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I might get a john deer 170 with a 17 hp Kawasaki engine are these good engines

No,veryexpensive engine to repair. So you decided on the 170.

Yes they are good engines and they are very reliable right up next to a honda or subaru engine.

jakewells said:

Yes they are good engines and they are very reliable right up next to a honda or subaru engine.

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You are saying this but I don't see a season??? Just why are they reliable? Just what mechanically make them a better engine. I have worked on the Kawasaki and seen the balance system come apart on them that had broken, the valve heads break off and puts a big hole in the piston. I don't find them any better or any worst then any other engine but find parts are way over priced. The OP is going buy what ever is in the tractor an what ever is said on this forum isn't going to make one bit of different to him. So go ahead Kawasaki is the best engine ever made.

reynoldston said:

You are saying this but I don't see a season??? Just why are they reliable? Just what mechanically make them a better engine. I have worked on the Kawasaki and seen the balance system come apart on them that had broken, the valve heads break off and puts a big hole in the piston. I don't find them any better or any worst then any other engine but find parts are way over priced. The OP is going buy what ever is in the tractor an what ever is said on this forum isn't going to make one bit of different to him. So go ahead Kawasaki is the best engine ever made.

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WOW.....somebody needs another cup of coffee this morning...:smile:
Bruce

Ean said:

I might get a john deer 170 with a 17 hp Kawasaki engine are these good engines

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Een the Kawasaki engine is one of the best if not the best on the market today. There's a reason why every major mower manufacturer is using them in there commercial mowers and it's because there one of the most reliable engines you can use and buy.

when I bought my toro timecutter ss4260 from the dealer I asked the kohler couage or the Kawasaki,they said they weren't terribly happy with the courage,they liked the kaw,but if you need parts,kawasaki likes to take their time,i would go for the Kawasaki,

reynoldston said:

You are saying this but I don't see a season??? Just why are they reliable? Just what mechanically make them a better engine. I have worked on the Kawasaki and seen the balance system come apart on them that had broken, the valve heads break off and puts a big hole in the piston. I don't find them any better or any worst then any other engine but find parts are way over priced. The OP is going buy what ever is in the tractor an what ever is said on this forum isn't going to make one bit of different to him. So go ahead Kawasaki is the best engine ever made.

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And everything you stated about the Kawasaki can be said about every other engine on the market, Kohler had there problems so did Honda oh and for goodness sakes lets not leave out Briggs and Stratton who puts there name on everything and claims they make it. You may as well get over it because all the mower manufacturers are using Kawasaki and it's probably the Number one selling engine on the market.

tybilly said:

when I bought my toro timecutter ss4260 from the dealer I asked the kohler couage or the Kawasaki,they said they weren't terribly happy with the courage,they liked the kaw,but if you need parts,kawasaki likes to take their time,i would go for the Kawasaki,

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You wont find a bigger fan of the Kohler engines than myself especially the Courage, I still run the 22hp V-twin on the ztr and it's nearing 800 hrs in just over three years and still runs like a champ and its never seen a wrench other than changing oil or plugs and the Kawasaki FS on the stander is between 5 and 600 hrs and starting its third season and it never seen a wrench, neither has the FJ 180 KAI.

Have you ever had any experience with Kawasaki's FR model on there residential mowers? I've never heard anyone complain.

Didn't I say Kawasaki is any better or worst than any other engine. All I am saying mechanically, why are you saying they are better? I have yet to see any engine that didn't need repairs and for whatever reason (poor maintenance). As said before my big bitch about Kawasaki is the price of parts. I would like to hear something other then, I own a Kawasaki with what ever number of hours on it. I am sure there are people out there that can say the same thing about different brand engines. As I have already told you my reasons now lets hear something that makes sense. Don't come out with I need another cup of coffee just because I disagree with you.

I have a '97 JD F911 mower with a 23hp Kawasaki v-twin engine. I had an oil pump drive gear shear teeth at about 600 hours and the engine was given a top overhaul at the time. Fast forward a bunch of years and after another 1700 hours, I'm in the process of installing a new replacement Kawasaki engine.

Other than the oil pump incident, the only maintenance the engine ever needed was oil changes and valve adjustments & valve cover gaskets every 500 hours.

In my case, I'd say the engine was dead-nuts reliable.

buzzzmeister said:

I have a '97 JD F911 mower with a 23hp Kawasaki v-twin engine. I had an oil pump drive gear shear teeth at about 600 hours and the engine was given a top overhaul at the time. Fast forward a bunch of years and after another 1700 hours, I'm in the process of installing a new replacement Kawasaki engine.

Other than the oil pump incident, the only maintenance the engine ever needed was oil changes and valve adjustments & valve cover gaskets every 500 hours.

In my case, I'd say the engine was dead-nuts reliable.

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I am sure the same can be said about different brand engines also. Yes that sound very normal to me. yes dead-nut reliable. The price of parts is what I am saying. I replaced a starter on a smaller engine Kawasaki, this pass summer, don't remember model the bill was 300 dollars. Pick-up and deliver plus labor I made 20 dollars on the job. Then it took the customer a month to pay me. This is the very reason I am getting out of the repair business. Parts are just getting too expensive and Kawasaki is the leader. I can make that much money delivering meals-on wheels and enjoy what I am doing and my only investment is gas.

reynoldston said:

I am sure the same can be said about different brand engines also. Yes that sound very normal to me. yes dead-nut reliable. The price of parts is what I am saying. I replaced a starter on a smaller engine Kawasaki, this pass summer, don't remember model the bill was 300 dollars. Pick-up and deliver plus labor I made 20 dollars on the job. Then it took the customer a month to pay me. This is the very reason I am getting out of the repair business. Parts are just getting too expensive and Kawasaki is the leader. I can make that much money delivering meals-on wheels and enjoy what I am doing and my only investment is gas.

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I don't know if the new engine was overly expensive or not. I ordered thru my John Deere dealer so I know exactly what I'll be getting and engine was complete minus the exhaust system.

buzzzmeister said:

I don't know if the new engine was overly expensive or not. I ordered thru my John Deere dealer so I know exactly what I'll be getting and engine was complete minus the exhaust system.

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A complete engine will be cheaper them buying it in parts. Nice part about buying it from the dealer everything fits better. You doing your own labor or is the dealer doing the complete job? I have changed some engines from Northern supply and find I need to use a lot of the old parts over.

reynoldston said:

A complete engine will be cheaper them buying it in parts. Nice part about buying it from the dealer everything fits better. You doing your own labor or is the dealer doing the complete job? I have changed some engines from Northern supply and find I need to use a lot of the old parts over.

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Doing my own labor. As long as the engine is out its getting new bearings in the PTO prop shaft, a new deck clutch and there's a bit of reinforcing/weld work I need to do to the engine skidplate.

Still cheaper than buying a new $25k+ replacement. Hoping for another 15 years out of this mower.

You want to raise hell about parts how about a Onan or a older Kohler, i have had john deere mulching mowers with Kawasaki engines and they have never gave me any problems and parts were no more expensive than a old Kohler or some other brand. all i run these days is Subaru,Honda,Kohler and i don't run Briggs because all they have been producing since 1999 is junk.

buzzzmeister said:

I don't know if the new engine was overly expensive or not. I ordered thru my John Deere dealer so I know exactly what I'll be getting and engine was complete minus the exhaust system.

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Engines like Kohler and Kawasaki are all basically in the same price range, if you want cheaper prices on engines you buy the Briggs junk. As far as buying parts go for a Kawasaki or Kohler I couldn't say because in the years I have run the both I've never had to buy any.