Kawasaki vs Alternate Brand

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Dec 16, 2021
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9
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NC
I have a Kawasaki engine on my Toro zero turn mower. The engine has 3-4 years of factory warranty (about 1 year left) so I’ve been using Kawasaki branded filters since new just to avoid any finger pointing or having to argue about filter specs if any engine trouble arose. The Kawasaki branded filters seem well made and aren’t overly expensive considering I only service the engine oil and filter once per season (less than 100 hrs OCI).

I happened to stop in the dealer shortly after purchasing the mower and picked up some Kawasaki engine oil and a filter. I didn’t think much of it as it was all in a shopping bag but when I opened the bag up to perform the service a few months later I realized they didn’t give me a Kawasaki brand filter. I ended up ordering a Kawasaki filter and using that instead. I came across the filter on the right again when I was organizing some things in my shop. Can anyone identify who makes it, if it is indeed a direct substitute and if it is a good filter or not?

I’m a little worried about using it if the quality isn’t there. I’ll just keep on ordering Kawasaki filters in that case.

I almost forgot…first post on BITOG! I’ve been a lurker here for a long time but finally decided to join so I could participate.
 

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I have a 1992 John Deere 240 riding mower with the FC420V 14-horsepower Kawasaki engine and a 1996-ish John Deere 14SB self-propelled walk-behind mower with the FC150 Kawasaki engine. According to older BITOG posts, the OEM JD filters are Fram/Champion Labs. Personally, I’ve been using Mobil 1 103 or 103a size filters, as I bought those for my wife’s 2003 Corolla, which takes the same filter. If yours takes that filter, in theory you could use a larger oil filter for a V6 Camry or even a 3600/FL400s filter if there’s enough clearance. I use 5w40 Mobil Delvac 1 Turbo Diesel Truck oil in my OPE. Previously, my dad used Mobil 1 5w30. Never had any engine-related issues over the decades with different filters.
 
your filter directly interchanges to a wix 51056 and a fram ph8170.

You could also use the Wix 51348/Motorcraft FL910s/Fram 3614 as an oversized (tall) replacement, but the rated burst pressure for the Wix is reduced from 325 psi on the 51056 to 275 on the 51348
 
Not enough info from the picture to ID the black filter.
The Kawasaki filter is most likely decent if ordinary Asian filter.
Likely as good or slightly better than an orange Fram.
Most all lawn tractors and zero turns use the 3/4-16 thread (Ford)
so the filters mentioned above will serve you well. Brand of filter won't/shouldn't
matter warrantee wise.

My 2¢
 
NAPA gold 1394 is a good filter, i think it is only a couple bucks less that the OEM filter though.
I always thought all air cooled Kawasaki engines took the same filter? Thought there was only one.
I have an FH500V on my 36" Wright stander, its got a carquest filter on it now but the number is rolled to the bottom so I can't see it. I think I had a Fram 4967 on it before this carquest one.
 
I’ll try to get another photo of the filter in question. I think there wasn’t any other writing except what’s on that side “made in S. Korea”and “WS485” were the only marks that I thought held any significance. I’m curious who makes this one and if it’s decent enough to actually use.
 
Not enough info from the picture to ID the black filter.
The Kawasaki filter is most likely decent if ordinary Asian filter.
Likely as good or slightly better than an orange Fram.
Most all lawn tractors and zero turns use the 3/4-16 thread (Ford)
so the filters mentioned above will serve you well. Brand of filter won't/shouldn't
matter warrantee wise.

My 2¢
The part number is on the box
 
I’m a little worried about using it if the quality isn’t there. I’ll just keep on ordering Kawasaki filters in that case.
The box says it's a "Genuine Kawasaki Parts". If so, then I wouldn't worry about using it. But if it's a counterfeit, then yeah there might be some concern.
 
I guess I wasn’t very clear in my first post. The box on the left has a genuine filter inside that I ordered from a dealer. I have used those filters in the past and have no issues using them.

The filter on the right (only has a cellophane wrapper covering its base…did not come with a box) was a filter that another dealer sold me and also the one that I’m questioning using. I don’t know the brand and I’m thinking it’s an aftermarket cheapo that this particular dealer has chosen to stock instead of genuine Kawasaki filters. I’m trying to gather info regarding the “ws485” filter on the right.

