Cut open the filter on my John Deere 757, and it was the ugliest thing I've seen inside an oil filter

[txgp17]

So, long story short...
My mower is a John Deere 757. It's powered by a Kawasaki V-twin, FH721D, 25 HP. It had developed a horrible oil leak, and seems to be leaking from the front and rear oil seals. Presently, had 850 hours on it, not a lot for a commercial grade mower. And it's time to change the oil. I'm presently running a Mobil M1-103 oil filter, and I run a FilterMag on the bottom side to catch metal shavings. So I drain the oil, and the flow looks like a disco party. Lots and lots of metal flakes in the oil. That prompted me to cut open the filter, and here is the picture....

None of that is dirt off my hands, or the ground. It's all metal shavings. Bummer. I refilled and fired it up, and the engine has a HUGE amount of blow-by. Which now explains the reason it's leaking so much oil.

Anyway, I've ordered a kit to retrofit a Honda GX690 to the mower. No way I'm investing in another Kawasaki engine.

 

[walterjay]

That is a very rare thing to have happen to that engine. So sorry.

 

[TCL]

Eating itself apart.

 

[brandon9715]

I also have a 757, although it just has 389 hours on it. Hopefully it doesn’t suffer the same fate. Do you know the maintenance history on it?

 

[dnewton3]

That's odd and disappointing.
The old FH engine series are generally very well regarded; fairly robust.
Would be interesting to see what the root cause of failure is.

 

[txgp17]

I also have a 757, although it just has 389 hours on it. Hopefully it doesn’t suffer the same fate. Do you know the maintenance history on it?

I bought it used in 2020 with about 700 hours on it. I mow 1.5 acres. I change the oil every 50 hours. Only used Mobile 1 or Purolator PureOne oil filters. And only used oil from "older" API ratings that have higher ZDDP content.

We were having a problem last year with it backfiring when you shut it down. Turns out we weren't letting it cool down enough before shutdown. One time it bent a pushrod. We took that out, and gently flattened it back out. Maybe those horrid backfires damaged something that started a snowball effect.

 

[mrsilv04]

Unfortunately, purchased used... don't know the history. Bummer. Not typical for the Kawasaki engines at all.

 

[MParr]

Time for a new engine

 

[tnt_motorsports]

I bought it used in 2020 with about 700 hours on it. I mow 1.5 acres. I change the oil every 50 hours. Only used Mobile 1 or Purolator PureOne oil filters. And only used oil from "older" API ratings that have higher ZDDP content.

We were having a problem last year with it backfiring when you shut it down. Turns out we weren't letting it cool down enough before shutdown. One time it bent a pushrod. We took that out, and gently flattened it back out. Maybe those horrid backfires damaged something that started a snowball effect.

Who diagnosed your backfiring issue? I’m sure many folks kill the key from almost a high idle. It feels like this engine was destined to fail with a bent pushrod. I’m betting there’s bigger issues that led to this.

Personally I’d pick the Kawasaki before the Honda in this application. Millions of these mowers out there with the Kawi in them.

Just my $0.02

 

[oldcodger]

Sure seems to be something of a rare problem.

 

[MParr]

https://www.smallenginewarehouse.co...john-deere-757-mower-lawn-and-garden-tractor/

 

[ejes]

I bought it used in 2020 with about 700 hours on it. I mow 1.5 acres.

I'm always suspicious and skeptical of the hour meters on used lawn equipment after helping a buddy of mine change his that went bad on his Ferris. They are fairly generic, one-size-fits-all and you can't set your new one to the actual hours. Parts guys said you used to be able to, but not anymore. Makes me wonder how many people just put a new meter on or scavenge one from another mower with less hours when the hours are "getting up there" to hide reality.

 

[Method]

Yeah, that doesn't look good. Sorry about that

 

[4WD]

I'm always suspicious and skeptical of the hour meters on used lawn equipment after helping a buddy of mine change his that went bad on his Ferris. They are fairly generic, one-size-fits-all and you can't set your new one to the actual hours. Parts guys said you used to be able to, but not anymore. Makes me wonder how many people just put a new meter on or scavenge one from another mower with less hours when the hours are "getting up there" to hide reality.

They can go the other way too - leave a key switch on after a motor stalls and the hour meter runs until the battery dies …
(mentioned this for a friend )

 

[txgp17]

Who diagnosed your backfiring issue? I’m sure many folks kill the key from almost a high idle. It feels like this engine was destined to fail with a bent pushrod. I’m betting there’s bigger issues that led to this.

Personally I’d pick the Kawasaki before the Honda in this application. Millions of these mowers out there with the Kawi in them.

Just my $0.02

I determined how to prevent the backfire, by letting it idle for a minute before shut down. But I don't think my wife and/or 11 year old son got the memo. A friend who works on small engines for a living popped the left valve cover off, and found the bent pushrod. He gingerly straightened it and got the mover back running. That was last mowing season IIRC.

 

[loneryder]

They can go the other way too - leave a key switch on after a motor stalls and the hour meter runs until the battery dies …
(mentioned this for a friend )

The hour meter on my Ferris registers only when the blades are engaged.

 

[jeepman3071]

I'm guessing it was run low on oil more than once before you purchased it. A good family friend just went through this with his Toro Timecutter he bought used. He bought it used with ~400 hours and got a "good deal" from a friend of his. He noticed right away it was using a lot of oil and smoking. A few months later he forgot to check the oil and it ran too low and threw the rod. Kawasaki FR691V.