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I did some research on how to use an electric pump and keep the pressure low. Then I remember what I learned when I worked in industry and we used a pressure rupture disc that protected our pumps too much discharge pressure, especially positive discharge pumps. The rupture disc was mounted on a...

That’s a safe level of ZDDP. When it comes to zinc levels, too much can cause excessive wear which is the exact opposite of what zinc is supposed to do.

My FH580V has 1,418 hours and is 19 years old. It starts and runs great with zero oil usage or smoking. Just to satisfy my curiosity, I checked the compression too and got 125 and 126 psi so I would say you have a healthy engine.

Right. When using an anti seize, it is recommended to reduce the torque setting by 30%. So, as an example 30lbs/ft would be 21ft/lbs. There are different anti seize compounds such as graphite, copper, nickel etc. so it’s advisable to choose the correct compound for the application.

I installed this kit on my relative’s Hustler’s FR691. Fit was perfect. If I have this engine, I would install this kit for engine longevity.

From my experience, the valve lash check/adjustment can often be the root cause of many problems., especially if the valves have never been checked or adjusted after about 30 hours of engine run time. Valves will need a relatively short time to ‘seat in’ and then require a precise adjustment...

That’s right. Not only the cylinder was damaged, you can expect the lower end to have excessive wear. Personally, I avoid mixing new parts with old parts. Never ends well.

I would add a recommendation that since the oil changes have been so drastically neglected to change as recommended above and then do another change after about 15 hours to flush out contaminants and sludge and then change every 30 hours thereafter with good quality full synthetic 10w30 or...

My Kawasaki FH580 is 19 years old and has 1,408 hours on the meter. I have changed the oil/filter every 30-35 hours. With a couple of simple mods to the engine, it runs stronger than new with no oil usage or leaks. Take it for what it’s worth. BTY, I checked the compression 3 months ago ...

BTW, back to the FH580 engine, part of the maintenance that I did while setting the governor, I removed the housing to clean the engine cooling fins and discovered that the breather cover was leaking oil which made a big mess. I pulled the flywheel and gave it a thorough cleaning of the magnets...

Thanks. It was a great learning experience and boosted my confidence in doing the cam timing that was not factory stock. Before starting the engine, I checked and rechecked my work 4 times because I kept doubting whether I had the cams timed. Once I kept getting the same results, I went with my...

I remember the pet rock stupid fad. I wondered at that time why didn’t people just go out and pick up a rock anywhere instead of paying for one?

Unfortunately, our society has evolved into a more unethical one. My feeling is that your customer only cares about getting a new expensive mower on your back.

Yep. I have a background in motocross racing and always performed all repairs, maintenance, and modifications on my own machines. I also have a Suzuki Vstrom 650 with cams from a SV650. Same basic engine but the SV is tuned for more midrange/higher RPM power. After researching the SV cam lobe...

As another note, when I did this , I also checked and adjusted the valve lash. Over the years, I have checked/adjusted the valve lash to a slightly loose .004” (snug .005”). 3 valves had not changed in 150 hours of run time. One exhaust valve was at a snug .006” so, being the picky guy I am, I...

I started with a 7/16 and then used my Dremel with a metal cutting bit to wallow out the hole so that a #2 flat blade screwdriver would fit correctly onto the slot I made on the end of the governor shaft. I will never have to remove the control panel to check/adjust the governor again. Does that...

Now I can claim that my mower’s engine is a Hemi. Way cool! 😁

Going from 21 to 28 microns would going UP in a coarser filtering medium. You had it backwards.

To make adjusting the governor per the factory manual a lot easier, here is my solution that works great. The governor shaft had no friendly way to grab it so once I moved the control panel out of the way, I cut a slot in the end of the shaft with a thin cut-off Dremel wheel and then reinstalled...

I’m not a commercial lawn upkeep man. I mow 3 acres of my own property. 3.5 hours per mowing per week average.

Great reply. I was fortunate that I found out about the breather issue. I only had one cover bolt that was not tight. Even with 1,300 hours on my FH, it doesn’t use/burn/smoke/leak oil. I’ve always done a thorough degreasing cleanup every year plus changing the oil/filter every 30-35 hours. That...

My Exmark is a 2007 Lazer Z HP with the Kawasaki FH580V. I’m about to hit 1,300 hours and the mower is still going strong. In mid March I did a lot of maintenance in preparation of the mowing season. Along with new ignition coils, plugs, oil/filters, and valve lash set at .005”, I removed the...

Here’s something to check when you turn ignition to start and only get a click. Reach under each control arm and push up the plunger on the safety switch and then try to start the engine. My Raptor XDX’s safety switch plunger on the left control arm wasn’t being pushed in far enough to activate...

I agree with Kawasaki engines being tough engines. My 2007 FH580V with nearly 1,200 hours on it is still going strong. Keeping the valves adjusted along with frequent oil/filters has been the key. I would recommend adjusting the valves at the first 30 hour mark, then 100 hours and 200 hours...

Any manufacturers using either of these two engines yet?

I’ve searched the internet for any info and get nothing. I wonder if it refers to the valves spinning slowly as the engine runs to keep the seats clean? Just speculation.

What exactly is the Kawasaki V-valve? All I can is that it is for emissions, power, and a good running engine.

How many hours of run time on the engine. Have the valve lash ever been checked and/or adjusted?

Tachometers are spec’d for the number of cylinders. If you want to moniter your RPM as you operate the mower, you are in for an extensive search for something that will work. There are inductive types of tachs that work great for diagnostics and tuning. I have a fine digital unit that is...

What does ‘blew up’ mean? Did a piston/rod exit through the crankcase?

BTW, I am finding that the valve lash adjustment/maintenance is the most neglected of these small push-rod engines. If these engines begin to experience valve related issues, damage has already begun.

As Rivets suggested, provide the engine model. Engine valve lash gaps vary across engine makes and models. My FH580V has lash specs of .004-.006 as you mentioned. From your description I would look at damage to the rocker cups where the push rod rests. I suspect the valve lash maintenance has...

There’s no way the cylinder head will hold a quart of gasoline. Even with the piston at BDC will these small V-Twin engines hold a quart of gasoline in one cylinder. What engine do you have? What is the displacement in cc’s?