FR691V

[dpoole1375]

This is just to inform about a Kawasaki engine problem I fixed to help others. I bought a Gravely 52hd back in 2013, had the Kawasaki FR691V and smoked from day one at startup. Took it back to the dealer under warranty at the time, and they could not find a issue with it said I would have to call Kawasaki about the engine. Called Kawasaki and told them about the issue I was having and said that was "Normal". Well its not normal for blue cloud of smoke at startup almost every time. So Kawasaki offered no solutions for the issue. So I used the lawn mower for the next 7 years keeping an eye on the oil level, which it used very little but would drop from the full mark. So last year (2020) the problem finally showed its head. I was mowing and the engine just stopped. Had to pull the fuel line off to get it to crank back up. It started and I finished mowing my lawn. Put the lawn mower up after mowing and started to troubleshoot the issue. Pulled the air filter tube off the carburetor and noticed a pool of fuel sitting at the 90 degree bend in the intake just before the carb. Cleaned the fuel out of the 90 and tried to start the engine back up. Raw fuel started coming out the exhaust. Pulled the float bowl off the carb, then pulled the float and needle. The needle was the 2 piece needle with rubber on the end. The rubber was cracked and broke. So I ordered a new needle and gasket set for the bowl. When the new parts came in I noticed that the needle was a 1 piece metal without the rubber (guess Kawasaki knew this was a issue and changed it, but didn't tell owners about it, what else is new.) Anyway, put the new parts in the carburetor, and engine did not smoke at startup even after sitting for 2 months. So the conclusion is if you have this model engine of this same year and it smokes at startup, this is the issue. The giveaway is the fuel sitting in the intake with the engine not running, which should be dry as it is now with the new parts. I read all the forums and could not find this issue for smoke at startup.

 

[StarTech]

Are you sure wasn't one the tip rubber is silvered? The last 16030-7003 was rubber tipped just just coated with a silver substance that matched the rest of the needle valve.

 

[dpoole1375]

That is the part number I replaced with. Looked like it was solid, did not know they coated rubber with silver substance.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

I kind of think if it blew smoke on start up it would be black from the extra fuel not blue...

 

[dpoole1375]

Kind of what I would have thought that would happen, but it was blue, and magically it does not smoke anymore just from changing the float needle.

 

[StarTech]

If I remember correctly most Kawaski dealers was told recommend 20W50 oil in these engines. I do know I install 15w50 Synthetic Kawasaki oil / zinc additive. Some of Kohler engines also were bad to smoke at start-up but use only a small amount oil too.

 

[dpoole1375]

I used the recommended oil (20W50). My thought is that the old style float needle was letting excessive fuel into the engine at some point while it was sitting up or could have been when the engine was shut down and caused the pool of fuel in the intake. May have been enough fuel to mix with whatever oil was coming from breather tube, just me speculating. All I know is now I used the mower 2 times weeks apart since I changed the float needle and no smoke at all at startup. The intake is dry also and was wet before. The oil has not been changed yet. The engine has never not smoked at startup since I bought it new in 2013.

 

[VRR.DYNDNS>BIZ]

Kind of what I would have thought that would happen, but it was blue, and magically it does not smoke anymore just from changing the float needle.

You had oil dilution from failed leaky float diluting the oil with gas and if the plug is down hill or near level when over full, eventually the oil level being a bit above the ring level in the engine, it will bypass the rings and add fluid to the cylinder on start up and smoke blue for a while. repairing the float solved tthe issue.

 

[7394]

Thanks for 411. mine is a 2014, I bought new. No issues like that, but good to know these things.
I never went to the 20w-50, I switched from 30w, to 15w-40 Rotella T4.

 

[100 td]

I have a 691 on a Toro zero turn, have been disappointed at having to adjust the rattling valve rockers every 80 hours