Kawasaki K-Tech Oil, No More ?

[johnD2]

It looks like Kawasaki changed up their K-Tech oil. No longer Citgo. I saw this while I was in Lowe's.
Now by Lube-Tech in Minnesota. Is anybody familiar with this company and who else they blend for ? I'm gonna call my local OPE dealer Monday and see what they say.

https://www.lubetech.com/

 

[Greasymechtech]

Get a VOA..... I wonder how much extra zddp there is for the "zinc boost" .... and a 10w40.... whats not to like HTHS and Z. Makes you wonder what the engine manufacturers really want in their engines.

 

[johnD2]

Get a VOA..... I wonder how much extra zddp there is for the "zinc boost" .... and a 10w40.... whats not to like HTHS and Z. Makes you wonder what the engine manufacturers really want in their engines.

I didn't buy it but, I've been running the 20w50 flavor in my Kubota ZT since new , that's what concerns me. Looks like that might change.
Buying a new oil is like going to a new Chinese restaurant , you let somebody else be the test dummy.

 

[NH73]

I heard others take on all this. How important is the Zinc boost really are in these engines? Others have said the spring pressure is not all that high and about any oil will do. But overall, going with a HDEO seens to a good choice. That what I would do.

 

[jeepman3071]

I heard others take on all this. How important is the Zinc boost really are in these engines? Others have said the spring pressure is not all that high and about any oil will do. But overall, going with a HDEO seens to a good choice. That what I would do.

The zinc really isn't needed with spring pressures so low you can open the valves with your palm. To me it seems to be more about marketing than anything else.

I also see a lot of "the owners manual recommends SL or "insert older spec oil here"", well that is because the owner's manual for many of these manufacturers hasn't changed since it was originally written in 1980. Lately I've been seeing owner's manuals where they don't even match up with the engine they come with, for example the starting procedure diagrams reference parts on older generation engines that the new generation engine does not have.

 

[NH73]

The zinc really isn't needed with spring pressures so low you can open the valves with your palm. To me it seems to be more about marketing than anything else.

I also see a lot of "the owners manual recommends SL or "insert older spec oil here"", well that is because the owner's manual for many of these manufacturers hasn't changed since it was originally written in 1980. Lately I've been seeing owner's manuals where they don't even match up with the engine they come with, for example the starting procedure diagrams reference parts on older generation engines that the new generation engine does not have.

That is what I thought about the low pressure. I talked to a Kawasaki rep. who likely gave his canned answer. But whoever came up with never really thought through the ramification of their decisions either. Someone there at Kawasaki in charge has this mentality that less zinc is bad. Despite all that, them choosing to just spec an old API spec is not the answer either. The reason is they likely don't realized that your API specs for gas engines are all backspecced to older specs. So by just using an old spec, your approving the use of the newest one.

 

[jeepman3071]

That is what I thought about the low pressure. I talked to a Kawasaki rep. who likely gave his canned answer. But whoever came up with never really thought through the ramification of their decisions either. Someone there at Kawasaki in charge has this mentality that less zinc is bad. Despite all that, them choosing to just spec an old API spec is not the answer either. The reason is they likely don't realized that your API specs for gas engines are all backspecced to older specs. So by just using an old spec, your approving the use of the newest one.

Yep, most of the reps from all the brands know almost nothing about oil, and just give canned responses that quote the owner's manual for legal reasons.

I deal with a lot of commercial landscaping companies that run zero turns, blowers, leaf vacs, etc, with Kawasaki engines. The most important thing is to keep the engine oil full. I've had guys who ran the Kawasaki 20w50 and blew up their engines because the engine burned oil and they never checked the level, and I also have another guy who runs 5w20 in all his mowers because he believes they get better fuel economy, and has done so for 1000's of hours. He checks his oil before every use though, so I guess that could be considered the most important to long engine life.

 

[johnD2]

Yep, most of the reps from all the brands know almost nothing about oil, and just give canned responses that quote the owner's manual for legal reasons.

I deal with a lot of commercial landscaping companies that run zero turns, blowers, leaf vacs, etc, with Kawasaki engines. The most important thing is to keep the engine oil full. I've had guys who ran the Kawasaki 20w50 and blew up their engines because the engine burned oil and they never checked the level, and I also have another guy who runs 5w20 in all his mowers because he believes they get better fuel economy, and has done so for 1000's of hours. He checks his oil before every use though, so I guess that could be considered the most important to long engine life.

Have you seen the new Kawasaki bottles up there ?

 

[Astro_Guy]

Have you seen the new Kawasaki bottles up there ?

We have them here in Southeastern PA.

 

[jeepman3071]

Have you seen the new Kawasaki bottles up there ?

Not yet, but I haven't been to the Kawasaki dealer in a few months, I usually order my parts online.

 

[johnD2]

Did a little research , Lube Tech makes oil for Polaris , VP and few others. I''ll probably just switch over to Amsoil or Valvoline Syn VR1 for my mowers , I'm already running Saber in the 2 cycle equipment.