I just provided a photo of a Kawasaki filter box to let y’all know the oem filter I’ve been using and the oem part number.
 
I guess I wasn’t very clear in my first post. The box on the left has a genuine filter inside that I ordered from a dealer. I have used those filters in the past and have no issues using them.

The filter on the right (only has a cellophane wrapper covering its base…did not come with a box) was a filter that another dealer sold me and also the one that I’m questioning using. I don’t know the brand and I’m thinking it’s an aftermarket cheapo that this particular dealer has chosen to stock instead of genuine Kawasaki filters. I’m trying to gather info regarding the “ws485” filter on the right.

I just provided a photo of a Kawasaki filter box to let y’all know the oem filter I’ve been using and the oem part number.
You're probably not going to find anything about that "no brand name" oil filter. Go buy a filter you know and trust, and cut open the no name filter ... that's what I'd do if worried about using an oil filter. No use having uneasy feelings over a few bucks.
 
"WS485" on the box will x-ref on the Wix site; looks to be a "Rotary" brand filter (obviously an "other" branded filter). Wix = 57035 from that x-ref.

As most have said, any decent filter brand you'd put on your car/truck will have a good filter for the Kawasaki. Choose with the same criteria you'd use for the other vehicles in your life.
 
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Brand of filter will never matter for warranty purposes. Heck, many dealerships will use the cheap no-name filters to service equipment, warranty or not.

I've had to make engine claims for customers on new machines, and the only thing they look for is if the engine was run with no oil, which is usually fairly obvious. The manufacturers can push back on operators who don't check the oil, as it's in the manual and part of required maintenance, but they can't tell you to only use Kawasaki filters, or oil for that matter.

I have a 14hp FC420V on my Exmark walk-behind and use a ph4967 sized filter on it without issue.
 
Use the filter, at least I would trust it more than most other brands.
Here is the company = (oops, it’s not the company, maybe just a distributor)
It might be made for a small engine air filter company, weird http://www.walmi.net
Either way, S Korean filter I would certainly trust.
https://filters.filpro.com/viewitems/w/walmi-filters


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The manufacturers can push back on operators who don't check the oil, as it's in the manual and part of required maintenance, but they can't tell you to only use Kawasaki filters, or oil for that matter.
True they can't tell you to only use Kawasaki filters and oil, and if they did, they would have to provide those items for free per the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. However, if Kawasaki (or any manufacturer) thought or could prove that a non OEM part caused a failure, they certainly could deny warranty and say go after the manufacturer of the non OEM part.
 
Thanks for the info posted. That makes since that it could be a rotary or another aftermarket brand. I’ll plan on using this filter next change.

Thanks for the alternative part numbers. I’ll probably switch over to an automotive filter as y’all have suggested after this one. I haven’t had any issues going that route in the past.

I’m aware of the magnuson-moss act and the protections it provides. I’m not scared of using aftermarket parts in many settings but since this engine has such a short warranty I figured I’d just stick with oem filters and oil until warranty expires. Then there isn’t any chance of the manufacturer trying to put any burden of proof on me or an aftermarket in a possible warranty dispute. Also the dealer has a record of purchases of oil/filters. Cheap insurance to me for 4 OCIs.

After warranty expires I’ll come back here for some advice on whether to stick with the Kawasaki branded 20w50 or not.

Here’s a photo of the markings on top just because.
 

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True they can't tell you to only use Kawasaki filters and oil, and if they did, they would have to provide those items for free per the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. However, if Kawasaki (or any manufacturer) thought or could prove that a non OEM part caused a failure, they certainly could deny warranty and say go after the manufacturer of the non OEM part.
100% accurate advice.

I will add, that the aftermarket oil or filter maker can also deny warranty if one were to use an oil or filter no in an "approved" application. This is why I'm generally adamant that the use of non-standard filters (upsized/downsized) is not really worth the risk, given that we have practically no evidence to show that "approved" application are somehow sub-standard.
 
If you are going to follow factory recommendations for service, then you only need to change the filter every other oil change (or 200 hours). That cuts the cost in half, so just use the OEM filter.
 
Cut a filter open and see how dirty? On a 14 hp engine how dirty will it get? You could still ask the dealer about these filters they sold you even after this long.
 
Your hydro drives should have filters as well, when you change those, you'll want to ensure they are made for hydraulic service
 
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