Glad I bought my Raptor last year!

RetiredGuns

RetiredGuns

Well-Known Member
I bought a Raptor 42" last year with a military discount making it a pretty good bargain. It has been a great mower and a joy to use. One thing I have always been comfy with is the Kawasaki engine as it runs & sounds great. Just noticed that the 42" & 52" Raptors now come with Kohler 7000 engines. While they may be good engines, I wonder if they are as good as the Kawasaki engines? Looking at the prices of the motors separately, it is huge.
I did have a Kohler in my Cub Cadet and after 10 years never spent a dime on it so no hate there. Loud-arse motor though.

Is this likely just a cost cutting change?
 
I sure wouldn't want a kohler w/auto choke. Seems like they're a pain so far. I'm not sure if Kawasaki can't keep up or kohler is that much cheaper. I wonder where ea is made....USA, Mexico, Asia?
I do know my hustler dealer is scared the kohlers will start showing up in the raptor SD line up next year.
He says customers want the Kawasaki big time over the kohler and feels its THE biggest thing that separates hustler from the others.
 
There are some die-hard Kohler fans for sure and the whole USA thing. I have 3 Japanese engines in 3 tools, mower, pressure washer and weed wacker. The pressure washer has a Suburu Robin and it purrs like a kitten with an idle down feature that works great. The Tanaka weed wacker engine is phenomenal year after year with zero maintenance. Can't say much bad about Japanese engines.
 
I will take a kohler over a Kawasaki every time. You.
Kawasaki is over priced and does not last half the hours as a kohler.

People like the high torque rating on the Kawasaki. What they do not know is the torque to hp curve is to big.
At 3800 RPMS where you get max hp you only get half the torque.
 
Carscw said:
I will take a kohler over a Kawasaki every time. You.
Kawasaki is over priced and does not last half the hours as a kohler.

People like the high torque rating on the Kawasaki. What they do not know is the torque to hp curve is to big.
At 3800 RPMS where you get max hp you only get half the torque.
Click to expand...

I've read about the torque/HP curve on forums. I don't know enough about these engines to argue any point. Be nice to try the Kohler for a season to see if I notice a difference on a light, 42" mower. I do know my Kohler on the Cub was much louder. Kind of miss scaring the heck out of the dogs when I shut her down wrong!
 
After 2 Kawasaki's both burning oil bad. Less then 400 hours.
I dropped down in hp from the 22hp Kawasaki to a 20hp kohler pro. Much more useable power.
And just as quiet.
 
In this particular case, would you think the rather new Kohler 7000 is a better engine than the Kawasaki FR651V? Granted I have under 100hrs, but she burns no oil and runs like a top. Being a homeowner and putting on less than 50hrs a year, I'm not so worried.
 
RetiredGuns said:
In this particular case, would you think the rather new Kohler 7000 is a better engine than the Kawasaki FR651V? Granted I have under 100hrs, but she burns no oil and runs like a top. Being a homeowner and putting on less than 50hrs a year, I'm not so worried.
Click to expand...

I have not used the kohler 7000 so I don't know how it preforms.
The fr651v is the engine I have had trouble with.
It just could not handle the 30 hours a week.
For someone like you that only cuts your yard. And is easy on the mower I think it will last years.
I will say that it is a very smooth running engine.
 
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