 

[jeepman3071]

I would just use a 15w40 HDEO. That seems to be the flavor of choice and I've run it in several mowers for the landscaping companies I service. Cheap, less burn off, and widely available.

 

[johnD2]

I would just use a 15w40 HDEO. That seems to be the flavor of choice and I've run it in several mowers for the landscaping companies I service. Cheap, less burn off, and widely available.

It's hard to find a mower shop around here that recommends a 40w in commercial ZT's..They all sell cases of 20w50 like it's going out of style.
I don't know if that's what the Kawasaki rep is preaching around here or what. But, our summers are very long and brutal.
So ,you don't think the detergents are too much for hdeo in ope ? I've read a couple of articles suggesting so. But ,I've never seen a blown motor with Rotella in the sump either.

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2012/10/18/tech-101-zinc-in-oil-and-its-effects-on-older-engines

 

[jeepman3071]

It's hard to find a mower shop around here that recommends a 40w in commercial ZT's..They all sell cases of 20w50 like it's going out of style.
I don't know if that's what the Kawasaki rep is preaching around here or what. But, our summers are very long and brutal.
So ,you don't think the detergents are too much for hdeo in ope ? I've read a couple of articles suggesting so. But ,I've never seen a blown motor with Rotella in the sump either.

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2012/10/18/tech-101-zinc-in-oil-and-its-effects-on-older-engines

Likely what the rep is preaching, most mower shops know next to nothing about oil. The one a few towns over uses non-detergent SAE 30 insisting that is what is required in splash lubed engines.

The Hemmings article doesn't make much sense to me, I don't see how the detergents could possibly hurt anything in a small engine, especially when they are used in a modern diesel with a 5 digit replacement cost. Small engines are extremely simple, they will run pretty much forever on oil of any type in the sump, as long as it is full. Run them low and that is when the major wear starts.

 

[john_pifer]

It's hard to find a mower shop around here that recommends a 40w in commercial ZT's..They all sell cases of 20w50 like it's going out of style.
I don't know if that's what the Kawasaki rep is preaching around here or what. But, our summers are very long and brutal.

Probably because commercial landscaping operations are notorious for running their equipment all day for days on end without checking the oil, which leads to running the engines out of oil, and subsequent engine failure.

Ive heard that Kawasaki engines tend to use some oil, and are not very tolerant of being run low on oil.

And that’s why the dealers that service the lawn mowers of a lot of commercial users recommend the 50 grade oil - because it’s not as quick to burn off in those ubiquitous Kawasaki engines.

I just bought a Gravely ZTXL 42” with the Kawasaki FR651V (726cc, 21.5 HP V-Twin).

I bought a bottle of Mobil 1 15W-50 not only because that’s what the ZT2800 transaxles call for, but also because I want it to use as little oil as possible, even though I check it before every run.

Has about 7 or 8 hrs on it now, and it did use a little for the first 3 hrs or so. But last time I checked it, it hadn’t used any after I tipped it off with a few ounces of Mobil 1.

 

[bchannell]

I'd be more concerned with sling lube mowers than pressure oiled ope. Zinc comes into its own at high heat and when the boundary layer of oil goes away. The zinc then prevents metal to metal damage. Just the conditions of a sling lube mower engine on uneven ground. The saving grace for these small engines is they're over built, they're not run at high rpms and they're not under tremendous loads for their design.

 

[The motor guy]

It's hard to find a mower shop around here that recommends a 40w in commercial ZT's..They all sell cases of 20w50 like it's going out of style.
I don't know if that's what the Kawasaki rep is preaching around here or what. But, our summers are very long and brutal.
So ,you don't think the detergents are too much for hdeo in ope ? I've read a couple of articles suggesting so. But ,I've never seen a blown motor with Rotella in the sump either.

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2012/10/18/tech-101-zinc-in-oil-and-its-effects-on-older-engines

So they got rid of the green, blue, yellow and red capped bottles? Down here all they sell is 20w50. There's only a few days a year the 20w50 would be too thick to consider starting the engine. Of course that's when people always want me to mow

 

[12-Valve]

So they got rid of the green, blue, yellow and red capped bottles? Down here all they sell is 20w50. There's only a few days a year the 20w50 would be too thick to consider starting the engine. Of course that's when people always want me to mow

I've only seen this new style bottle at Lowes for over $13 a quart. Dealer here still has the older Ktec bottles and I ordered a case of 20w50 online and a few quarts of 10w40 a month ago and they both were the older Ktec colored capped bottles for less than half of what Lowes charges.

 

[The motor guy]

I've only seen this new style bottle at Lowes for over $13 a quart. Dealer here still has the older Ktec bottles and I ordered a case of 20w50 online and a few quarts of 10w40 a month ago and they both were the older Ktec colored capped bottles for less than half of what Lowes charges.

That was probably 7 years ago. I run amsoil 20w50. The kohler oil says made by amsoil right on the bottle