Oil Recommendation for Kawasaki 21HP

[tamadrummer]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
I am presently working on an issue of crankshaft roller bearings in a small 10 HP engine that fail after a certain while. Basically, the client is trying to take a homeowner application and make it into a commercial application by upping the run time requirements.

The upshot of the failure is that the 10W-30 lube used for the engine can't handle the high temperatures (~150°C) and what we are seeing is a lube failure. Fo some unknown reason, the client refuses to specify a heavier weight for this application.

Be careful with the lighter weight oils in an engine that has no cooling.


If it is a 50 hour rated engine and being used in a commercial application, the owner must be mental! You get what you pay for and buying homeowner equipment to be used as heavy duty commercial will give you a failure every time. Sell them a real commercial Kohler Command or Kawasaki Kai.

 

[Kestas]

It's not the owner, it's the manufacturer. They're taking an engine rated for 400 hours and trying to reengineer it for 1200 hours.

 

[mowmow]

Hi,
This site has been very informative for me and I've learned a lot about the differences in the various motor oils. Since my current issue is very similar to the current subject, I am posting here...

I recently acquired a used mower (2000 Toro Z153) with a 23HP Kawasaki FH680V (twin cylinder vertical shaft OHV) with 900 hours. By the looks of the mower and claims by the previous mower, the unit was used only for personal grounds, not commercial. Beyond that, I don't know the history. When I got the mower home, the first thing that I did was change the plugs, oil, etc and adjust the valves (clearance was >20 mils clearance - eek!), and the engine now runs smooth as a silk, no clatter/knocks and the idle is amazing. However, when the engine sits for a week, it will smoke (blue) for the first 10 seconds or so. Oil consumption during operation is very low (still full after 15 hours), and there is no blue or oil smell while mowing - even when revving the engine up with the deck engaged.

I am curious as to the best oil for an engine of this age condition to maximize longevity and possibly minimize the startup smoke. Do synthetics smoke the same as conventional? I also wonder if I can hone the cylinders to reduce startup smoke etc, but this may not be a subject for this site.

Thanks for your time,
Andy

 

[mowmow]

Above, I meant "claims by the previous OWNER"...
Andy

 

[CSM746]

I have a 1986 JD 130 lawn tractor with the 9HP Kawasaki FS290V engine. For the first five years used 15W40/20W50 Pennzoil in the summer and Pennzoil 10W30 PZL Turbo in the winter. Switched to Mobil 1 15W50 summer/10W30 winter in 1991. The machine is now in it's 25th season and running strong. It plows snow all winter here in Michigan. I am completely impressed with this engine. Only maintenance it has seen is oil, air filters, fuel filters, spark plugs, burning mid-grade with SeaFoam. This engine is splash lube with no filter so I do change the oil mid summer. No oil consumption and even tried Mobil 1 TDT 5W40 last year with good results. Mobil 1 did fine by this engine.

 

[coder]

...
Be careful with the lighter weight oils in an engine that has no cooling.

Kestas,
Would you mind telling us what weight would you use? I have some Redline 15W50 laying around,
would that be OK? (I have 5 hours on my Kawi FR691 on the factory fill so far)

 

[ripcord]

Holy thread necromancy, Batman!

You can use literally any thirty weight oil and you'll be fine in almost all cases. Kawasaki recommends forty weight when operated at over 90f and says 20w50 is ok if it's burning oil.

 

[coder]

Sorry, I have a habit of responding to threads if I have a follow up question.
I do not even look at the date.

For me it is irrelevant what the date of the last post was. The discussion does not necessarily
lose relevancy and usefulness just because some time has passed. Maybe the original participants
are gone, but someone else will chime in.

A good answer is a good answer, and lo, I just got one. Thanks!

 

[coder]

I am curious as to the best oil for an engine of this age condition to maximize longevity and possibly minimize the startup smoke. Do synthetics smoke the same as conventional? I also wonder if I can hone the cylinders to reduce startup smoke etc, but this may not be a subject for this site.

Some "for older vehicles" synthetic, which would have seal conditioners.
Possibly a higher wgt. oil such as a 15W50.

I had a 20 year old Kohler command engine that did exactly what you are describing, when I used
5w30 mobil-1 sythetic. Other than the startup blue smoke, it was running strong and smoke-free
once warmed up. Was not worried about it much, but switching to a heavier oil helped when I traded it in.