Kawasaki FXT00V

[KE4AVB]

Well I just got in my first Kawasaki FXT00V engine. Boy I didn't there were any other bucket engines other the Kohler engines.

The engine is smoking at start up. Short lived and I found oil on the #1 spark plug so I am think it is just valve stem seals. The dealer for the Hustler told he needs a complete engine as it is bad but I took the mower and cut 4 foot tall grass without problems other the deck clogging up a few times. Oil was low but that appeared to be the o-ring on the oil drain valve.

[KE4AVB]

The engine is back up and running. What I thought was going to be a valve stem problem turn out to be a blown gasket on #1 cylinder. A hint was given when I started pulling the head as the head bolt closest to the exhaust was loose. It strange that it passed the leak down test. Probably was all the oil present. I had about three tablespoons of oil to run out of the cylinder. Nice carbon residue on the the gasket in the area of the loose bolt. And gasket look a little strange. I had mowed 5 acres of heavy grass with no oil usage after the repair.

Still smokes randomly at start up but I was talking to the operator yesterday and he even the other new mower with the same model engine does it.

A couple other problems found while I repairing the engine. One was the oil drain leaking. Most Kawasaki engine has a plastic oil drain, this one had a metal version. I had take the engine bolts so I could move the engine to where I could get a 25mm wrench on the retaining nut, While I was doing I found the drive belt idler arm frozen from harden grease. Luckily the oil drain problem was just a bad o-ring.

Kinda strange to have a blown on a Kawasaki with only 335 hours on the hour meter. But this mower has already been on fire in the past and both fuel gauges don't work. Dealer had already replaced the wiring harness.

On a side note the dealer was telling that the engine was so bad that the customer needed a new $4000 engine when it only needed a head gasket.

EDIT: The Hustler drain valve is PN 796524 but you can use the Rotary 12112 drain valve which is the same valve assembly.

[RoyM]

Lazy dealer He just lost a repair bill and a customer.

[KE4AVB]

What I was told that dealer had sold to an woman owner now and apparently no one there that is left knows what they are doing. You just can't buy a business and not know how to do the work required. It is like my brother that started this business here. He had no idea how to run a business nor knew how to do the repairs. If it wasn't for my knowledge and training it would went under in short order. I step as the manager and took the business from losing 6000 yr to making a profit then he showed his behind and quit. Then started telling everyone I stole his business.

[Arkie]

What I was told that dealer had sold to an woman owner now and apparently no one there that is left knows what they are doing. You just can't buy a business and not know how to do the work required. It is like my brother that started this business here. He had no idea how to run a business nor knew how to do the repairs. If it wasn't for my knowledge and training it would went under in short order. I step as the manager and took the business from losing 6000 yr to making a profit then he showed his behind and quit. Then started telling everyone I stole his business.

I've noticed this:
You can choose your friends but you cannot choose family.

[KE4AVB]

Me and my brother have parted our ways. I haven't or heard of him since early 2015. He was such a pain in the rear that I glad he don't want anything to do with me.