John Deere Z915E

[bijiminy]

I am in the market for a new mower. I'm looking at used John Deere zero turns and I came across a John Deere Z915E. I see it has a Kohler engine. Are people having problems with Kohler engines? They used to be very good, but now I've heard to stay away from them. If so, what are the specific problems with them? Do they have hydraulic lifters? Are there problems with the hydraulic lifters? The Z960M looks like it's very easy to service, I'm wondering if it's the same for the Z915E. Thanks for any response.

 

[Deleted member 97405]

Great questions. The Z915E is a good machine. I would recommend it if you can't fit the Z930M in your budget. Both models have similar horsepower, but the 930 has a Kawasaki engine and has a suspension seat option. The Kohler does have hydraulic lifters, which create more engine noise, BUT you don't have to adjust the valves, since the lifters do that automatically. The Kohler, even though about the same HP as the Kawasaki, has a different torque curve, and tends to bog down and take longer to recover in high, thick grass. It all depends on your budget and mowing conditions. Most of these Kohlers fail because people buy the Z915E because it's the cheapest in the Z900 lineup, and then they work it to death. But for someone who is only mowing their own property, and if you keep up with your grass, it will do fine and give you many years of service! Hopefully this has helped answer your questions! I work at a dealership and have 23 years of experience both as a technician and in sales for Deere equipment.

 

[bijiminy]

Great questions. The Z915E is a good machine. I would recommend it if you can't fit the Z930M in your budget. Both models have similar horsepower, but the 930 has a Kawasaki engine and has a suspension seat option. The Kohler does have hydraulic lifters, which create more engine noise, BUT you don't have to adjust the valves, since the lifters do that automatically. The Kohler, even though about the same HP as the Kawasaki, has a different torque curve, and tends to bog down and take longer to recover in high, thick grass. It all depends on your budget and mowing conditions. Most of these Kohlers fail because people buy the Z915E because it's the cheapest in the Z900 lineup, and then they work it to death. But for someone who is only mowing their own property, and if you keep up with your grass, it will do fine and give you many years of service! Hopefully this has helped answer your questions! I work at a dealership and have 23 years of experience both as a technician and in sales for Deere equipment.

Thank you for the reply. Answered my questions