

[Pungo]

I've read the same thing about Kawasaki's having more torque. I'm looking at Tom's chart and reading about SAE standards. It's a little confusing. Apparently manufacturers can voluntarily use various standards but they can't quote any SAE standard unless they actually used it.

The chart that Tom sent has J1995 at the top. That standard was first issued in 1990 and updated in 1995. It applies to both road and off road motors.

The fact that it calculates the Kawasaki at a max torque at about 47 @ 3600 RPM is only interesting in relation to the Kohler's reported max torque at 42 and assumes that Kohler is using the same J1995 standard. I can't imagine actually running the engine at 3600 RPM for very long. The difference in the standards at least provides a plausable explanation for why several mechanics have written that the Kawasaki actually has more torque than the Kohler.

It is important that at this point I state that I am neither a mechanic or an engineer, I just like analyzing things in detail. My wife would laugh that I am writing about motors. She has the engineering mind in the family both by profession and inclination. :laughing: