Kawasaki FR691V compatibility

577jersey

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No where in the Kawasaki FR series engines parts manuals is a foam prefilter shown.
The Kawasaki FR operators manual stated that shaking the air filter to clean it is OK. Blowing it out with pressurized air is not OK.
Air filters will filter better with some dust in them.
Kawasaki engines do not have a PCV valve. They do have a crankcase pressure/vacuum control valve and filter with a hose connection to the filtered air entering the carb. Most carburetored engines have a pulse powered fuel pump, the diaphragm in which is pulsed back and forth by pressure changes in the crankcase caused by pistons moving up and down in the cylinder(s). This causes fuel to be drawn into the fuel pump thru and open check valve. When the diaphragm is pulsed to the opposite direction, the incoming check valve closes, the outgoing check valve opens allowing fuel to be pumped into the carb float bowl. The dry side of the fuel pump diaphragm is vented to the atmosphere to allow it to pulse.
Ahh,,I tend to lean toward my own knowledge after working on small engines for over 30 years,,I see the manufactures always trying to get more $$ in their service/parts dept.by telling consumers to do things a certain way,,I think my FR book says to change oil every 100 hours and filter every 200 hours,,thats absurd.Their recommendations mean very little to me,especially after warranty period is over :)
 

Mad Mackie

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Having been a mech at a few dealerships in my time, I was involved in a lawsuit against my employer by a customer where aftermarket filters were installed on two large diesel engines in his boat. This got nasty before it was resolved, and my employer was ordered by the court to replace both engines in the customers boat. The company did the repower at a cost of almost $100,000!!! My next paycheck bounced, the business closed up shortly after and all employees were laid off.
 

Mad Mackie

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Engine oil and filter change intervals in operators manuals are maximum allowable recommendations.
 

577jersey

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I understand that...things can get real ugly especially during the warranty period.

I just cant see spending more than 3x the amount on a snake oil filter that has 25% less material than an after market filter.
Good example being the spin on that Kawasaki recommends,its cost is enough to make the consumer skip an oil change,,the TG Fram 4967 or a Napa Gold that is factory recommended for a Toyota Rav 4 with a 2100cc engine fits on most all the small Kawasaki engines and IMO is a better choice than the over priced snake oil propaganda filter that just drains my wallet.

If I had to bring my machine in for any warranty work I always keep a stock filter around so there are no questions.We have to play by the rules at least till warranty is over.

I have engines with thousands of hours on them using after market parts and lubricants that are not recommended and run like new.

Tom
 

bertsmobile1

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I understand that...things can get real ugly especially during the warranty period.

I just cant see spending more than 3x the amount on a snake oil filter that has 25% less material than an after market filter.
Good example being the spin on that Kawasaki recommends,its cost is enough to make the consumer skip an oil change,,the TG Fram 4967 or a Napa Gold that is factory recommended for a Toyota Rav 4 with a 2100cc engine fits on most all the small Kawasaki engines and IMO is a better choice than the over priced snake oil propaganda filter that just drains my wallet.

If I had to bring my machine in for any warranty work I always keep a stock filter around so there are no questions.We have to play by the rules at least till warranty is over.

I have engines with thousands of hours on them using after market parts and lubricants that are not recommended and run like new.

Tom

Well yes & no Tom.
I stock 16 different aftermarket filters for small engines.
In that group there is only 3 different threads so I could in theory fit the $ 3 filter to almost everything, but there IS a difference between them
They have different micron sizes and most important different bypass pressures.
Most small engines do not have an oil pressure releif valve and use the filter as a pressure regulator.
Small engine oil pumps work at a lot lower pressures and volumes than car engines.
There is a world of difference between an aftermarket part made to the same specifications and any old part that will fit in the hole.
The filter canister you are using might be suitable but now days the catalocgues do not contain the information needed to compare them properly and engine makers never publish this data for the same reason
Yes that much of your conspiracy theory is valid.
Liquise with air filters. A lot will fit over the hole but not all will work satisfactorily.

Two of my customers have made warrantee claims against Kawakasi which were originally declined because I had fitted Stens oil filters & was using Gripskie oil.
SO I sent this on to both Stens & Gripskie.
In both cases Kawakasi relented & replaced the engines.
In both cases the ( same) dealer who did the first service did not check the vlave lash which he was supposed to do as part of the first in Warantee service.
As such they missed the single retaining bolt on the rocker assmebly working loose.
I did all the rest of the services exactly as per the Kawakasi manual.
Both of the engines had a rocker failure , injested a pushrod and wrecked the cam.
had I been using car filters and car oils the story would have been different as those are not listed by their manufacturer as being suitable for those engines.
 
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I still don't have my lawn mower back, the shop has had it 6 weeks and two days now, well......since it was taken to the "better" store of Southern Tractor in Lufkin after it had been at the not so better store of Southern Tractor in Willis for two weeks. I authorized them to rebuild it on my dime well over 3 weeks ago. I'm done with Kawasaki, I still like my Hustler mower, but I don't feel like Hustler/Excel had my back at all. I have to say, there's just no way I could ever recommend Southern Tractor for anything besides sales. They are just flat out incompetent. My uncle rebuilds engines in less than a day. I was promised my mower last week, I called on Friday evening and it was promised Monday (yesterday), I called to ask if I could pick it up yesterday and he said he'd have it done today.......I've not heard from them and the close of business is just a few minutes away.

When the time comes I'll re-power with Kohler or possibly Vanguard........my opinion: ANY manufacturer can build a bad product, things happen. The real question to ask is how do they stand behind it......Kawasaki, not good for me. They got me once, won't happen again. I think they probably make good engines as a rule, but they don't stand behind them unless you have a way to force their hand.

I know this much, I'll tell my story to everyone I can get to listen, on the internet, on facebook, in person.......however I can reach them. I think Kawasaki does this a lot, and people need to know that...they also need to know the Kawasaki/Hustler service and sales locations of Southern Tractor are poor performers.

I was really looking forward to moving up to the 60" Hustler..........I was also looking at Excel's Big Dog line, I WILL buy a 60" mower in the next year but it won't be powered with a Kawasaki and I don't have enough confidence in Hustler/Big Dog/Excel to buy their products either.

As a side note, for the rebuild, the shop foreman ordered a new rubber intake tube (the one that attaches the air filter to the carb)..........why would that be necessary? It's got 90 hours on it and looks like new money.......that doesn't seem like a part that should need replacing.
 

Redraider1989

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Anyone know of an aftermarket fuel filter compatible with the Kawasaki 49019‑0027? Mower is running intermittently. Air filter is in good condition and fuel is good.
 

577jersey

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I just replaced my fuel filter with one from Auto Zone,it looked identical to the Kawi part,was cheaper and works great!!

Any 1/4" inline filter will work just fine if not better than the stock filter :)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-1-4-6mm-I...ash=item3d36f6f226:g:gesAAOSw44BYMs1Z&vxp=mtr

Also FYI Bert,I have a purolator 4967 and a kawi stock filter both NIB.The Purolator check valve opens alot easier than the kawi one.
I tested this by sucking air through the center hole,so IMO I think the Purolator 4967 would be a safe choice but i dont recommend it :)
 
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I wanted to follow this up, I know it's crazy after this much time, but now that I have some time and hours on the machine I think I can give a good account for my maintenance. This machine now has 270 hours; so....rebuilt at roughly 90 hours and twice that added since the rebuild. I've changed nothing concerning maintenance, I still use the same filters, still clean them the same way, still change them at non-specific intervals based simply on whether or not they clean up. I start the season with a Kawasaki tune-up kit. I use non-ethanol gas on all my small engines around here. This mower and engine have been trouble free.....I've changed a drive belt and a blade belt....that's it. I change oil, I don't add oil because it doesn't use any. I think Kawasaki makes great engines just like I did when I bought it, but I WON'T buy another one. Kawasaki engines are great, their warranty is good except they don't honor it. ANY manufacturer can get it wrong from time to time, I totally get it, but when they won't make it right I can't do business with them again. I know they won't miss my business, but I'm looking at new mowers now and won't buy one with a Kawasaki. Any suggestions on what other engines are comparable to FX series Kawasaki engines? Thanks again for reading and for the suggestions.
 

cpurvis

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They'll all react to your maintenance in the same way. Don't be surprised if you cut the rings out of your next engine if you continue to fiddle with the air filter like you've been doing. Every time you remove and replace an air filter you risk damaging the pleats or the seals. Every time you replace a slightly used air filter with a new one, you replaced it with one that does a worse job of filtering.

Whatever you buy, get one with a filter minder on it and don't mess with the air filter until it tells you to.
 
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