First riding mower; Husqvarna with Kawasaki

[vwalburn]

Just bought my first riding lawn mower, a Husqvarna Z248F with the Kawasaki FR651V engine. It was a 3 year old model still sitting at the local Atwoods marked down to < $2K. It has 1.6 hours on it from being moved around. Do you folks use just lawn mower branded oil and filters? I want to use 10W-30 oil and I'm not sure if there is a difference between automotive and lawn mower oils. Is there more ZINC in lawn mower oils? I see the zinc additive on their bottles.

 

[Kira]

I recently bout my first riding mower from my BIL and am using 15W-40 with "BITOG Member Approvals".

 

[#18FAN]

I personally would not run anything but a 40 grade in the mower 15w or 10w40 preferred if running in 90F plus probably a 50grade.

 

[spasm3]

I recently bout my first riding mower from my BIL and am using 15W-40 with "BITOG Member Approvals".

I would go heavier than 30wt. I think Kawasaki later came out recommending heavier oil.
I use 15w-40 synthetic in mine and a 3614 filter. If you have room you can use a 3600 longer filter.
My zero turn has the FR651V.

 

[IveBeenRued]

Don’t run 10W-30 in you Kawasaki FR series if you want to keep it beyond 100 hours. My FR730V lasted less than 100 hours before seizing up when I was running AMSOIL 10W-30. I talked to the dealer. Looks like here in Virginia, I was supposed to be running 10W-40 most of the year and 20W-50 during the summer. Ignore that Husqvarna recommends and go with what Kawasaki recommends which is:

 

[gman2304]

I’ve used Rotella T5 15w40 in my 1998 501V for years. I adjusted the valves a few years ago and everything looked new even after 25 years.

 

[SilentType]

Don’t run 10W-30 in you Kawasaki FR series if you want to keep it beyond 100 hours. My FR730V lasted less than 100 hours before seizing up when I was running AMSOIL 10W-30. I talked to the dealer. Looks like here in Virginia, I was supposed to be running 10W-40 most of the year and 20W-50 during the summer. Ignore that Husqvarna recommends and go with what Kawasaki recommends which is:

Absolutely false. Our FR600V has over 600 hours of hard use on hilly acreage and Georgia heat using nothing but 5W-30 and 10W-30 PCMO, although full disclosure it will be getting 5W-40 Euro oil next time because that's what I have on the shelf.

Edited to say that I mean no disrespect to @IveBeenRued and his unfortunate experience with engine failure.

 

[skyactiv]

I have 3 acres and a Ferris stand on with a Kawasaki. I buy the 10W40 tune up kit once a year. Probably not the best value and oil, I don't care.

 

[burbguy82]

Kawasaki FR651V engine

It is likely the most common engine in use for this type of mower. I have the same engine in my Bob-Cat (green before Doosan bought them). Excellent commercial duty engine, huge track record among professionals in my area.

Being as the engine is used in many other applications other than lawn mowers........use a bit of realistic conditions in your choice.......do you mow your lawn at 32F....likely not, along with nearly every American. Do you mow your lawn at 80F and above? Likely yes, again like every other American.

I recently changed out the fluids in my mower.......and used Mobil 1 15w50......why? Full Synthetic, lower cold flow than typical 20w50, fits the temp ranges, higher HTHS than 10w40...."cheap" at Walmart........and it meets the requirements for the hydrogear units.

 

[IveBeenRued]

Absolutely false. Our FR600V has over 600 hours of hard use on hilly acreage and Georgia heat using nothing but 5W-30 and 10W-30 PCMO, although full disclosure it will be getting 5W-40 Euro oil next time because that's what I have on the shelf.

How can you claim that my personal experience is false? My 2013 FR730V was seized up by 100 hours despite running a very high quality 10W-30 oil. The dealer specifically said that 10W-30 was too thin at our high ambient temps. And again, the manufacture says thicker. So there is that.

 

[14Accent]

How can you claim that my personal experience is false? My 2013 FR730V was seized up by 100 hours despite running a very high quality 10W-30 oil. The dealer specifically said that 10W-30 was too thin at our high ambient temps. And again, the manufacture says thicker. So there is that.

I'm going to have to go with @SilentType on this one. John Deere recommends (and supplies) Turf Gard 10w-30 in their maintenance kits for ALL lawn mower engines aside from the Yanmar diesels: they get Plus 50 II 10w-30. We regularly see temps above 86 degrees here in the summer, and I've not seen a single failure that could be definitively attributed to oil viscosity.

 

[wavinwayne]

How can you claim that my personal experience is false? My 2013 FR730V was seized up by 100 hours despite running a very high quality 10W-30 oil. The dealer specifically said that 10W-30 was too thin at our high ambient temps. And again, the manufacture says thicker. So there is that.

Knowing nothing about the particulars of your case, I would be more inclined to believe your mower's engine had a defect of some type, instead of attributing the failure to running 10W30. No way to know for sure.

 

[SilentType]

How can you claim that my personal experience is false? My 2013 FR730V was seized up by 100 hours despite running a very high quality 10W-30 oil. The dealer specifically said that 10W-30 was too thin at our high ambient temps. And again, the manufacture says thicker. So there is that.

My apologies @IveBeenRued I did not mean that your experience was not true, but the assertion that "Don’t run 10W-30 in you Kawasaki FR series if you want to keep it beyond 100 hours" is simply not the case for everyone.

 

[wavinwayne]

Just bought my first riding lawn mower, a Husqvarna Z248F with the Kawasaki FR651V engine. It was a 3 year old model still sitting at the local Atwoods marked down to < $2K...

Looks like a good deal on a nice new machine. Enjoy!

 

[Tdbo]

I'm going to have to go with @SilentType on this one. John Deere recommends (and supplies) Turf Gard 10w-30 in their maintenance kits for ALL lawn mower engines aside from the Yanmar diesels: they get Plus 50 II 10w-30. We regularly see temps above 86 degrees here in the summer, and I've not seen a single failure that could be definitively attributed to oil viscosity.

This absolutely.
I'm going on 19 years with my X series, using nothing but 10W30.
Not issue #1 with anything from an engine perspective.
I've used Turf Gard, Mobil, Citgo, and Castrol.
Last year, used Ace Hardware oil, and for at least the next 2-3 years will be using Valvoline (got a deal on a case.)
The chart posted by IBR, shows that that is entirely appropriate, and meets specification.

 

[facility1]

just use Royal Purple 5w-40 or Cenex of the same grade.

 

[IveBeenRued]

Alright, I’ll admit, maybe I had a defective motor. I will also admit I have a bit of hate for Kawasaki because they didn’t stand behind their product and refused to replace the motor despite being under warranty just because I “didn’t get it serviced at the dealer”. I even had dealer receipts showing me purchasing the Kawasaki oil filters in store on the dates that aligned with my oil change records. No dice, the dealer informed me that Kawasaki was a stickler about dealer-only maintenance and told me to go Kholer or Briggs if I wanted better warranty coverage as a DIYer.

All my Kawasaki hate aside, I’d still personally avoid XW-30 oils because the manual itself states that 10W-40 is recommended in most conditions. Why take the risk?

 

[BC1]

15w-40 and a PH3416 size filter.

That FR engine is the bottom of their line up for home owners and rated for 250hrs.

 

[Cujet]

I use Rotella T6 5W-40 in my Kawasaki V-Twin powered JD tractor. Works great, 23 years and counting.

 

[#18FAN]

Would be good pick